Found this snakeskin by my front door ... any ideas what kind?

[Ebow1]

Yeah, most snakes really don't want to bite something in self defense I imagine due to the fact that they have limited amounts of venom.

[Guest db99wj]

Saw a dead Copperhead down in central Mississippi yesterday. Guessing about 18" to 24" and fat, he was probably 3"-4" in diameter.

[ShaunM]

could be a king snake, some of them have yellow bellies like in the picture.

[Capbyrd]

Around here, we have a lot of garter and speckled king snakes. That looks more like a garter snake.

As for knowing friendly from venomous snakes, here is a good rule. There are a few exceptions like the coral but it is a pretty good rule.

Venomous

Notice the shape of the head. kind of a v shape.

Friendly

notice that his head is much narrower and kinda streamlined in comparison.

That is a decent rule for this part of the country. Outside of this area are quite a few exceptions.

Also, there is a rat snake that has the same colors as a coral snake. Remember this when you see them.

Red on black, friend of jack. Red on yellow, kill a fellow.

[Guest Glock23ForMe]

My uncle found a snake in his house day, he lives up in the woods. It was a little black snake about 3 ft long. No he didn't kill it. It slept on the water heater in the basement for about a month or two until he couldn't find it anymore, he always went down to his basement, finished basement, for reloading and watching TV and would open the closet and a black snake would be chilling on the water heater. He never found any mice or anything in his house. Ever.

[Guest BEARMAN]

Around here, we have a lot of garter and speckled king snakes. That looks more like a garter snake.

As for knowing friendly from venomous snakes, here is a good rule. There are a few exceptions like the coral but it is a pretty good rule.

Venomous

Notice the shape of the head. kind of a v shape.

Friendly

notice that his head is much narrower and kinda streamlined in comparison.

That is a decent rule for this part of the country. Outside of this area are quite a few exceptions.

Also, there is a rat snake that has the same colors as a coral snake. Remember this when you see them.

Red on black, friend of jack. Red on yellow, kill a fellow.

Hey Capbyrd...Is it just me, or does it look like your pic of the friendly snake is wearing sunglasses?

[jughead]

i have been told if the belly scales past the rectom are one piece the snake is venomous. i have looked at a few and so far it has proven true. yes they were all incapacitated before i looked

[Guest Jamie]

i have been told if the belly scales past the rectom are one piece the snake is venomous.

That's not the end you have to worry about though...

Also, by the time you can inspect a snake that closely, it's most likely too late to decide whether to kill it or leave it alone.

Better to just learn what the 4 poisonous snakes here in the U.S. look like and go from there. Anything that isn't one of those 4 isn't going to be a problem.

Those 4 are:

Rattlers - Several species, but all have one thing in common - the rattle - and that makes them easy to identify, as a rule.

Copperheads

Cotton Mouths/Water Moccasins

And lastly, Coral snakes. It's the only one of the 4 that isn't a pit viper.

All of the pit vipers have the same general build - fat for their length - and the same shaped head. And there's also those 2 pits between their eye and nose, if you wanna get close enough to look.

There are a couple of look-alike non-poisonous snakes, like the puff adder, that has the same general build, but it doesn't have pits, poison, or fangs.

And as a rule, all the non-poisonous snakes are slim for their length, and have a more egg-shaped head, compared to the arrow-head shape of the pit vipers.

Belly scales and the shape of their pupils, etc. are all good identifiers "after the fact", but they're tough to use when you're dealing with a live snake that you have to decide what to do with/about.

J.

[Guest db99wj]

That's not the end you have to worry about though...

Also, by the time you can inspect a snake that closely, it's most likely too late to decide whether to kill it or leave it alone.

Better to just learn what the 4 poisonous snakes here in the U.S. look like and go from there. Anything that isn't one of those 4 isn't going to be a problem.

Those 4 are:

Rattlers - Several species, but all have one thing in common - the rattle - and that makes them easy to identify, as a rule.

Copperheads

Cotton Mouths/Water Moccasins

And lastly, Coral snakes. It's the only one of the 4 that isn't a pit viper.

All of the pit vipers have the same general build - fat for their length - and the same shaped head. And there's also those 2 pits between their eye and nose, if you wanna get close enough to look.

There are a couple of look-alike non-poisonous snakes, like the puff adder, that has the same general build, but it doesn't have pits, poison, or fangs.

And as a rule, all the non-poisonous snakes are slim for their length, and have a more egg-shaped head, compared to the arrow-head shape of the pit vipers.

Belly scales and the shape of their pupils, etc. are all good identifiers "after the fact", but they're tough to use when you're dealing with a live snake that you have to decide what to do with/about.

J.

Wow, never realized, never really thought about it, that there were only 4 that are poisonous.

[jeffmem]

Is there an easy way to identify copper heads/ water moccasions? The shape of the head?

[Guest jackdm3]

If the neck seems pinched and the eyes have slits, like cat eyes. Most non-venomous snakes have purely round, black eyes.

[Guest db99wj]

Is there an easy way to identify copper heads/ water moccasions? The shape of the head?

Here is some pictures, Google Image Result for http://www.carolinanature.com/herps/cottonmouth3667.jpg

My mom lives up at Reelfoot lake, and there are plenty up there, plenty water snakes up there as well. The water snakes are thin, and long, and have a round head, the water moccasins are shorter, fatter, and seem to be more pissed off. Sometimes the water moccasins will be in a Cyprus tree out over the water.

I'm not expert, but short fat snakes, I stay away from.

[Ebow1]

Yeah, I've heard cotton mouths are just downright mean, to the point where it's almost like they want to bite you.

[Guest db99wj]

Yeah, I've heard cotton mouths are just downright mean, to the point where it's almost like they want to bite you.

I have hear many account of them trying and succeeding in getting into peoples boats out on reelfoot.

[Ebow1]

That's incredibly aggressive from what I've heard of most snakes' behavior.

[Oh Shoot]

Yeah, I've heard cotton mouths are just downright mean, to the point where it's almost like they want to bite you.

Urban snake legend.

- OS

[Luckyforward]

Skin reminds me a lot of my ex-wife . . .

[towerclimber37]

Urban snake legend.

- OS

Don't bet on it. I may not be a native Tennessean, but I grew up in the swamps of S. Ga. I know snakes...and a cotton mouth is a lot like a Bear. There's no telling what will make em mad and during the dog days, they're mad anyway.

It's best to find out what they look like if they live around you and give em a wide berth. I HAVE seen them chase folks. They're territorial snakes...just think of them as an ex wife with issues and venom.

[Oh Shoot]

.... I HAVE seen them chase folks. ..

Outrunning them blue racers and hoop snakes, I guess.

- OS

[towerclimber37]

Outrunning them blue racers and hoop snakes, I guess.

- OS

actually, my brother Andrew outran the snake quite handily. He outran me too the turd...then again he yelled snake when he hit the end of the boat ramp and by that time he was stretched out like a greyhound on a rocket..he ran up to the house, got a hoe and went back and cut the snake up with it.

I never said the snake caught him, I said it chased him.

Edited June 16, 2010 by towerclimber37

[Guest Jamie]

Urban snake legend.

- OS

Not even close.

Most any other snake will make every attempt to get away from you, only fighting or biting if it's cornered or surprised.

Not a cotton mouth; they'll stand their ground no matter what, and will aggressively attempt to back you up.

Every herpetologist I know will tell you that they are just plain ornery... one of the most irritable reptiles to be found.

They're one of those critters that just seem to have come into the world pissed off.

And yes, they also seem to have an unnatural fondness for boat rides.

J.

[Guest Jamie]

They're territorial snakes...just think of them as an ex wife with issues and venom.

You could'a left it at "just think of them as an ex wife"... 'cause I've got 2 of 'em, and I'm quite sure they both have issues AND venom.

J.

[Guest jackdm3]

Funny you say that. Was canoing on a Scout trip with four of us squeezed in one boat, and a cotton said, "I'm going your way. Would ya mind?" Proceeded to enter the boat in the middle. He got in, saw there was little room for him, showed us his the inside of his throat but it was no match for our paddles. Dispatched in short order and inserted into a 2 liter bottle, which we had to finish off as well in celebration before we could fit him in. They don't make a merit badge for "Little Rambos", it has to come naturally!

[Capbyrd]

Spring River? Kia Kima?

[Guest jackdm3]

Haven't we all been there once?