Snake Identification PLEASE

[julito04]

Hi all!

Helping out my mom do yard work at her place today in St. Louis, MO, she saw this right after we finished. She couldn't see if it had a white mouth but was scared to death because it is large. A little background on her location is she is located about 8 blocks away from the levy of a large Missouri river (Meramec) and about 2 blocks from a creek. I've seen black snakes but never that size around here and like that. Is it a cottonmouth? If it hadn't gone under THEIR PORCH, I would not be as worries. But they are older and they have dogs.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[PatrickT]

Would be easier if the picture would show its head. But this does not look like a cotton mouth. Cotton mouth usually have another length - diameter ratio. They dont appear so long and thin but rather thick

[RAD House]

Looks to have a white belly so I would say black rat snake. Especially with those body dimensions that Patrick mentioned. It is non-venomous and hence harmless. In fact they are quite proficient rodent killers, so a good snake to have around.

[eminart]

Yes, harmless rat snake. Pantherophis obsoletus, or whatever they're calling them today.

[Sasha2]

looks like a black rat but the pic is hard to tell.
Your not so far from me in Kansas. We have the best looking black rats here. Very dark black with white chins and bellys. Some of them have a bit of red/orange between the scales. Get quite large too.

[Derek Roddy]

Defiantly a black rat. You can tell by the body posture.

D

[Pareeeee]

That looks like a black rat snake. They often "kink" their bodies when predators/humans approach. Other signs; long, thin body. Black on top and white underneath (note: cottonmouths can be almost black on top and very light brown underneath).

Here are some pictures I found to help you.

Cottonmouth - note the stout body:
http://www.backyardnature.net/n/09/091025wm.jpg

Black Rat Snake (harmless) long, thin body; smaller, thinner head:
http://hippiechickdiaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/a-mellowblack-rat-snake-on-the-road-by-the-Heathcote-Community-playground-cr.jpg

Cottonmouth:
http://d2zntewxcgdtk7.cloudfront.net/Cottonmouth=Agkistrodon_piscivorus=7-1060-105=Brian_Kenney=adult_Florida_subspecies_l.jpg

Black Rat Snake (harmless) much longer in proportion to their girth:
http://thies-times.com/serpentryan/lifelist/Snakes/BlackRatSnake02.jpg

Cottonmouth Head - vertical pupils:
http://d2zntewxcgdtk7.cloudfront.net/Cottonmouth=Agkistrodon_piscivorus=7-1060-105=David_M-_Dennis=adult_Florida_subspecies_l.jpg

Black Rat Snake Head (harmless) - round pupils, different head shape and markings:
http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/black-rat-snake-griffin-harris.jpg

[Albert Clark]

I was thinking black racer........ Definitely black racer! coluber constrictor priapus.

[sharthun]

Looks like a Black Rat snake to me.

[FWK]

I was thinking black racer........ Definitely black racer! coluber constrictor priapus.

They had it right Albert, it is a Rat Snake. Either P. obsoletus or P. spiloides depending on which side of the Mississippi River it was found on. The Mississippi River is the natural barrier between these two species and it runs right through St. Louis. To the west of the river it would be a P. obsoletus, to the east a P. spiloides. Either way the local common name is Black Rat Snake.

[Albert Clark]

Suffice to say they could pass for twins too. Lol. :D