I'm sooo glad someone IDed that bugger I have one just like him (maybe bigger) in my yard, watch like a hawk to make sure he is not in my way. when they (I have more one)are around I swear I feel them so I can usualy scare them away. Last week I was out potting Plants and I needed more Pots which were a little distance away from where I was working. I headed to the pots. Well I felt that there was one close by soooo I very carefully eye out as far as my eye could see, didn't see anything so I thought to self "she is in a bush somewhere so I'm not going to worry. Sooo I by now I'm at the pots. I take one step forward and all of a suddon this huge snake wraps around my leg and I just about died, nothing but blood curling scream comes out of my mouth as I doing the chicken dance and there are pots flying all over the. I know in my knower that some are not poisonous but I could still die of a heart attack. Try as I have I can't seem to not be terrified Of them. That lawn mower deal sounds realy great HEHEHE Hi Kara I went to your plant swap My plants are doing awesome! thanks sooo much for letting me come. Carmen

Thanks for the flamingo pic! When we moved to Houston from Orange Park 2 yrs. ago, somehow, my framed 8x10 flamingo pic (that I also took at the Jax zoo -- I'm a flamingo junkie) "diappeared" (i.e, I STILL CAN'T FIND IT! WAH!) So, I'm using your pic as my pc wallpaper, if you don't mind (it just replaced a gorgeous shot of the ocean at Fernandina Beach.) Yup, I'm soooo homesick. . . Pat

It is indeed a Gray Rat Snake Gray Rat Snake link, but it is an intergrade with a Yellow Rat Snake Yellow Rat Snake link - picture at bottom of page. They are two subspecies of the greater American Eastern Rat Snake group, Elaphe obsoleta. The Gray is E. o. spiloides, the Yellow is E. o. quadrivittata. The Gray has blotches, the Yellow has stripes; the intergrade (or intraspecific hybrid looks like this Intergrade link, and the scientific name is written like this: Elaphe obsoleta spiloides x quadrivittata. This is one of the things that gives a lie to the bigot saying of "things of different kinds or color don't interbreed in nature"; uh, yeah, they do, all the time. These are great eaters of rats, but also take other small mammals, some small birds, eggs, and the occasional frog or lizard. Very good to have around!

Although it seems very skinny, the markings are perfect for a striped California king snake. Check the link below. Tucker Here is a link that might be useful: Striped California King Snake