Walkin Horse
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If it's not black I don't chance it.
First Snake of the year
- Thread starter Gafn
- Start date
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If it's not black I don't chance it.
s219
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A lot of juvenile snakes -- that will end up black -- have crazy patterns, so it's hard to know. If I killed every baby snake around here that wasn't black, I'd be overrun with mice.
For a while we had snakes that were dead ringers for rattlers, so my wife thought, but I got close enough to get a picture with a zoom lens and saw the head shape and eyes were all wrong to be dangerous (plus we don't have rattlers in this area that I know of). Turned out to be the juvenile of a very common and beneficial black snake. From what I learned, juveniles often have crazier patterns to scare predators off. This one was quite beautiful looking.
Really, the only two snakes I have to worry about down here in my part of VA (Toano) are copperheads and water mocassins. Both are distinctive enough that I can usually tell from a distance, at least on land. The real challenge is telling water moccasins apart from regular water snakes when they are in the water. That I am still unsure about. They say the water moccasin has more of it's body near the surface when swimming, but I have see regular snakes do that too when they get cruising. On land the moccasin is hard to mistake though.
Walkin Horse
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I came across a baby that was black on top and bright orange belly. I assumed it was a black snake. I have a 3 yo grandson that loves to dig worms in the manure pile. I am so scared he will get hold of a snake.
txdon
Super Star Member
That would be a rat snake. Good to have around but don't get them mad they will bite. Non-venomous.
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s219
Super Member
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- Virginia USA
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I forget what we eventually identified this juvenile to be, but it was one that would go all black as it grew up. Was really pretty.
McREBEL
Gold Member
Thanks for the ID. I rescued a snake (he was stuck in the stone that goes around the bottom of my house) a couple of years ago after a thorough internet search to find out it was non-venomous. I had to use a stick to keep him from reaching around to bite me while I freed him. The one on the tractor looked similar to me. I like non-venomous mice/rat killers.
Xfaxman
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good for you
varmint
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Couple years ago I was visiting my rich brother in his Naples Fla., mansion in a gated community. An attached, air conditioned, tile floored, fully finished garage, and he had left one of the garage doors open while we ran an errand in his Bentley convertible. Going into the house from the garage, just up one step into the house, I noticed a snake scooting across the travertine floor and under the utility room's door when I turned on the light. This is a hallway we walk barefoot thru. We flushed it out from under a water heater and out the door with a broom- it was a smallish copperhead.
txdon
Super Star Member
I saw one of those last week crossing the road. In Texas they are an endangered species. I had to stop and wait for him to cross the road. I got a pic with my phone.
