View Full Version : Snake Identification
Unfortunately, as so many people here in Eastern Kentucky tend to do, a neighbor took the kill first, ask questions later approach and killed this guy. I'm usually pretty good with identifying snakes, but this one is throwing me off a little. I can't find one that looks just like it online and I've never seen one before this. I'm kind of thinking it's just some kind of rat snake based on the pattern, but the color just isn't quite right for the rat snakes I usually see around here.
Any help identifying this snake would be greatly appreciated!
I'm not sure how I missed this when I was searching, but I'm pretty sure it's an Eastern Hognose snake. Anyone agree?
Looks like a young Northern Pine to me, you happen to get a close up of the head? As damaged as it may be lol.
Looks like a young Northern Pine to me, you happen to get a close up of the head? As damaged as it may be lol.
Unfortunately, I wasn't there and this is the only photo available to me.
However, I do have a photo of another very similar, if not identical looking snake killed by a relative who lives near the person who killed the snake in the 1st photo. I've attached it below.
A lot of people are telling me Eastern Hognose, but I'm just not convinced.
millertime89
09-26-14, 09:02 PM
Looks like a young Northern Pine to me, you happen to get a close up of the head? As damaged as it may be lol.
Yup, or another species of Pitouphis (bull, pine, gopher snakes).
EL Ziggy
09-26-14, 09:15 PM
Looks like pituophis to me as well. Sad to see such beautiful creatures needlessly slain :(
Looks like pituophis to me as well. Sad to see such beautiful creatures needlessly slain :(
I agree 100%.
Northern Pine is the only Pit found in Kentucky.
Unfortunately, I wasn't there and this is the only photo available to me.
However, I do have a photo of another very similar, if not identical looking snake killed by a relative who lives near the person who killed the snake in the 1st photo. I've attached it below.
A lot of people are telling me Eastern Hognose, but I'm just not convinced.
I'm pretty sure that second snake is an Eastern Hognose. Eastern Hognose are remarkably variable in pattern and color but look closely at the overall build and particularly shape of the head. The jawline screams Hognose. You think you could upload both shots to photobucket and link them? It's free and they should be much larger and clearer that way.
Northern Pine is the only Pit found in Kentucky.
I'm pretty sure that second snake is an Eastern Hognose. Eastern Hognose are remarkably variable in pattern and color but look closely at the overall build and particularly shape of the head. The jawline screams Hognose. You think you could upload both shots to photobucket and link them? It's free and they should be much larger and clearer that way.
I wouldn't mind to but when I try to post the links I get the following message:
"Post denied. New posts are limited by number of URLs it may contain and checked if it doesn't contain forbidden words."
Oh the forum has a minimum number of posts before you can post a link, I think it is five. Make one more post and see if it works then. If nothing else you can PM me the link and I will post it.
Oh the forum has a minimum number of posts before you can post a link, I think it is five. Make one more post and see if it works then. If nothing else you can PM me the link and I will post it.
Okay I'll try it.
I'll be darn if they both aren't Hognose. That's why I always want to see the head, there is no mistaking the shape of a snakes head whereas pattern and color can be deceiving.
http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx77/ink625/0184-Copy_zps555bfb32.jpg (http://s743.photobucket.com/user/ink625/media/0184-Copy_zps555bfb32.jpg.html)
http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx77/ink625/0184_zps2c56653e.jpg (http://s743.photobucket.com/user/ink625/media/0184_zps2c56653e.jpg.html)
http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx77/ink625/016-Copy_zpsaeb66721.jpg (http://s743.photobucket.com/user/ink625/media/016-Copy_zpsaeb66721.jpg.html)
http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx77/ink625/016_zps1d03fe73.jpg (http://s743.photobucket.com/user/ink625/media/016_zps1d03fe73.jpg.html)
I'll be darn if they both aren't Hognose. That's why I always want to see the head, there is no mistaking the shape of a snakes head whereas pattern and color can be deceiving.
I definitely thought they were the same kind of snake, but I wasn't 100% sure.
I don't know how I overlooked the Eastern Hognose when I was initially researching the snake. Maybe it was the fact that most Hognose photos online are either of the snake with it's head and neck flattened and raised like a cobra or pictures where it was tightly coiled and you couldn't get a great look at the pattern.
Thanks very much for your time and patience with this identification FWK! I truly appreciate it! Have a nice weekend!
No problem at all. Come back and visit the forum sometimes and if you ever have any more critters that need an ID or just want to share don't hesitate. We love pictures. We even have a section specifically for pictures of wild snakes and other critters.
No problem at all. Come back and visit the forum sometimes and if you ever have any more critters that need an ID or just want to share don't hesitate. We love pictures. We even have a section specifically for pictures of wild snakes and other critters.
I've got a few pics I might post tomorrow. Unfortunately, I don't get to see nearly as many snakes as I would like to around here.
poison123
09-27-14, 10:20 AM
Water snake.
poison123
09-27-14, 10:27 AM
It does not have the raised snout. It's not a hognose.
poison123
09-27-14, 10:36 AM
Maybe a Broad Banded Water Snake
The specialized upturned scale is present in both animals although the tip is cut off on the second snake by the edge of the photo. Honestly looking back at the first picture I feel a bit foolish for thinking it was a Pine. I let what seemed to be obvious, the pattern this is strikingly similar to a Pine, blind me to the fact the neck is all wrong and the head made no sense at all. I just dismissed the head thinking it had been crushed. I blame the beer I was drinking lol.
I'm pretty sure only Diamondback and Northern Water Snakes are found in east Kentucky, Banded Water Snakes are found only in the extreme south-west tip.
toddnbecka
09-27-14, 03:44 PM
Where were the snakes killed? Water snakes seldom move far from water, and usually dive in for cover when approached or disturbed.
Where were the snakes killed? Water snakes seldom move far from water, and usually dive in for cover when approached or disturbed.
The first was killed on a bare hillside a few hundred feet from a pond. The second was killed in a driveway about 500 feet from a pond.
bigsnakegirl785
09-28-14, 05:33 PM
They are both hognoses. The one has the snout cut off by the photo. The other one you can see the point at the tip. Although they superficially appear to be a broad-banded the patterns are completely wrong. Broad-bandeds are not blotched. These are definitely eastern hognoses.
poison123
09-28-14, 05:39 PM
After looking again, I do see the raised snout. It's hard to see on my phone.
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