ability to identify wildlife is a wilderness skill - even a survival skill when dealing with venomous snakes

[rje58]

I was thinking about this because I can identify most of the snakes I see near my home, or when hiking, camping, kayaking, etc. My wife went out to cover up some plants, and encountered this snake (see attached photos) and rushed back into the house, thinking it might be venomous. I assured her it was not poisonous, tossed it gently out into the edge of the woods near our house using a stick, and came back inside.

My first glance thought was "water snake" or even "eastern ribbon snake", but I soon realized it is a common eastern garter snake. Those three snakes seem to have significantly different markings and coloration in the wild, compared to the "identification photos" one usually sees. Obviously it's too fat to be a ribbon snake, but my initial thoughts were based primarily on color, as I was staying back at distance until I was sure I had identified it correctly.

I would estimate it's length at about 26-30 inches - maybe even a little longer, as I never saw it fully extended.

Does anyone think it is something other than an eastern garter snake? I'm always open to discussion and learning.

Thanks!

 

[hhmoore]

Yes, there can be a lot of variability in appearance, attributable to both taxonomic and locality differences...and, yes, that is a garter snake

 

[rje58]

Yes, there can be a lot of variability in appearance, attributable to both taxonomic and locality differences...and, yes, that is a garter snake

Agreed! But even here locally, garter snakes and water snakes seem to have quite different markings and coloration from other specimens of the same general type. I guess that's where taxonomic comes in, because they are only a few miles apart. And of course, there are several types of water snakes indigenous to my area, but even among the same types and proximate location, there is variability. Keeps things interesting, I guess.

Of course, I don't kill or harm non-venomous snakes, or even venomous snakes, for that matter. I've been fortunate that I haven't seen any venomous snakes close to my house, sidewalks or driveway. Did have a big black snake up on my front porch one time, but he left peacefully. One of the bigger black snakes I've seen. Aka rat snake.

 

[SubaruSTi]

I didn’t realize North Carolina had multiple venomous snakes.

 

[hhmoore]

When I was growing up, the garter snakes on my grandparents' property looked different from the garter snakes at the next farm over.
More black, more yellow, the presence of reds, etc can combine with pattern differences that range from small to significant to create very different looking snakes...and then there are the things that happen when those variances are combined through breeding

 

[rje58]

I didn’t realize North Carolina had multiple venomous snakes.

Yes, depending on what part of the state you're in. There may be small patches of the state where there aren't very many poisonous snakes, other than copperheads, if you believe the 'snake maps' that some people/organizations publish. Personally, I refuse to use them as more than guesstimates as to how likely (or not) one is to encounter one of the snakes outside of their 'map range'. I have never met a snake yet that read those maps and decided to go right up to that line and turn around because they didn't want to make the 'snake maps' invalid - so I'll continue to take them with a grain of salt.

North Carolina has at least six poisonous snakes in some part of the state, if published/consensus reports are to be believed ( I do, for the most part, just not the maps ). 1. copperheads (definitely the most common venomous snake in the state) 2. cottonmouths, sometimes referred to as water moccasins 3. eastern diamondback rattler (listed as endangered) 4. timber rattlesnake 5. pygmy rattlesnake 6. Eastern coral snake

 

[Zulus]

We got many snakes around and we call them our snakes !
Both kinds.
All are very useful, we don't harm them, they don't harm us
Rattlesnakes, moccasins etc etc
Just watch your step :^O
Gadsden signs everywhere ...

 

[rje58]

We got many snakes around and we call them our snakes !
Both kinds.
All are very useful, we don't harm them, they don't harm us
Rattlesnakes, moccasins etc etc
Just watch your step :^O
Gadsden signs everywhere ...

Thanks for your usual 'helpful' comment. I'm sure people who enjoy riddles, nonsense and farces appreciate your posts even more than I do.

 

[Zulus]

Thanks for your usual 'helpful' comment. I'm sure people who enjoy riddles, nonsense and farces appreciate your posts even more than I do.

Any comment of your brightness will be an insult, so no comments.

 

[Wasty]

My usual outdoor activities don't happen in areas with many venomous snakes or other dangerous wildlife that seeks to kill and eat me. Germany has some wolves reintroduced and some lynxes, if you see them, you are happy to do so and not in fear of your life.

However, risks posed by ticks are increasing due to the rising temperatures. Lyme disease is quite prevalent and not very nice.

There are also poisonous plants that will hurt quite a bit if you touch them.

So it is very good to get some information what kind of flora and fauna you will encounter when you're out and about.

I use local info and also go on plant identification hikes, where I take pics of whatever tickles my fancy and try to identify it later. I will not eat funghi that I cannot identify to 100% nor berries that look nice but give me the sh..ts if eaten raw.

Yep, try to learn about the area you want to go, before you head out.

 

[hhmoore]

risks posed by ticks are increasing due to the rising temperatures. Lyme disease is quite prevalent and not very nice

Lyme disease sucks...but it's been overshadowed by babesiosis and anaplasmosis, at least in many parts of the US.

 

[Wasty]

Lyme disease sucks...but it's been overshadowed by babesiosis and anaplasmosis, at least in many parts of the US.

Yikes, need more bug repellent. That is a good reason to check and study the wildlife before you head out.

 

[d762nato]

Just dispatched a baby Copperhead on my morning walk. It was about 8;30 in the morning and it was coiled up laying on the concrete street in a newly built area, maybe two years old with condos in the suburbs. A nice area and didn't expect to see one in this place. I saw kids playing in the area a few days prior and happened to see a guy across the street come out and showed it to him and mentioned he should mention it to his neighbor. You just never know where snakes will appear.
Stay safe out there folks.

 

[Joezilla]

Garter snakes have a crazy variation in their patterns some times. Some of the same species can even look blue as apposed to their normal counterparts. Some species also do mass mating

Mating ball of garter snakes caught on campus

Males employ an anoxic kiss to reduce female strug

www.colorado.edu

 

[master_nylo]

If I remember correctly, if a snake has the eyes of a cat it’s venomous but if the snake has the eyes of a dog (as in the black part is round) it’s nonvenomous.

 

[tesselata]

If I remember correctly, if a snake has the eyes of a cat it’s venomous but if the snake has the eyes of a dog (as in the black part is round) it’s nonvenomous.

I would Not bet my Life on this…..

 

[JJ_Colt45]

If I remember correctly, if a snake has the eyes of a cat it’s venomous but if the snake has the eyes of a dog (as in the black part is round) it’s nonvenomous.

There are exception, so it's best to know the snakes/wildlife/plants in the area you are and not try to fit everything into some basic guidelines.