# Need snake ID from this photo. Need answer fast, not emergency. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 10, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752 "2012-06-10T20:01:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/1 "2012-06-10T20:01:36Z")
Hello Everyone, We were cutting our back yard today and wee were clearing out an area that had become somewhat overgrown with very thick grass. While doing so we came across what I’m going to assume is a snake family home, as there were about six baby snakes slithering everywhere. Now, we have dispatched most of the juveniles but I am thinking if there aster babies, there is going to be a Mama. Chances are she’s going to be pretty posed off when she comes home. Before you start ripping into me about killing snakes, my Google I D of them has them pegged as rattlers. No rattles on the babies, but a definite pattern on their backs. So, I’d these aren’t rattlers my apologies to the snake world, but if my ID is correct, what do wee do now? I assume mama will be back. Who she leave once she finds the weeds cut down or will she be posed of looking for her babies? Do e need to be very worried about the situation? If it is a rattler and e find mama, who do we call? The house we are in is in a residential area, so I can’t shoot the damn thing. Thanks guys, these things really skeeve me out. Here is the picture: [http://i746.photobucket.com/albums/xx104/obbn/snake.jpg](http://i746.photobucket.com/albums/xx104/obbn/snake.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/2 "2012-06-10T20:09:35Z")
That disgusts me. No, they were not rattlesnakes. No, they were not vemonous, Most likely corn snakes which are VERY beneficial. Snakes don’t have ‘homes’ There will not be a mother coming home to seek revenge. You just killed for the sake of killing creatures that had every right to be there and WOULD HAVE DONE YOU NO HARM. People need to learn the facts BEFORE doing something that can’t be reversed. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/3 "2012-06-10T20:10:49Z")
> [@obbn](#): > > Hello Everyone, > > We were cutting our back yard today and wee were clearing out an area that had become somewhat overgrown with very thick grass. While doing so we came across what I’m going to assume is a snake family home, as there were about six baby snakes slithering everywhere. Now, we have dispatched most of the juveniles but I am thinking if there aster _THESE ARE_ babies, there is going to be a Mama. Chances are she’s going to be pretty posed off when she comes home. > > Before you start ripping into me about killing snakes, my Google I D of them has them pegged as rattlers. No rattles on the babies, but a definite pattern on their backs. So, I’d these aren’t rattlers my apologies to the snake world, but if my ID is correct, what do wee do now? I assume mama will be back. Who she leave once she finds the weeds cut down or will she be posed of looking for her babies? Do e need to be very worried about the situation? If it is a rattler and e find mama, who do we call? The house we are in is in a residential area, so I can’t shoot the damn thing. > > Thanks guys, these things really skeeve me out. Here is the picture: > > [http://i746.photobucket.com/albums/xx104/obbn/snake.jpg](http://i746.photobucket.com/albums/xx104/obbn/snake.jpg) Stupid auto correct ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/4 "2012-06-10T20:16:29Z")
[https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1117&bih=766&q=corn+snake&gbv=2&oq=corn+snake&aq=0&aqi=g10&aql=&gs\_l=img.1.0.0l10.1319.5545.0.8284.12.9.0.3.3.0.262.1316.0j8j1.9.0...0.0.RrqnWcxd8Tc](https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1117&bih=766&q=corn+snake&gbv=2&oq=corn+snake&aq=0&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_l=img.1.0.0l10.1319.5545.0.8284.12.9.0.3.3.0.262.1316.0j8j1.9.0...0.0.RrqnWcxd8Tc) Corn snakes. Of course, these haven’t been hacked to bits for NO GOOD REASON. ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/5 "2012-06-10T20:22:41Z")
[You killed a bunch of gopher snakes.](https://www.google.com/search?q=gopher+snake&hl=en&newwindow=1&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=zwDVT965NujD2QWp942rBw&sqi=2&ved=0CGkQsAQ&biw=962&bih=636#hl=en&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&q=baby+gopher+snakes&revid=1835864277&sa=X&ei=1QDVT-WaGsGj2QX49a29Dw&ved=0CBQQgxY&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=e6478d45730707fd&biw=962&bih=636) They’re non-venomous and completely harmless to anything bigger than an insect. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/6 "2012-06-10T20:23:40Z")
> [@PapSett](#): > > That disgusts me. No, they were not rattlesnakes. No, they were not vemonous, Most likely corn snakes which are VERY beneficial. Snakes don’t have ‘homes’ There will not be a mother coming home to seek revenge. You just killed for the sake of killing creatures that had every right to be there and WOULD HAVE DONE YOU NO HARM. > > People need to learn the facts BEFORE doing something that can’t be reversed. Well I am sorry to"disgust"you. I don’t make a habit of killing anything, however when thigh deep in thick weeds and multiple snakes are suddenly discovered, I am racing for the shovel first, the book of snakes last. As far as your I’d, at this point I will take your word for it, as snakes aren’t my thing. The reason I mentioned rattlesnake is that is what it looked closes to from the pictures I saw on Google. In fact, a double check of baby corn snake and baby rattlesnake still leaves me questioning what it is. The corn snake images seem to be red in color with multiple rows of patterns. The one I killed is more brown with a single row for the pastern. And once again, I apologize to all the snake people out there. But I have the small kids and a couple of dogs that use that backyard. Their safety comes first. If I don’t know it is a safe snake, I have to assume it isn’t. I won’t get into the discussion of wether it had a "right"to be there or not, e can leave that one to Great Debates. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/7 "2012-06-10T20:24:43Z")
Even baby rattlers have rattles. If they don’t have rattles they are not rattlers. We all hope you feel really bad now. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/8 "2012-06-10T20:29:36Z")
> [@BMax](#): > > [You killed a bunch of gopher snakes.](https://www.google.com/search?q=gopher+snake&hl=en&newwindow=1&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=zwDVT965NujD2QWp942rBw&sqi=2&ved=0CGkQsAQ&biw=962&bih=636#hl=en&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&q=baby+gopher+snakes&revid=1835864277&sa=X&ei=1QDVT-WaGsGj2QX49a29Dw&ved=0CBQQgxY&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=e6478d45730707fd&biw=962&bih=636) > > They’re non-venomous and completely harmless to anything bigger than an insect. This identification seems to be the closest yet. After mother look at the corpse, I am pretty sure that it isn’t a corn snake, but the gopher snake looks pretty close. And for what it’s worth, venomous snakes seen in this area. ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/9 "2012-06-10T20:30:31Z")
> [@obbn](#): > > Well I am sorry to"disgust"you. I don’t make a habit of killing anything, however when thigh deep in thick weeds and multiple snakes are suddenly discovered, I am racing for the shovel first, the book of snakes last. > > As far as your I’d, at this point I will take your word for it, as snakes aren’t my thing. The reason I mentioned rattlesnake is that is what it looked closes to from the pictures I saw on Google. In fact, a double check of baby corn snake and baby rattlesnake still leaves me questioning what it is. The > corn snake images seem to be red in color with multiple rows of patterns. The one I killed is more brown with a single row for the pastern. > And once again, I apologize to all the snake people out there. But I have the small kids and a couple of dogs that use that backyard. Their safety comes first. If I don’t know it is a safe snake, I have to assume it isn’t. I won’t get into the discussion of wether it had a "right"to be there or not, e can leave that one to Great Debates. Baby rattlesnakes are born with rattles. The vast majority of snakes you will encounter in a city or suburban back yard, even one overgrown with weeds and bordering on an undeveloped area, are going to be harmless. And any venomous snake will flee from humans. the fact that you’ve survived to adulthood without being bitten by a venomous snake is proof of that. It’s a good idea to know what you’re killing before you kill it, because killing wild animals without knowing what they are, just because they’re in your yard makes you look like an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![solsolsol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@solsolsol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solsolsol)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/10 "2012-06-10T20:32:30Z")
Looks like you killed some juvenile [black racers](http://www.floridabackyardsnakes.com/SouthernBlackracer.html). ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/11 "2012-06-10T20:33:33Z")
You people are joking over damning the OP to hell, right? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/12 "2012-06-10T20:36:50Z")
> [@BMax](#): > > It’s a good idea to know what you’re killing before you kill it, because killing wild animals without knowing what they are, just because they’re in your yard makes you look like an idiot. Not to mention that the little wrigglers make pretty good pets, as snakes go. It’s like you wantonly chopped up feral kittens because one of them _might_ scratch your kid. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/13 "2012-06-10T20:38:21Z")
> [@solsolsol](#): > > Looks like you killed some juvenile [black racers](http://www.floridabackyardsnakes.com/SouthernBlackracer.html). Yeah, that looks more like it. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/14 "2012-06-10T20:40:35Z")
> [@Farmer\_Jane](#): > > You people are joking over damning the OP to hell, right? No, we are trying to teach him to not shoot first and ask questions later. If a little guilt is what is needed he came to the right place. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/15 "2012-06-10T20:45:41Z")
> [@BMax](#): > > Baby rattlesnakes are born with rattles. The vast majority of snakes you will encounter in a city or suburban back yard, even one overgrown with weeds and bordering on an undeveloped area, are going to be harmless. And any venomous snake will flee from humans. the fact that you’ve survived to adulthood without being bitten by a venomous snake is proof of that. It’s a good idea to know what you’re killing before you kill it, because killing wild animals without knowing what they are, just because they’re in your yard makes you look like an idiot. First off, nope I don’t feel bad, guilty or anything. I don’t like the damn things and have no qualms about getting rid of one, no different than ridding my yard of any other pest. As far any venomous snake fleeing, this isn’t exactly true. When I was 14 a pygmy rattler struck at me on or acreage in Stuart, FL. Thankfully he got the thick sole of my boot and not my foot. We were walking in a field, not being particularly quiet and it didn’t flee. The large diamond back stretched across the road a few months later didn’t scurry when a crowd gathered to stare at it. I don’t take joy in destroying anything, but as mentioned before my assumption will be a snake is dangerous unless I know otherwise. If I know it is a harmless snake I won’t bother it. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/16 "2012-06-10T20:47:41Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > No, we are trying to teach him to not shoot first and ask questions later. If a little guilt is what is needed he came to the right place. Oh, the guilt being laid won’t bother me. I am well aware of the holier than thou brigade that populates the internet. I find those types rather cute. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/17 "2012-06-10T20:48:19Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Not to mention that the little wrigglers make pretty good pets, as snakes go. It’s like you wantonly chopped up feral kittens because one of them _might_ scratch your kid. :mad: > [@dropzone](#): > > No, we are trying to teach him to not shoot first and ask questions later. If a little guilt is what is needed he came to the right place. Well, the snake [makes a crappy pet and hates humans](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coluber_constrictor_priapus), so there. A biting slithering thing in my backyard? No thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-snake-id-from-this-photo-need-answer-fast-not-emergency/624752/18 "2012-06-10T20:50:10Z")
Since the basic question has apparently been answered, and this is bound to deteriorate into further criticism of the OP, let’s close this. Those who feel he has been insufficiently chastised can take it to the Pit. Colibri General Questions Moderator