what kind of snake?

[cole]

Today I was outside cleaning up my yard, and in my little sister's sandbox i found a small maybe 10inch snake that was a dark brown with a diamond pattern on its back. When it saw me it went into that S position with the 1st 6 inches of its body off the ground and then the tail was pointed straight back flicking back and forth really fast. At first i thought it was a garder snake but i see them all the time and they never curl up like that, they always just try to run away and hide. But this one stood its ground and started snapping at my boots. Anyone know what kind of snake this could be?

[Simon]

I am not really good with identifying snakes in the States
but with diamonds at the back that kind of sounds like an eastern diamond back...
did it have a rattler at the end of the tail like most rattle snakes do?

[Vanan]

Given the position it was in, I'd say some kinda NA crotalid but some Nerodia do a good mimicry of them too.

[RainToad]

Sounds like a harmless Grass Snake. You should simply grab it and then let your little sister play with it. Most snakes are harmless, and a child should learn about them first hand.

[snakehunter]

Sounds like a juvi black snake or pine. Dont touch it till you get a positive ID. I pic would help. but sounds like your past that.

[cole]

It didnt have a rattle so i knew it wasnt a rattle snake, it had a long slender tail. normally i would have just forgotten about it but ive never seen a non venomous snake act like that. ive seen tons of rattle snakes and copperheads around my house and they all go into that position. If i see it again ill take a pic of it. Since i didnt think it was a rattlesnake or a copperhead i nudged it into a little bucket and put it back in the woods.

[Vanan]

Originally posted by RainToad
Sounds like a harmless Grass Snake. You should simply grab it and then let your little sister play with it. Most snakes are harmless, and a child should learn about them first hand.

That's a pretty stupid thing to say! First up, what the heck is a Grass Snake? The only Grass Snake I now of isn't even on this continent! Secondly, you're risking a kid's life when you don't even know what kinda snake it is. Just cos ~70% of the snake species are harmless doesn't mean you're chances of encountering one is NIL! Please do your own research first before giving potentially harming advice. *shakes head*

[Vanan]

Are you within the range of cottonmouths aka water moccasin?

[thunder]

a water moccasin wouldn't behave in that way, their threat display is fairly distinctinctive. if you are sure it was not a rattler, as vanan says, it was probably some species of nerodia (water snake) mimicing rattler behavior.

[Ella]

hi

[Matt_K]

uhhh.... hey..

[CamHanna]

I don't think I can really say what it would be. Juvie black rat snake comes to mind but that would be a rather small one. A juvie northern black racer would also be a possibility. Both have a blotchy pattern as young. Snake hunter mentioned the 'Northern pine snake', that may be a possibility (though they may not live in your area). Pine snakes are known for hissing a lot. It could be a northern watersnake as well; I think we may need a better description.

There are no eastern diamondbacks or cottonmouths in New York. The only harmful species are the eastern massasauga (sp?), timber rattler and northern copperhead. Rattlesnakes don't always have a rattle, it can be broken off. They are born with a 'button', which is essentially a very small rattle and can be overlooked. In either case the tail should appear blunt.

The grass snake (Natrix natrix) is native to Europe. The smooth green snake, a North American native, is sometimes called the green grass snake but this doesn't sound like one. I would agree with Vavan very much, if you're not sure what it is don't pick it up. It's a very good idea to familiarize yourself with the venomous snakes in your area.

A google search, "Snakes of New York", will yield several sites about the snakes of New York. You may need to look harder for pics of juvie black rat snakes and black racers; they are very different than the adults.

Let us know what you find.

Cam

[RainToad]

That's a pretty stupid thing to say! First up, what the heck is a Grass Snake? The only Grass Snake I now of isn't even on this continent! Secondly, you're risking a kid's life when you don't even know what kinda snake it is. Just cos ~70% of the snake species are harmless doesn't mean you're chances of encountering one is NIL! Please do your own research first before giving potentially harming advice. *shakes head*

******************

99% are harmless --- see below, and if you don’t believe me... Write to this website to argue it.

Quote:
: Young Bucks Outdoors ::
About 99 percent of the snakes in this country are harmless to humans. Snakes don't deserve their bad reputation;
www.youngbucks.com/QuizWiz/QW5.28_6.1.html

[Simon]

Originally posted by RainToad
[B]
99% are harmless --- see below, and if you don’t believe me... Write to this website to argue it.

I don't usually argue with people, but this is different. You don't just pick up an animal that you have no clue about. It is still a risk, its a life!! Even if 99% of the country's (and Vanan was talking about 70% of the snakes in the world not the country) snake is harmless, there is still a 1% chance that the person does actually walk into a venomous snake.

If you just pick it up, the person just might get bit and die because of your advice. You just don't pick up any animals that you don't know! Plus you don't give any advice to people that "Oh 99% are harmless, just pick it up" that's not the best advice. Even if you're held responsible for the cause of the person's death, there is absolutely nothing that you can do to bring back the person's life.

[njsnakeman]

Yes Simon is right, course it could be a venomous snake and it isnt worth it just picking up any snake or any wild animal at all without knowing what it is? And if it is venomous that's a child's life and there is no arguing about that.