Found this little thing in some fill dirt I was grading. Can't figure out what it is. Any solid ideas?
What kind of snake?
- Thread starter The Evil Twin
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Ktrim
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I just googled snakes of Virginia. Y'all got too many snakes down there! I'll stick to 3 types of bears here. Wish you luck identifying it though.
Ktrim
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Possibly. He looks bigger than their max size. Also browns have more of a dot pattern down their back. Your guy looks more stripped. I have seen duller grayish looking garters. 
dekay's brown snake ?
Heck send the picture to....
www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com
they gotta KNOW...
BTW you got a LOT of pretty snakes in the grass down there.....!
Heck send the picture to....
Snakes of Virginia
www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com
they gotta KNOW...
BTW you got a LOT of pretty snakes in the grass down there.....!
The one in my photo is less than 6" long. Maybe as thick as a #2 pencil.Possibly. He looks bigger than their max size. Also browns have more of a dot pattern down their back. Your guy looks more stripped. I have seen duller grayish looking garters.
I'm completely clueless about snakes.
Russell King
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Looks like a snake looking for its next meal. The only thing that I know about snakes is to avoid them in the wild. I have handled boas and pythons, but never any wild snakes. Whenever I see them I go in the opposite direction.
jyoutz
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There are lots of species of garter snakes with different colors and patterns. But I will say that snake whatever it is non-venomous. Venomous snakes have triangular shaped heads.
Oh yeah! I do remember the head shape thing now. That's because of the pit senory glands. Or something like that.
jyoutz
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jyoutz
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Its true that the three (indigenous) Pit Vipers in the U.S. have prominently triangular heads, but I would caution against using that as a singular diagnostic tool for identifying venomous snakes.
Rattlesnakes, Copperheads and Cottonmouth (the three pit vipers) do certainly have a triangular shaped head (and are venomous) but the Coral Snake does not. It is also not a Pit Viper.
Several harmless water snakes have roughly triangular heads or will flatten their head to look that way....but are not venomous.
IF you are not familiar with the other ways to I.D. the venomous snakes in your area....it is best to leave them alone rather than risk a bite.
My best 'guess', not being real familiar with all the snakes in Virginia....is that the snake in question is possibly the gray version of a DeKay's Brown Snake.
Based on size and pattern.
Harmless of course. Neat pic. Thanks for sharing.
Based on size and pattern.
Harmless of course. Neat pic. Thanks for sharing.
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I let the little guy live. They all serve a purpose, venomous or not. Still thinking it was a Brown.
^^^^^
Thanks for letting it go on its way.
DeKay's Brown (the more common name) and Northern Brown (less commonly called) are the same snake (species).
Not unlike one person calling a Cottonmouth a Water Moccasin (same snake)....but the name called might be more prevalent depending on location.
Though called a 'brown' snake....in reality the color often varies from brown to gray and in some areas even a bluish-gray color.
Beneficial and harmless snake. Rarely over 12" long and very docile even when handled.
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