What kind of snake is this?

[wesleysh21]

We were walking thru the building when we came upon this little fella this afternoon. What kind he be?

[JimmieRedbeard]

Looks like a king snake to me.

edit- Eastern kingsnake?

[x-trainer ben]

Looks like a Trump snake to me.😀

[paolo59]

Whatever he is, he's got some pretty coloring!

[Mark1T]

Looks like a chicken snake. Rat snake same thing. But not 100% sure.

[Black Sunday]

gray ratsnake

[ElrondHubbard]

King snake, rat snake, they're pretty closely related. I hope you didn't hurt the little fella. They're harmless, and tend to eat pesty things.

[mtpockets]

a little one

[Gabbar99]

Looks like a king snake to me.

edit- Eastern kingsnake?

That's what I'd guess. Rat snakes are more common and baby rat snakes can look a lot like a king snake, the pattern fades as they get older, so it could be a baby rat snake, but this guy's chains are very clearly defined and he looks more like a king snake to me. The chains are more like a king snake: thinner and more clearly defined. But on the other hand, his neck and head, from what I can see, look more like a rat snake and the chains are a bit closer together, not as far down to the belly, and maybe a bit thicker than most king snakes. But on the third hand, he's actually kinda big to have baby rat snake patterns, they've usually faded a bit by that size. But on the fourth hand, rat snakes are the most common snake in many regions and that's usually the best bet.

So that settles it. It's a rat snake.

Unless it's a king snake.

[paolo59]

That's what I'd guess. Rat snakes are more common and baby rat snakes can look a lot like a king snake, the pattern fades as they get older, so it could be a baby rat snake, but this guy's chains are very clearly defined and he looks more like a king snake to me. The chains are more like a king snake: thinner and more clearly defined. But on the other hand, his neck and head, from what I can see, look more like a rat snake and the chains are a bit closer together, not as far down to the belly, and maybe a bit thicker than most king snakes. But on the third hand, he's actually kinda big to have baby rat snake patterns, they've usually faded a bit by that size. But on the fourth hand, rat snakes are the most common snake in many regions and that's usually the best bet.

So that settles it. It's a rat snake.

Unless it's a king snake.

It's not an Anaconda!

[Thebigzub]

rat snake comparison..

[wesleysh21]

King snake, rat snake, they're pretty closely related. I hope you didn't hurt the little fella. They're harmless, and tend to eat pesty things.

My co-worker didn't want to harm it for the same reason, it will take care of other pests. We had our first cold morning of the year yesterday, so it made sense that this would be the first day we've found a critter inside the building. The guy who's boots you see in the pic kept putting his boot up to it and kind of nudging/lightly kicking it. It would turn and try to run rather than strike. He said that meant it wasn't poisonous. Not sure how much stock to put in that. But hey, he believed in it enough that he was the one that grabbed it by the head and took it outside.

[Mark1T]

Even though a rat snake can scare the crap out of you, they are good snakes. Don't kill them.

Early 2016 there was a flash flood and my back yard almost flooded and a 6 foot rat snake sneaked in my garage. The electricity went out and all I had was my cell flashlight. Of course I had to go in the garage. I looked down and it was 1 foot from my feet. After a mild heart attack, I got the broom and swept down the driveway.

[ElrondHubbard]

My co-worker didn't want to harm it for the same reason, it will take care of other pests. We had our first cold morning of the year yesterday, so it made sense that this would be the first day we've found a critter inside the building. The guy who's boots you see in the pic kept putting his boot up to it and kind of nudging/lightly kicking it. It would turn and try to run rather than strike. He said that meant it wasn't poisonous. Not sure how much stock to put in that. But hey, he believed in it enough that he was the one that grabbed it by the head and took it outside.

A lot of non poisonous snakes will still strike if they feel threatened. Bull snakes in particular are aggressive, and actually will shake their tails like rattlesnakes when cornered. They can also get big enough to deliver a pretty nasty bite even without venom. But you pretty much have to try to get bitten by them. This little guy couldn't hurt anybody, and I'm sure he knows it.

[bodyhard]

Step on the head!

[shimmychongo]

King snakes are the good guys in the snake world.

[Gabbar99]

A lot of non poisonous snakes will still strike if they feel threatened. Bull snakes in particular are aggressive, and actually will shake their tails like rattlesnakes when cornered. They can also get big enough to deliver a pretty nasty bite even without venom. But you pretty much have to try to get bitten by them. This little guy couldn't hurt anybody, and I'm sure he knows it.

I used to run into bull snakes on the trails I ran in Oklahoma. Like you said, they're big and aggressive and they won't back down. They'd strike at anything within a few feet. Hated those things. Didn't want to go past them when they were on the trail.

Rat snakes will also act real aggressive when startled and will wiggle their tails in the leaves to make a rattlesnake sound. But they won't come after you, won't really bother you, and you can walk past them or wait a few seconds for them to crawl off. Even if you pick them up, they'll eventually calm down.

This summer I was at work and got a photo texted from my daughters. It was the biggest rat snake ("black snake") I've ever seen and was on our living room window (outside). Close to 7 ft long. The cat jumped up on the window sill, saw it, screamed and ran off into the other room and hid. My wife called and demanded I come home and kill it, so I did. He was beautiful. I argued that he's harmless and isn't hurting anyone. My wife, a country girl who has killed many rats and armadillos with pitchforks, said "it's hurting us". Sad, but there are plenty of rat snakes in the world.

[mtpockets]

I treat all snakes the same way I treat skunks, once spotted I back the fuk up until I can't see them anymore. Not a fan at all.

[ElrondHubbard]

I treat all snakes the same way I treat skunks, once spotted I back the fuk up until I can't see them anymore. Not a fan at all.

I love snakes, all kinds. I still have to be careful, though. I've seen a few sidewinders at our place, and accidentally killed one in my driveway a few years back when I backed over it with a trailer. Usually I leave them alone. If I have to I'll scoop one into a bucket and release it out in the desert. They don't get very big, and they aren't the most venomous of rattlesnakes. They can cause damage though, my neighbor got bitten by one on her ankle, and it was swollen and discolored for years afterwards. On the other hand, she was too stubborn to see a doctor about it, so that part's probably her own fault. We've got some California King snakes and some racer snakes out here too, they're beautiful creatures. I only see the bigger rattlesnakes, the Panamints and the Mohave, up in the mountains. I do make sure to avoid those.