There was a snake in my garden this morning that
is about 3 ft long, brownish black above and
yellow bellied snake color underneath. The
distinguishing marking is an orange stripe
beginning at the base of his head down the center
of the back to the tail. I have seen him before
in my fish pond. Does anyone know what kind of
snake this might be?
After growing up in a town with a Rattlesnake
roundup every spring I still don't like snakes.
Especially in my garden. I have an ingrained
feeling that no snake is a good snake but since
they are supposed to be good rodent control etc.,
etc. etc. I am trying to be more tolerant so it
is still alive residing in a covered bucket
waiting for someone to ID him as a good guy and
save his life. Hopefully after residing in a
bucket for awhile he will avoid me rather than
just lay in the path and dare me to step over him.
Martha
M Brown
NW Oklahoma, USA
USDA Zone 6b, Sunset Zone 35
Sandy soil, pH 7-7.5
Frost free from about April 15 to October 15,
Average summer temperatures 90*F - 100*F, Extreme
115*F
Average daily winter lows about 20*F,
Extreme -5*F
Wind-year round daily average about 10mph.
I believe that what you have is the Western Garter Snake,
although your description matches a variant found mainly
in the mountains of California and Oregon. They like to
hang around water.
If it has a top stripe, and a smaller stripe along each side,
with black spots running between the top and side stripes,
then it could be the Western Plains Garter Snake. That
would fit your geographic location better.
Check out
http://www.enature.com/guides/show_species_thumb.asp?curGroup=Reptiles_and_A
mphibians&shape=546
to see what you've got. There are lots of different garter snakes,
they won't hurt you unless you pretend to be a small frog,
or an earthworm, or some such. And you've probably got several
around your property, so killing this one won't make much
difference.
I'm assuming you know the basic rule of "avoid any snake with
a triangular head", though. The pattern you've described doesn't
resemble any poisonous snake I know of, and the only poisonous
snakes in your area are rattlesnakes, basically.
Herpetologist Harry, at your service...
Date: Friday, May 05, 2000 12:11 PM
Subject: OT: Snake ID?
And if it makes you feel any better, I went and found our
resident real herpetologist and ran it by him, and his
assessment was a garter snake, most likely.
Although he told me the story of two friends of his in
Florida who were pursuing what they took to be an
Indigo snake - when they approached, they were
confronted by two snakes, heads rising in the air,
hoods flattening - their one "Indigo snake" was
in reality two Forest Cobras, undoubtedly escapees
from somewhere, since there are no native North American
cobras..
Date: Friday, May 05, 2000 1:09 PM
Subject: Re: OT: Snake ID?
A
Thanks Harry,
This sounds like what I have. The back stripe is
probably 3/8 inch wide behind the head and
although I can't really see the side stripes
there are some lighter blotchy areas along the
side the same color as the belly. There are
flecks in the dark area which could divide it into
spots if you stretch your imagination a bit. The
picture of the Western Plains Garter Snake looks a
lot like what I have.
Western Plains Garter Snake
Thamnophis radix haydenii
Description: 20-40" (51-102 cm). Distinct bright
yellow or orange back stripe. Cream to yellow side
stripes occupy 3rd and 4th scale rows above belly.
Double row of squarish black spots between side
and back stripes, and a row of black spots below
side stripe. Black vertical bars on lips. Scales
keeled, in 21 rows. Anal plate single
The only other one that sounds close is:
Common Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis
Subspecies:
Texas (T. s. annectans), broad orange back stripe,
side stripes on scale row 3 and on half of rows 2
and 4; Texas-Oklahoma border south through ec.
Texas; isolated population in Texas panhandle.
Whichever he is I will scold him severely about
laying in the path and let him out.
At least he is not quite so obnoxious as the
Hog-nosed snake who would come right at me last
summer when I would run across him in the garden.
I tossed him away with the rake or whatever was
handy several times. He finally attacked once too
often when I was mowing with the push mower. I
assume he came at it to chase it off and I didn't
see him until he came out in pieces.
The main poisonous snke for this area is the
Rattlesnake big and small. There are also reports
of Cottonmouths in the creek a couple miles west
of us. Years ago some of the 6th grade class
(boys of course) caught a snake on the local
school grounds (between us and the creek) and took
it to the Science teacher to be identified. It
was a Copperhead so I assume there could be some
of those around the creek area also.
Martha
M Brown
NW Oklahoma, USA
USDA Zone 6b, Sunset Zone 35
Sandy soil, pH 7-7.5
Frost free from about April 15 to October 15,
Average summer temperatures 90*F - 100*F, Extreme
115*F
Average daily winter lows about 20*F,
Extreme -5*F
Wind-year round daily average about 10mph.
I believe that what you have is the Western Garter
Snake,
although your description matches a variant found
mainly
in the mountains of California and Oregon. They
like to
hang around water.
If it has a top stripe, and a smaller stripe along
each side,
with black spots running between the top and side
stripes,
then it could be the Western Plains Garter Snake.
That
would fit your geographic location better.
Check out
http://www.enature.com/guides/show_species_thumb.a
sp?curGroup=Reptiles_and_A
mphibians&shape=546
to see what you've got. There are lots of
different garter snakes,
they won't hurt you unless you pretend to be a
small frog,
or an earthworm, or some such. And you've
probably got several
around your property, so killing this one won't
make much
difference.
I'm assuming you know the basic rule of "avoid any
snake with
a triangular head", though. The pattern you've
described doesn't
resemble any poisonous snake I know of, and the
only poisonous
snakes in your area are rattlesnakes, basically.
Herpetologist Harry, at your service...
Date: Friday, May 05, 2000 12:11 PM
Subject: OT: Snake ID?
him.
From: Harry Boswell
Although he told me the story of two friends of
his in
Florida who were pursuing what they took to be an
Indigo snake - when they approached, they were
confronted by two snakes, heads rising in the air,
hoods flattening - their one "Indigo snake" was
in reality two Forest Cobras, undoubtedly escapees
from somewhere, since there are no native North
American
cobras..
**************
Gee Thanks, just what I wanted to think about
every time I run across a snake in the garden. It
is hard enough to be tolerant of them now without
thoughts of exotic escapees lurking about. (VBG)
When I was about 9 years old the J.C."s were
collecting Rattlers for the Snake Pit at the
Rattlesnake Hunt. Our neighbor was keeping them
in a large box constructed for that purpose in his
garage. After they added the days catch the
Sunday before the hunt (with the aid of a few
beers too many) the box was not properly closed
and there were numerous escapees. We spent the
next few years watching for Rattlesnakes. I don't
remember snakes particularly bothering me until
then. I do remember everytime I went outside
after that being told to watch for snakes. That
is probably why they still startle me so badly.
Martha
Sad to say there are no laws against people keeping dangerous snakes,
poisonous lizards or jungle carnivores as pets. But they are really tough
when it comes to chickens, even banties. A-gainst the law! Can't have them
roaming over folks' gardens eating grasshoppers and squash bugs! Margaret L
margaret lauterbach wrote:
IIRC Florida has some pretty stiff laws against imported varmints,
particularly poisonous snakes, piranha, walking catfish, etc.
Unfortunately other states don't and some folks will obtain their
thrills wherever they can. I know that if I lived in Florida I would
never crawl under my house, not since they found that 18-foot boa
constrictor living under one. Noticed that lots of pets started
disappearing in the neighborhood. Saw it on a documentary a few years
ago and was impressed when these young men crawled under the house and
dragged the snake out. Cobras I don't want to encounter. The black cobra
was native to the West coast of Saudi Arabia and we used to find one in
the tank farm once in awhile. Me and the Saudi's stood back and let the
Filipinos take care of them. They used a piece of 3/4 inch rebar about 8
feet long and would whack the snake with it. Still gives me the cold
shivers thinking about it.
George, who respects snakes but doesn't want one for a pet
