I had a fascination with snakes when I was young and had as many as 40 different types. That is 100% a Texas rat snake who some people refer to as a "chicken" snake. Excellent climbers, usually grow from 4 to 6 feet in length and in my experience often have a very bad temper. When they bite a person, they have very small backward hooked teeth that cause needle sized holes that bleed profusely. Non venomous.
I had a fascination with snakes when I was young and had as many as 40 different types. That is 100% a Texas rat snake who some people refer to as a "chicken" snake. Excellent climbers, usually grow from 4 to 6 feet in length and in my experience often have a very bad temper. When they bite a person, they have very small backward hooked teeth that cause needle sized holes that bleed profusely. Non venomous.
That is 100% a bullsnake. Pituophis catenifer sayi. And Texas rat snakes have been reclassified as western rat snakes. Pantherophis obsoletus, formerly elaphe obsoleta.
Hate to admit it but now that I see the head from the side, I must agree it is a bull snake and not a Texas rat snake. Around Victoria county where I am from, the coloration matches the rat snakes and the two bull snakes I had were much more lighter tan in color. They are also an aggressive snake that makes a loud sound in it's throat that kind of mimics a rattlesnake's rattle.
The first pic made me think rat snake....2nd pic shows the head better
2nd picture is better. But even in the first picture a dead give-away is the pointed nose on the Bull snake vs. a Rat snake. Also from the side you can see (in the second pic) a very prominent raised section on the head (like the boss on a bull).
We have Rat Snakes in my area (colloquially called Chicken Snakes) that reach 6' but not 7'+. The patterns and colors of Bull Snakes vs. Rat snakes can be 'close' but if you look closely at the scales of each you will note that the Bull snake has distinctly keeled scales (even down the sides) whereas a Rat snake might have some keeled scales on the back, but they are smooth on the sides.
Little things that easily overlooked upon first sight.
flintknapper, that's one of my all time favorites, the eastern hognose. A lot of fun to play around with when they act like they're dead except when they poop on you! By the way, I found my first copperhead of the year in our flower bed about an hour ago. A young one with a bright yellow tail found on sub adults.
flintknapper, that's one of my all time favorites, the eastern hognose. A lot of fun to play around with when they act like they're dead except when they poop on you! By the way, I found my first copperhead of the year in our flower bed about an hour ago. A young one with a bright yellow tail found on sub adults.
^^^^^^ Yes, juvenile Copperhead and Cottonmouths as well. In fact...when very young it is difficult for many folks to tell them apart. That yellow (fluorescent green) tail tip is pretty cool. Shame that they lose it as they mature.
The hognoses I caught absolutely loved to eat toads. They would eat tree frogs and such but toads were their favorite. I love the way they kind of fake strike without even opening their mouth and kind of hiss. Really one of the neatest snakes around. Also I have seen them in many different colors with some even having red mixed with black, yellow, tan or gray.
I did not know this for a long time, but hog nose snakes are mildly poisonous. They rarely ever bite, and it won't kill you, but from some of the pics it sure looks painful as hell.