Diadophis punctatus edwardsii (ringneck)

chairman · 09-26-15, 09:23 PM

Found this little guy while raking leaves today. I'm not sure if he'll get his ring later in life or if he just won't have one. The ringnecks in my yard typically have yellow rings.

My daughter's hand... he's a ring snake, right?

MDT · 09-26-15, 09:53 PM

Not a ring necked snake. Looks like Carphophis vermis, or western worm snake.

Wingbeats · 09-27-15, 01:09 AM

AHHHHHHHHH IT'S SO SMOL AND CUTE I LOVE IT

Great pics, pardon my squee <3

chairman · 09-27-15, 07:35 AM

I live a couple hundred miles outside the range for the western, but I think you're right on it being a worm snake. I'm thinking the Midwestern, Carphophis amoenus helenae.

**Minkness** · 09-27-15, 11:05 AM

Omg so cute!!!! You keeping it?

prairiepanda · 09-27-15, 12:49 PM

That is the cutest thing ever! I love these real tiny species. Would love to see one in person someday. I've heard they don't do well in captivity, though.

chairman · 09-27-15, 05:32 PM

Fossorial snakes almost universally end up being pet tanks of dirt. If I had the eye to put together an attractive vivaria and the capability to keep all the plants healthy then I'd consider keeping it. But as it stands, I'd just end up having an ugly tank of dirt full of that one snake and a couple breeder worms larger than it. (Need the breeding colony of worms to provide food in situ.) So, it'll go back in the yard in a day or so.