Small snake- need ID

[Luke'sScreenName]

It's not the right body or head shape for a hognose either. Also a rat snake will feel very smooth, almost slick while a hognose will be slighly bumpy. And obviously, a quick look at its nose in profile... If it doesn't strike you as very strange looking, then it's not a hognose.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Rat snake, says he. Southern Hog nose says I.... Tomato/tomato. It is a dead snake now.

Lol. True. I've spent more time than I care to admit with both of those herps.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Could be. Those are on page 22 on that guide I linked to, but they're described as mostly brown.

They are highly variable in color a pattern. What most of us know as a corn snake from the pet store is actually the same species. They can also be pitch black.

 

[k0ua]

Lol. True. I've spent more time than I care to admit with both of those herps.

In any case either one are harmless beneficial snakes. Now the stinking copperheads that I see around the house... um.. not quite as harmless. They have little fangs, and while I haven't been bitten, I have come pretty darn close.

 

[MossRoad]

Look here for pictures:

juvenile rat snake - Google Search

Nice! thanks.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

In any case either one are harmless beneficial snakes. Now the stinking copperheads that I see around the house... um.. not quite as harmless. They have little fangs, and while I haven't been bitten, I have come pretty darn close.

Actually, hognose snake have rear fangs and venom (not enough to be a problem for humans)!

 

[prichard]

In any case either one are harmless beneficial snakes. Now the stinking copperheads that I see around the house... um.. not quite as harmless. They have little fangs, and while I haven't been bitten, I have come pretty darn close.

That's my thinking. Not a moccasin, copperhead or rattler then it's one of the good guys that eat things I don't want around.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Southern Hognose Snake. There is a picture of his brother toward the bottom of the page.


HOGNOSE SNAKES (Heterodon)

It doesn't have the turned up snout on the nose like a hog nosed snake. It could be a species of King snake maybe. I soaked the glue trap with vegetable oil and with a little scrapping with my knife blade, I got the little fellow loose and let him crawl off. I looked at Wiki for all snakes native to Ark and found nothing like him.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Rat snake, says he. Southern Hog nose says I.... Tomato/tomato. It is a dead snake now.

Nope, not dead unless vegetable oil kills him. He was crawling away briskly when I dropped him in the flower bed. Hopefully he stays away from glue traps in the future. I believe him to be a species of Rat Snake and not Hog nose due to the smooth shape of the head and no snout like the hog nosed.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Thanks to everyone for help in identifying this little fellow. I looked at hundreds of photos and never found on quite like him. Beautiful coloring and super smooth to the touch skin. I guess he would have made a good pet for a snake person. If it were up to the wife, he would still be attached to that glue trap and be in the trash. I don't like to kill beneficial snakes for any reason and here in Arkansas it is against the law to kill any species of snake for any reason. I have to admit to breaking the law a few times on that one though before I found out about it.

Anyone else live in a state where it specifically states that no snake is to be killed?