please identify this snake

“http://community.webshots.com/photo/386597128/386597128AjVVdP#

It is a baby pit-viper of some type. It is in Northeastern Pennsylvania on the Allegheny Plateau. It was about a foot long. We think it is a baby Timber Rattle Snake. But its markings are not like the adults markings.

There are only three kinds of venomous snakes in PA, the timber rattle snake, eastern massasauga rattlesnake and copperhead. I don't think the massaugas occurr in eastern PA, they occurr in western PA.”

“I'm not sure it's a pit viper.
The body is way too slender but I can't really see the shape of the head too well.

The pattern resembles a Kirklands snake but the head does seem kinda wide.”

“it def. had a arrow shaped head. We all was sure of that.”

“it's behavior was very much that of a pit-viper too. It was a small snake. Only a foot long. If it was a pit-viper, it would have been very young juvenile snake. Very much a baby.”

“pretty sure it was not a baby copperhead. Baby copperheads look just like adults except they have a yellow banded tail.”

“Not much help here .”

“it does resemble this snake



which is a baby rattler”

“
this is a kirtland snake, I don't think they are the same. the head is tiny on this snake and ours had a fat head. Plus that the kirtland snake has a sloppy pattern and this snake almost had a checker board pattern.”

“

this is the eastern garter snake - another possibility, but still many differences and I've never seen a garter snake act that way.”

“Is it a cobra?”

“Can't make out what kind, but I've seen garter & other non-poisonous snakes become very aggresive and strike-like-a-rattler when the temp goes way up.”

“cobra forces move out”

“to me it looked more like the kirtland snake, but 'our' snake did have a much more viper like head. The picture don't really show it.”

“Yeah the head on your seemed to wide for a Kirtland put the pattern made me think it a possibility. Plus all snakes have variants within a species.

There are lots of non-venomous snakes that will act like a pit-viper when in defense mode. I'm not an expert but that alone makes me look more at shape and color for ID purposes.

One thing I can tell you is that I've seen plenty of little copperheads and they look like smaller versions of the big boys. So you can cross that off your list.

I don't see the eyebrows of the rattlers on your snake either.

I dunno, I'm still leaning towards non-viper. But hey, I'm no expert. Too bad you don't have really sharp closeup video of it.
last edited: 7/05/05 1:50:07 PM”

“Say, did y'all see his belly at all?
The kirtland usually has a reddish orange belly.
last edited: 7/05/05 1:50:59 PM”

“This is an easy one... Kirkland's Snake.
There is NO way that is a Venomous Snake...
But, if you don't know the species always assume otherwise. ;)
Better safe than sorry!

The Kirkland's Snake typically dramatically flattens its body when frightened and may rapidly move its tail... this doesn't mean its a Rattle snake, in fact "Most" North American Speices of snake do this.

Ken”

“It looks like a baby Kirtland snake. There's lots of variations in colors in any snake variety. It's very pretty.”

“I've never met the bugger before, so I really can't say.”

“I've never met the bugger before, so I really can't say.”

“Not a rattler or copperhead. The pattern does match the photos of the Kirtland. I'd go with that, but like drunkenblade said, better to be safe that sorry.

Actually, it's not wise to mess with non-poisonous snakes because they still bite and you can get a nasty infection from a non-poisonous snake bite.”

“it was a very pretty snake, one of the prettiest I've ever seen.”

“Here, kitty-kitty.....ouch!!!”

“IT'S A RATTLEHEADEDCOPPERMOCCASIN!!!!
RUN!!!!


(It don't have a rattle.)”

“I checked out some baby snake pictures on the web and it appears to be the yellow phase of a garter snake. Baby rattlesnakes had larger and fewer spots.”

“They had a snake program on the Animal Planet tonight and had a segment about garter snakes. They had a garter snake on that looked just like this one and called it a checkered garter snake.”

“interesting. thanks Rich.”

“that appears to be the same snake I encountered on a recent hike in St Mary's Wilderness here in VA - agressive as all heck - coiled up and repeatedly striking at the air in my direction - in my research i came to the same conclusion - its a garter snake - but I have to say I have never seen a garter snake to be this agressive - must have really not liked getting goosed by my treking pole - I just wanted the snake to move out of the middle of the trail - I ended up hiking through the bushes to get around the SOB”

“is on the money. It definetly isn't any type of viper or rattler...cool snake and photo.”

“We have turquoise phased checkered garter snakes around here. Very brightly colored, fast moving big SOBs that startle me when I walk past them in the yard and they spook. Big enough that the cats won't mess with them.”

“ahhhh ha - I've figured it out ...

















its div's ex boyfriend”

“I'm pretty sure I saw this one in a movie I watched last weak staring J. Lo so it must be an Anaconda.”

“It looks to me to be either a Garter snake or a Checkered watersnake.”

“never mind......... it didn't post
last edited: 7/07/05 8:36:32 PM”

“

okay... now THIS is a SNAKE !!!!
It was caught in Clay County, WV on May 21st,2005. Not far from where I live now.
Try to imagine this fellow in your sleeping bag with you !!!”

“I dont know if you people are kidding or not, in case you arent. That is a typical rattle snake that we have here in va/west va here is some info for you.
http://www.wvdnr.gov/Wildlife/PDFFiles/snakes.pdf

also be weary of any snake with a traigle head.”

“nvwoti...we were talking about this snake:



The pdf file you linked to is pretty good. i'll print that out for my kids. thanks :)”

“I didnt see that snake picture, I dont know what that is Ive never seen one. Its pretty tho. I always forget to set the number of days back so I can see all the messages. Sorry everyone :) What do I know about snakes, I thought those were those things you used to unclock pipes LOL (ok that was corny)”

“Checkered garter snake, argessive but harmless.”

“Once again... "Kirtland's" was my first pick! Although, I have had some other discussions and...... (I wish there was a better shot of just the head, but) This is a "Eastern Garter" Red phase(Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis). In the picture you can just make-out a staight line of coloration defining the upper and lower portion of the head... Kirtland's is undefined.
Checkered Garters live no where near VA:)

Happy Herp'n
Ken”

“BTW...baby snakes are the most dangerous because they don't know how to not release their venom yet. 50% of adult snake bites are dry bites, meanign they don't release their venom. Snakes only produce small amounts of venom, and they recognize that humans are not food, so they will sometimes save their venom for food, like rodents and such. Here in TN out of the almost 50 snake breeds, there are only four venomous kinds, Timber Rattler, Pigmy Rattler (very rare, engangered I believe), Copperhead, and the Cottonmouth. I have encountered numerous Rattlers, Copperheads, and Cottonmouths all over middle TN. I have never been attacked though. I once came about two steps from stepping on a Timber rattler in Savage Gulf. Yet it did not move one bit. It did not coil up or anything. This was late last fall and it had obviously eaten recently, probably getting ready for hybernation. It actually slithered towards us after a minute to get a better smell. It was about four feet in length and was sun bathing right in the middle of the trail on the North Rim. Perfectly camoflauged too. Amazing animals.”