Just found this snake in my basement. Can anyone accurately identify species?

Definately a black rat snake. You probably did him a favor wacking him after being stcuk to a glue trap. Here's what your snake looks like all grown up. You'll notice that he looses the dark belly colors and as he blackens, the pattern on his back dissappears as well:
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and
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Many snakes look completely different as juveniles that they do as adults. As far as the eye slit thing goes, it's a decent general rule BUT there are exceptions. As you can see, this Diamondback rattlesnake's pupil looks kinda slit (and he's very dangerous):
4764093244_562761418b_o.jpg

however, this snake is called a night snake and was my daughters "pet" for a while. She'd take him to school and show him off. As you can see, his eyes are very "slit" and he's completely harmless.
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Also, a coral snake (in the Elapid family like the cobra's, mamba's, etc.) has round pupils albeit tough to see:
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This is a great plains rat snake (found in Texas) a cousin to your black rat snake. As you can see, their juvenile patterns are very similar.
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JP
 
I thought the thread title was the beginning of a "that's what she said" joke or a teaser for micarta handle pics. Bring on the snakeskin pics! :D
 
Funny story. We had just bought our house a few years back and were having problems with mice under the stairs of our split level house. I set a glue trap and when I went back to check it you could imagine my surprise to find a a black snake thrashing around it it. Dang near knocked myself out on 2X4 overhead.

GregB
 
Too Boo-koo, jk that Alabama black snake was unlucky getting stuck in that glue trap. By they way, are those traps a local hardware store thing?
 
What'dya do, crack it over the head with that garden pot?

:barf:

The snakes, IMHO, no big deal... all them spiders though!!! :eek:
 
jasonp said:
Also, a coral snake (in the Elapid family like the cobra's, mamba's, etc.) has round pupils albeit tough to see:
6490961123_ee1d628db4_b.jpg

JP
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What's that old rhyme for coral snakes vs. scarlet king snake...

"Red touches yellow, kill a fellow. Red touches black, friend to jack" or something like that.

PLEASE correct me if i'm wrong... i really can't remember and would hate to get it backwards if i ever meet a coral snake. ;)

i'll stick to our local rattlesnakes here in the sonoran. No doubt what they are when they're coiled and pissed off.
 
retrocon said:
What's that old rhyme for coral snakes vs. scarlet king snake...

"Red touches yellow, kill a fellow. Red touches black, friend to jack" or something like that.

PLEASE correct me if i'm wrong... i really can't remember and would hate to get it backwards if i ever meet a coral snake. ;)

i'll stick to our local rattlesnakes here in the sonoran. No doubt what they are when they're coiled and pissed off.
Click to expand...
You are correct sir but it doesn't apply to the head obviously. :) Just the rest of the rings. This is the non-venomous portion of the rhyme:
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The above is a milk snake (Mexican Milk Snake to be exact) but the rhyme applies to all N. American spps. of Milks, scarlets, etc. (all in the kingsnake family by the way - Lampropetis)
Unfortunately, even the rhyme has exceptions. This snake is called a long nose. As you can see, the red touches yellow here and it is non-venomous.
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JP
 
vitadura said:
Watch out for the spiders, one looks like the violin spider or brown recluse
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We call those Fiddleback spiders. They are nasty. Had one within millimeters of my eyeball. Caught it and kept it as a pet for a while.
 
If you come across a coral snake my suggestion would be to just leave it alone unless it happens to be where your kids play. They are venomous but they are pretty laid back and you almost have to try to get bit by them most of the time.

I go swimming with venomous sea kraits here a fair bit...they are venomous but they don't mess with you, even if you get close to them. I'll snorkel just a few feet above them and they are fine with it. Now the local cobras are a bit more nervous and will be quicker to bite. Some dude just got bit by one a few weeks back. Come to find out the local hospitals don't keep anti-venom for an indigenous cobra species. Guy woulda died if a local pilot hadn't offered to fly to another island and bring the meds back.
 
THanks to all . SOme great pics and comments:D

The sticky glue traps were put out by my local Orkin pest control. I had just changed the air filter the day or so before and he wasnt there. He appeared to be dead when I first picked him up then he started moving. I thought I did him a favor by putting him out of his misery cause being pulled from the glue strip wouldnt have been much better.:D

I generally don't have a problem with snakes, but when he is in my house the pucker factor does go up just a little;):D
 
vitadura said:
Watch out for the spiders, one looks like the violin spider or brown recluse
Click to expand...

Everybody should be extra careful this year with spiders. Recluses are on the rise indoors due to the ultra dry season. I have found a dozen in my basement.
I have a real dislike of them as I was bit by one in my early 20s while in a crawlspace. Put a 2 inch hole in me and destroyed 1/3 of my right lung. And you don't know the word fun until you cough black rotten lung and infection up for two weeks..... really attracts the hot chicks :)
take care, B
 
PolygonalGuy said:
Everybody should be extra careful this year with spiders. Recluses are on the rise indoors due to the ultra dry season. I have found a dozen in my basement.
I have a real dislike of them as I was bit by one in my early 20s while in a crawlspace. Put a 2 inch hole in me and destroyed 1/3 of my right lung. And you don't know the word fun until you cough black rotten lung and infection up for two weeks..... really attracts the hot chicks :)
take care, B
Click to expand...
What the heck, lets throw a Brown Recluse photo in just for good measure. Due their small size, Recluse spiders USUALLY require some type of counter pressure for them to deliver a "wet bite". In other words, it's very difficult for them to just crawl on you and bite. It usually happens in a shoe, inside a pair of pants, shirt or inside a sleeping bag, etc. Brown Recluse Spiders have an odd type of venom known as cytotoxins. A "normal" Recluse bite usually causes varying sized necrotic lesions (the surrounding tissue dies) that usually takes a LONG time to heal. Like all venoms however, reactions vary from person to person. Some people develop an auto immune response from the venom and you own turns on itself. Worse, the symptoms can last for months or even years. In short, these little guys should make "bottom of the shoe fodder" anytime you see them around your house.
I found these under a rock in South Texas.
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and just an FYI, juvenile black widows don't look like their adult counterparts:
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JP
 
Wow. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. :D

Now I am really glad we sold the house:)

Those little Brown bastids were on all the glue traps.
 
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