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Snake ID

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Mickey Richaud

Mickey Richaud

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This guy was just found behind my garage. I think it's the same one I saw in the nearby woodpile a couple of weeks ago. Opinions? Copperhead or Corn Snake?

snake1.jpg


snake2.jpg


Looked to be about 2.5-3 ft. long.
 
Looks more like a corn snake to me, but I'm certainly no expert.
But as my Grampa would say, leave him alone, and he'll leave you alone.
 
Almost looks like a Gopher snake, but I doubt you have those in your area. Wish there head shot was clearer. Most of the Copperhead pics I've seen show the marking seem to go all the way around the snake - this one has markings that are medium rectangular markings across the top similar to corn snake or gopher snake.
 
I think it's a corn snake, too.
head shape doesn't look like a copperhead, though the markings could fool you.
 
I was thinking corn snake, but I'm certainly a neophyte when it comes to identifying wildlife. Learning, though.

As an aside, it's illegal to kill snakes in Tennessee. When push comes to shove, I'll go to jail!
 
Mickey Richaud said:
I was thinking corn snake, but I'm certainly a neophyte when it comes to identifying wildlife. Learning, though.

As an aside, it's illegal to kill snakes in Tennessee. When push comes to shove, I'll go to jail!
Click to expand...

We have lots of snakes around here. The Bull Snakes and Gopher Snakes I leave alone but when I see a Rattlesnake on my property it gets its head chopped off!
 
I have to relocate good snakes that I see around our house as my Wife is of the "Only good snake is a dead snake" school.

David
 
Mickey,

You might try picking it up,& getting a really good,
clear picture of the head,close up.





......or maybe not.
 
1218B6E8-8A5E-428D-816A-9FF49390B06F-8096-00000D00D3EC9BEA.jpg

The copperhead hour glass pattern is pretty distinctive.
your snakes pattern is different.
 
What you have there is a Corn Snake. There are a couple of things to look for/at.

The Corn Snake will have squarish block patterns running down its spine. The Copperhead will have interlocking diamond-like patterns running down its spine and sides. A feature that is quite different between the two are their heads. The Corn Snake will have a narrow long head while the Copperhead will have a wider, shorter shovel shaped head similar to other poisonous snakes (and some non-poisonous water snakes). If you get really close you will notice that the Copperhead will have "pits" slightly below the midpoint of a line drawn between the snake's eyes and nostrils.

The picture linked below shows a Corn Snake with two young Copperheads. When the snakes are next to each other the differences are more apparent.

https://wading-in.net/walkabout/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/TellingThemApart.jpg
TellingThemApart.jpg
 
dklawson said:
What you have there is a Corn Snake. There are a couple of things to look for/at.

The Corn Snake will have squarish block patterns running down its spine. The Copperhead will have interlocking diamond-like patterns running down its spine and sides. A feature that is quite different between the two are their heads. The Corn Snake will have a narrow long head while the Copperhead will have a wider, shorter shovel shaped head similar to other poisonous snakes (and some non-poisonous water snakes). If you get really close you will notice that the Copperhead will have "pits" slightly below the midpoint of a line drawn between the snake's eyes and nostrils.

The picture linked below shows a Corn Snake with two young Copperheads. When the snakes are next to each other the differences are more apparent.

https://wading-in.net/walkabout/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/TellingThemApart.jpg
View attachment 48812
Click to expand...

If you get that close you need your head examined LOL!
 
You guys ...
i was working in Baton Rouge area opened an electrical panel and came face to face with a timber rattler
the guys that ran the plant proceeded to argue then pester the thing to see if it was indeed a timber rattler.
had a big fat head enough said.
 
SD Bugeye said:
You guys ...
i was working in Baton Rouge area opened an electrical panel and came face to face with a timber rattler
the guys that ran the plant proceeded to argue then pester the thing to see if it was indeed a timber rattler.
had a big fat head enough said.
Click to expand...

"A dog is just a dog unless he is facing you. Then he is Mr. Dog. ..."
anonymous Haitian proverb.
 
Thanks, all. As I said, I think this is the same little (!) guy I spotted in a woodpile a week or so ago. Our areas is allegedly ripe for copperheads, and our grandkids will soon be old enough to do some exploring, so I'm naturally concerned. I was fairly certain it was a corn snake, but still on a bit of a learning curve. I knew about the head shape and this one didn't quite fit. But was unaware of the shape of the markings.

By the way, in real life, this guy's colors were quite striking. Actually, kinda pretty. (No, not into snake-handling. :nonod: )
 
I think the golden rule for snakes is "let 'em be".

And teach the grandkids that snakes can be hard to see when out in the woods. eek

Agkistrodon_contortrix_contortrix_CDC-a.png


copperhead
 
My oldest nephew used to have Corn Snakes as pets. They are OK as far as reptiles go but I personally have no desire to have a cold, and impersonal scaly pet.

For snakes in our area, I generally give them the space they need and leave them alone. I'm not disturbed by snakes but I don't like surprises either. I have been known to relocate non-poisonous snakes so my panicked neighbor doesn't cut them apart with a hoe. The snakes do control vermin so I don't consider them a pest.

The unfortunate thing for Corn Snakes is that they are easily mistaken for Copperheads. It would be very hard to tell young grandchildren how to distinguish one from the other. Another unfortunate thing is that Copperheads often lurk in dimly lit areas covered with bushes or pine straw where their camouflage conceals them. Rather than withdrawing and revealing themselves, Copperheads will stay still until you (the unaware victim) startle them into biting. I've had three friends bitten by Copperheads while they were doing routine yard maintenance. Those things are just too secretive for their own good!
 
dklawson said:
My oldest nephew used to have Corn Snakes as pets. They are OK as far as reptiles go but I personally have no desire to have a cold, and impersonal scaly pet.

For snakes in our area, I generally give them the space they need and leave them alone. I'm not disturbed by snakes but I don't like surprises either. I have been known to relocate non-poisonous snakes so my panicked neighbor doesn't cut them apart with a hoe. The snakes do control vermin so I don't consider them a pest.

The unfortunate thing for Corn Snakes is that they are easily mistaken for Copperheads. It would be very hard to tell young grandchildren how to distinguish one from the other. Another unfortunate thing is that Copperheads often lurk in dimly lit areas covered with bushes or pine straw where their camouflage conceals them. Rather than withdrawing and revealing themselves, Copperheads will stay still until you (the unaware victim) startle them into biting. I've had three friends bitten by Copperheads while they were doing routine yard maintenance. Those things are just too secretive for their own good!
Click to expand...

The fact they control vermin is a primary reason when I see Bull snakes or Gopher snakes on my property I leave them alone!
 
Basil said:
The fact they control vermin is a primary reason when I see Bull snakes or Gopher snakes on my property I leave them alone!
Click to expand...

Should your travels ever take you to NC and you visit my home, please don't take offense if in my house you see the occasional small spider. I feel the same way about spiders as I do snakes, they control pests. In the case of spiders, my attitude is, if they are small and not growing, I don't have anything to worry about... they will move on. If they stay in one place and grow, I have bigger problems to deal with than spiders... the spiders are eating something.
 
dklawson said:
Should your travels ever take you to NC and you visit my home, please don't take offense if in my house you see the occasional small spider. I feel the same way about spiders as I do snakes, they control pests. In the case of spiders, my attitude is, if they are small and not growing, I don't have anything to worry about... they will move on. If they stay in one place and grow, I have bigger problems to deal with than spiders... the spiders are eating something.
Click to expand...

EXCEPT for brown recluse spiders! Those guys serve no purpose other than to cause serious injury. At our house in Clarksville, I was awakened one night by a sensation on my forehead. Brushed my hand across, and turned on the light. There on the bed was a brown recluse. Luckily, was not bitten. Turns out our house was rife with them!
 
I have a sister-in-law who was bitten by a Brown Recluse. The tissue around the bite died and she experienced a very long recovery for the wound to heal.

Though I have looked at pictures of Brown Recluse spiders I doubt I would ever be able to identify one when/if pressed to do so. I'd probably confuse it with some benign species and end up getting bitten.
 
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