Herpetology Question: Name that Snake

Nature's Bounty ^ | Vanity

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Does anyone know the species? He's sitting across the road from our driveway and my wife is terrified of him. Yeah, that's the ticket, he scares my wife. He's HUGH and SERIES, almost three feet long!

[Buddygirl]

Doing well! Thank you for asking! :)

[muawiyah]

My stupid neighbor with a labrador retriever liked to feed his dog outdoors so it wouldn't mess up his wife's kitchen.

One day the neighbor was wandering in the common area out back and saw my black snake.

He went home and got a shovel and came into my yard and killed it.

I told him next time he did anything like that ~ e.g. attack my snapping turtles, or squirrels, or blue jays, or foxes, or anything on my lot, or near my lot, I'd have him arrested and sent to prison.

He laughed.

But, I didn't have to do anything. Within weeks his Feeding Station For His Dog was overrun with rats and mice!

Then we had a cicada arrival ~ his house was surrounded with ancient maple trees ~ there were MILLIONS of them boiling up around there. The old labrador ate them until he was totally gorged, then had some sort of really serious intestinal problem ~ for which the veterinarian bills were incredible ~ and he died.

I felt sad for the labrador getting abused like that by that idiot all those years. Still, I'm sure he thought I poisoned his dog.

[null and void]

Fair enough!

[Calm_Cool_and_Elected]

Personally: I’d vote for “dead” or whatever he latin term might be.

My sentiments exactly.

[Calm_Cool_and_Elected]

Your link to “Snakes of Massachusetts” is incomplete. It does not show the John Kerry, the Barney Frank, the Niki Tsongas, the Sal DiMasi, nor any of the other deadly snakes of the Commonwealth.

LOL! Good one!

[Bob]

A watersnake variety judging by the color and pattern of the markings. And a male.

You must have really good eyes. I can't even see his legs, let alone see between them. :=)

[muawiyah]

http://www.coastalplainsreptiles.com/articles/Everyone/ReallyMoccasin.html ~ it is just a brown or black watersnake ~ if it’s in Massachusetts. Just leave it alone. If it were in North Carolina it could be a moccasin ~ but again, best left alone.

[Calm_Cool_and_Elected]

If there is ever a snake in my house, we will have to move. PERIOD.

[Osage Orange]

I picked ours up to instect him.

You are sick...hehehe

[bobby.223]

That is the very rare muslimous baracazoid hussieiuos obamainous black snake. No one knows the history of this snake, it’s past and where it came from are a mystery that continues to this day....

[Calm_Cool_and_Elected]

I’m in NC so my motto is “the only good snake is a dead snake”. I’ve had a copperhead as big around as my wrist out on my patio. If I run across the photo I took (from the safety of my kitchen window) I will post it.

[FourPeas]

Well done.

[bobby.223]

That is the very rare muslimous baracazoid hussieiuos obamainous black snake. No one knows the history of this snake, it’s past and where it came from are a mystery that continues to this day....

[hellbender]

Water snakes are not "aggressive." Something aggressive would chase and attack you. All a water snake will do is strike or bite if you try to catch or corner it. Otherwise, it will slither away. It is basically harmless.

There are no water moccasins (which are poisonous) in MA. There was the deadly Chappaquiddick Water Snake (a.k.a. Great Bloated Swimmer), which drives its victims into the water and drowns them, but the last known individual died a few years ago.

[Calm_Cool_and_Elected]

Here's the last one I saw a month or so ago:

http://i676.photobucket.com/albums/vv130/ikceb1/DSCN0891.jpg

and here is one I saw a week before that:

http://i676.photobucket.com/albums/vv130/ikceb1/DSCN0891.jpg

neither of these were copperheads

[birddog]

I agree with you - I just saw a huge garter snake in my perennial bed yesterday. I tried to catch it, but it went through the fence too fast. It was fat too - I hope it is female and going to have babies!

[Ditter]

If it was anywhere near me it would be called a Dead Snake.

[Calm_Cool_and_Elected]

oops. Here's the second one:

http://i676.photobucket.com/albums/vv130/ikceb1/DSCN0281.jpg

[muawiyah]

This is about Massachusetts.

If it were about Indiana I'd still say it was some sort of nonpoisonous critter probably into eating rats, mice, copperheads and other noxious critters.

BTW, Indiana has about 4 different species of rattlesnakes PLUS copperheads AND a moccasin or two has shown up down on the Ohio/Wabash confluence from time to time.

Watch where you step.

I noticed North Carolina has 6 poisonous snake species ~ that coral snake is on the list and I did not know that ~ so I am glad to know what I missed out mucking around the margins of postal terminal facilities checking out parked vans ~ next to swamps and cricks.

MY WORD ~ ~ coral snakes?!!!

[taxcutisapayraise]

It’s Dewey ... the senior partner in the law firm Dewey, Cheetham & Howe.