It's a Rat Snake. It looks like an intergrade between a Gray Rat Snake and a Black Rat Snake. Alabama has the Gray Rat Snake, the Black Rat Snake, and a large crossover population where the gene pools intergrade. This looks like a snake from an intergrade population. Rat Snakes are very large and harmless snakes.

I agree with everyone else. Baby black racer. Totally harmless. Yuliana, most vipers and other venomous snakes (but not ALL) do have vertical pupils, while non-venomous snakes have round ones. However, it isn't always easy to see the pupils of a snake's eyes. It's much better to be familiar with the 4 basic types of venomous snakes we have in Florida. If it's not one of them, you don't have to worry. And they are all 4 pretty EASY to ID. You'll notice I use the term "venomous" instead of "poisonous" when talking about snakes. That is because poison is something you ingest...you EAT a poisonous mushroom, for instance. Venom is something that is injected into you, via fangs or stingers, (like snakes and bees). So snakes aren't poisonous. At least none that I know of. You can eat rattlesnake meat all day long and it won't poison you. But some of them ARE venomous, and CAN inject you with a toxic venom. Voila...your biology lesson for the day, haha. Marcia

Marcia, Please help me find out what kind of snake I came across today. While I was at the local dog park (near Orlando) I came across a yellow with black stripes snake. It looked to be between 3.5-4 feet long and did not appear at first glance (that was all I gave it out of fear) to be shiny. I was about 3 feet from it and didn't know it until my dog almost stepped on it. She obviously didn't see it either. The snake seemed a pit peeved about the whole thing but it decided not to attack and to slowly slither towards ME to get away from my dog. Needless to say, I took off in a different direction real quick and hollered for my dog to follow. I am not like you or others on this site. I am not a fan of snakes and am extremely afraid of them. Although, I don't mind the black racers that seem to have taken up permanent residence in MY back yard and they love to procreate often (or so it seems). I have seen a lot less field rats since the racers moved in and that makes me very happy. Anyway, can you help me figure out what this snake was? I have spent hours and hours online tonight trying to find it and just can't seem to find anything that looks like it. I am guessing that it is not dangerous to me or my dogs??? I am scared to take my dogs back through those woods that they so dearly love. As soon as I told them, "No more woods until the snakes are gone again," they "told" me to find it if it was dangerous or not and if it isn't that they want to go back again. So that is mostly why I am asking you for your help. We all love the walks but I am afraid of the snakes. Please help me feel safer about going back. Thanks in advance for your help.

Black Rat Snake with most of its juvenile pattern still present.