Question about snake ID

Syco · 03-09-04, 11:48 PM

I was in a local petstore tonight and a guy walked in that had a very interesting snake on his arm. He claimed that the snake in question was an elapid and was rear fanged and venomous. Ok... now this was obviously an aboreal snake,judging by it's slender shape. It had very large dark eyes and the head well defined from the body. It was a reddish (rusty brown) color and was about 5 1/2 to 6 ft long. I know that isn't a whole lot of information, but the guy didn't give a name for it , just said it was an elapid (which I am doubting) and that it was rare. The snake was very well tempered and he said it had never attempted to bite. Any ideas on what this could be?
Thanks!

CHRISANDBOIDS14 · 03-09-04, 11:53 PM

Oops what am i thinking amazon tree boa. They don't have dark eyes and normally more agressive. Let us know what you can find out.

Chris

Crotalus75 · 03-10-04, 12:10 AM

Elapid + rearfanged = oxymoron. Elapids have relatively short fixed FRONT fangs. This is a defining characteristic of elapidae. The large eyes makes me think of a boomslang (Dispholidus typus)??? Boomslangs are rearfanged and their color can be variable. This guy sounds pretty reptile ignorant. The snake was more than likely either harmless or a venomoid. Geez, I hate seeing fools walking around in public with snakes draped around one part of their anatomy or the other.

kevyn · 03-10-04, 12:19 AM

Boomslang is what I thought too. Walking around with any snake in public just screams,"Look at me I need attention!" . That sort of thing is idiotic on so many levels.

CHRISANDBOIDS14 · 03-10-04, 12:36 AM

Yup, gotta agree. I thought boomsland cause of the eyes at first lol. However the redish color made me think not aswell. But then im like he should be shot for that and then he would be bit too. Hmm.

cobraman · 03-10-04, 12:40 AM

Could it have been a Dark Headed Cat Snake (Boiga nigriceps)? or one of the other Boigas such as the Dog Toothed Cat Snake (Boiga cynodon)? I sure as hell hope he was not walking around with a boomslang. That is more stupid than anything I would do (shut up Scott).

Crotalus75 · 03-10-04, 01:40 AM

I thought about Boiga sp. as well.

Mustangrde1 · 03-10-04, 06:50 AM

Did it look anything like this????

Gregg M · 03-10-04, 07:07 AM

It wasnt a trauser snake, was it???? LOL

Syco · 03-10-04, 08:18 AM

It looked a lot like the one in the pic, except it didn't have the markings, just the reddish color. The head was darker than the body. Yeh, the elapid+rear fanged is what got me too! LOL! That's why I doubted him. He said it was sold to a petstore as a cat snake by an importer.
He had found out since then that it was this venomous snake with a curiously wonderful temperment

I just wish I knew my snakes better so I could have called him on it. I agree also that having it out in public (any snake) is really stupid.

Crotalus75 · 03-10-04, 09:26 AM

If it was called a "cat" snake it was probably a Boiga sp.

Dani33 · 03-10-04, 09:30 AM

LOL Gregg!!!

BWSmith · 03-10-04, 09:40 AM

OK, let me catch my breath from "Rear Fanged Elapid"! I love when people throw them thar fanvy type words together to make 'em sound more edumecated. Next week he is getting in a Rattletail Cobra Moccasin.

Syco · 03-10-04, 09:55 AM

Tad,
Is there a form of Boiga sp that is all reddish color without the markings? I've been trying to find pics of them but all I find are the one with the markings.
It was really a quite beautiful snake in a subtle sort of way, I wish this guy would understand that people would be impressed by it without the lies.
Thanks for all of your help guys!
If I see this guy again I am going to be "armed with knowledge" and he is going to feel really stupid.

Syco · 03-10-04, 10:04 AM

Ok, It wasn't a cat snake. This one didn't have vertical pupils, they were round and the eyes were very dark, almost looked one solid color.