My husband and I were on a walk with the baby and we saw this little guy dead on the sidewalk a few houses down from us. Does anyone know what kind it is? I'm not afraid of snakes but if I come across one in my yard, I'd like to know a little about it.
Do you recognize this snake?
- Thread starter AsiaCS
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Texas brown snake? Non venomous.
Sorry my phone isn't letting me post a link but I think that's what it is.
Sorry my phone isn't letting me post a link but I think that's what it is.
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It is either as Ruth said a Texas Brown Snake or a Yellow Bellied Racer. Both are harmless and great to have around. A yellow bellied racer has a yellowish cream color to a fairly bright yellow belly. They both eat not only those noxious Palmetto bugs that are all over the Houston area, but mice and other unwanted creatures too.
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definitely a rat snake....it's a good one to have around...
I'm leaning a bit towards the Texas brown snake after looking at some pictures but all the way around, it sounds like this is probably a helpful snake that's not dangerous. We can be friends. Thanks for the help, everyone!
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I like snakes too...see garter snakes occasionally in my side yard and wish I saw them more often.
Your poor wee snake. Probably a good thing they don't come into the main fenced part of my property... two of the three dogs would most likely kill them.
Next spring I plan on putting in a small still pond out front. Maybe that will attract more snakes as well as frogs (have a small pond out back but havent seen frogs for the last two years; no clue why. For the previous three years here I had several all season long. Maybe the dogs harassed them too much.)
Your poor wee snake. Probably a good thing they don't come into the main fenced part of my property... two of the three dogs would most likely kill them.
Next spring I plan on putting in a small still pond out front. Maybe that will attract more snakes as well as frogs (have a small pond out back but havent seen frogs for the last two years; no clue why. For the previous three years here I had several all season long. Maybe the dogs harassed them too much.)
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As a quick reference, if the snake has a flat triangular head, keep away, it may be venomous. If the head is rounded, it is most likely non-venomous. We have lots of snakes around here--rat snakes in the barn are more than welcome since they help keep the rodent population down; prairie king snakes, who also are beneficial and just so darned pretty; and near the pond we have cottonmouths and a few rattlers that we respect and stay away from. Most venomous snake bites are "dry" which means the venom is not injected. After injecting venom, the snake has to build up a store of venom and is pretty helpless during this time.
Snakes don't hear, but they are very sensitive to motion, so we wear boots and walk heavily. The snakes feel us coming and go away.
If you want to learn more about Texas snakes, I recommend Texas Snakes by Werler and Dixon. It's a hefty tome but has great descriptions, photos, and facts.
Can you tell I like snakes? They are pure muscle, very efficient at what they do, and are pretty, too. Think of them as the movie stars of the reptile world!
Snakes don't hear, but they are very sensitive to motion, so we wear boots and walk heavily. The snakes feel us coming and go away.
If you want to learn more about Texas snakes, I recommend Texas Snakes by Werler and Dixon. It's a hefty tome but has great descriptions, photos, and facts.
Can you tell I like snakes? They are pure muscle, very efficient at what they do, and are pretty, too. Think of them as the movie stars of the reptile world!
JBtheExplorer
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Poor thing. Seeing a dead snake makes me ache. One of my favorite animals to come across.
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@marlingardener, really, that's a good rule of thumb. Michigan has just one venomous snake and it's extremely rare but I have lived in states where there are rattlers and encountered them too so its smart to be informed.
A few years ago I was walking the dogs and (old childhood habit) came across a big log and rolled it over to see what was underneath. About 100 (that may be hyperbole but it was a lot) little bitty baby garter snakes! I put my hand down and they coiled all over it. Very cute. And even tiny, just a glossy little muscular body with such perfect and precise scales and patterns.
A few years ago I was walking the dogs and (old childhood habit) came across a big log and rolled it over to see what was underneath. About 100 (that may be hyperbole but it was a lot) little bitty baby garter snakes! I put my hand down and they coiled all over it. Very cute. And even tiny, just a glossy little muscular body with such perfect and precise scales and patterns.
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Ok, you guys can all keep your snakes, LOL..When we first move up north, I found one in my laundry room, and believe me I yelled 110 times better than those actresses in the "Screamed" movie! It was just a garden snake, but when I was caught in a surprise, it wasn't fun to deal with and a deep fear set in.
I am glad you all know what snakes to keep around in your garden though!
I am glad you all know what snakes to keep around in your garden though!
JBtheExplorer
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I assure you, it had the same deep fear you did, only it had an actual reason of being scared.
The truth is, kittens and puppies are more likely to hurt you just by playing. Snakes will try to escape you as quick as they can. They'll only try to bite if you pick them up (same with all wild animals), and I've picked up a lot of snakes that never tried to bite me at all.
If they feel cornered, some will stand their ground, which is, again, true with many wild animals, including humans, and that's only so you'll let them go so they can escape. They're wimps. In fact, some snake species will even play dead in hopes that you'll leave them alone. Unfortunately there are so many horrible misunderstandings and inaccurate, outdated beliefs.
Don't judge a book by it's cover.
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Any know what these snakes are? I took the photos in S. Africa.
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I hope you had sense enough to photograph these two from a distance. Not found in Texas, yet, aren't these two lovely pets a Green Mamba and a Boomslang?
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Thanks. 
Yes, they were not able to get to me as I used a zoom lens (from the window of my jeep).
I've just looked them up and they definitely appear to be what you have said. I took them whilst driving out to the Addo Elephant National Park from Port Elizabeth and, apparently, that's one of the areas that they live in.
Yes, they were not able to get to me as I used a zoom lens (from the window of my jeep).
I've just looked them up and they definitely appear to be what you have said. I took them whilst driving out to the Addo Elephant National Park from Port Elizabeth and, apparently, that's one of the areas that they live in.