Snake ID in SC

[StudentoReptile]

I'm sorry if I came across as condescending. Its just that in these situations where someone is asked to identify a certain animal in their area, the logical thing to me seems to look at all possibilities in the native species of that area before automatically jumping to non-native species.

I will concur that America ratsnakes (Pantherophis/Elaphe obsoleta sp.) do kinda have a python-esque look to their head and neck regions. But I suppose I have just had enough experience with them that when I see one, I think "that looks like a ratsnake!" not "that kinda looks like a python!"

I stick to my point from my previous post that if people were more familiar with species endemic to America (and I'm not just talking about anyone here), then these kinda of issues would not arise....and (lol) we certainly wouldn't see outlandish news articles where concerned citizens see a harmless ratsnake and fear its an escaped boa or python from the zoo!