A nice blacksnake in my lumber pile

[sksmsllc]

Glad to see he survived. Alot of guys here shoot first and ask questions later! We have seen several on our property and are glad they are around to help keep down the rodent population. This one we saw sunning himself a year or so ago. He was about 5' long.

You have a Black Rat. Like the Blue Racer this snake is a constrictor. It suffocates its prey before eating.

 

[beppington]

... saw something was hiding in the cracks :shocked:... At least I knew he was a nice friendly black snake :thumbsup: ...

Unfortunately for me, 2 of the 3 black snakes I've seen so far at my new property have been moccasins. Fat suckers, too. Very creepy.

 

[eepete]

sksmslic: I've also heard of these guys being called "black racers". He did have a blue-ish hue. I also think you're right on beginning to shed, I thought the same think when I saw him in the Sun. His eyes also had a haze to them, don't know if that's a pre-shed sign. I'll be pulling the tarp he went under away tomorrow, I'll look for the skin.

beppington, if you look at the head it sure looks like a non-venoumous snake. Don't think I've every seen a moccasin, unless that's another name for a cotton mouth.

I'll guess I'll pull out the book and look up these names- blue racer, black racer, black rat, black snake. Odd how snakes and weeds often have names that vary from region to region.

Pete

 

[sksmsllc]

sksmslic: I've also heard of these guys being called "black racers".

beppington, if you look at the head it sure looks like a non-venomous snake. Don't think I've every seen a moccasin, unless that's another name for a cotton mouth.

I'll guess I'll pull out the book and look up these names- blue racer, black racer, black rat, black snake. Odd how snakes and weeds often have names that vary from region to region.

Pete

NON VENOMOUS for sure. Black Rat and Black/Blue Racers appear similar in size but a closer look at the head and the belly will distinguish these two quickly. Both good snakes. The Racer is less friendly than the Black Rat but both can be caught bare handed with little risk of bite. Keep your eyes peeled for a King either speckled or banded which are also black except for some marking will hunt kill and eat venoumus snakes like the copperhead. The Cotton Mouth is ofter confused with a common water snake however they are thick/fat and mean.

 

[beppington]

... Don't think I've every seen a moccasin, unless that's another name for a cotton mouth.

Pete

As for the two snakes I saw on my property, we call them black moccasins or water moccasins here, but yes, cottonmouth is another name.