garter snake or ???????????????

[addy1]

Found this little one on our driveway, almost bit our yorkie. Coiled up, mouth open, than it ran into the grass. I recall seeing one like this on the forum,can't recall what they said it was.

 

[Ax01]

that's Agkistrodon contortrix or more commonly known as Copperhead. A. contortrix has a mild venom, so leave them alone or give them space. glad that that u saw a beautiful lil piece of nature and all parties are safe.

 

[Mmathis]

Copperhead!

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Yup - copperhead. The pictures you saw were probably mine (we have those things all over the place!) If you leave them alone, they will leave you alone, but they will definitely bite if cornered. Keep the pups away! My Abby (40# mutt) was bitten once, years ago, and was fine afterwards, (trip to the vet for steroid injection, antibiotics & pain killers) but on a dog the size of a Yorkie it could be more serious.

 

[mrsclem]

I posted about a snake a while back, mine was northern water snake. Still a nasty bite and we do have copperheads here as well.

 

[addy1]

A. contortrix has a mild venom,

I was thinking it was a cooper head, I have never seen one in our 11 years here. It almost bit our 6 lb yorkie, that is my biggest concern. How bad it could harm them. It was laying right in the center of our driveway taking the pups out for a final bathroom break. Very dark here, we just managed to see, via the flashlight, something different on the drive just as our pup got close to it. We yelled she stopped.

It was doing the mouth open strike position. Then went into the grass, and it disappeared. I am going to mow their bathroom area a lot lower so we can spot it if it comes around again and or its family. If there is one there are more.

 

[addy1]

I posted about a snake a while back, mine was northern water snake. Still a nasty bite and we do have copperheads here as well.

I live and let live as long as our pups will not be harmed. Missy is 6 lbs, lil bear is 3.7 lbs, not a lot of body mass to deal with a bite. We have some huge black snakes, I have seen pics of them eating the copperheads.

 

[Lisak1]

Oh my gosh - I was going to say copperhead! Yikes!

 

[BKHpondcritters]

They tend to be nocturnal hunters, so be extra careful when taking the pups out for that bedtime potty run. Unless the dog goes right up to it & pokes it with a nosey nose, you should be OK. Good girl to stop when you told her to! Extra bedtime cookies all around!

 

[addy1]

These two are my only concern!

 

[BKHpondcritters]

I live and let live as long as our pups will not be harmed. Missy is 6 lbs, lil bear is 3.7 lbs, not a lot of body mass to deal with a bite. We have some huge black snakes, I have seen pics of them eating the copperheads.

Rat snakes don't typically eat other snakes. Black racers will, but my guess is that you have rat snakes, not racers.
It's been a VERY busy snake year at my house. We've pulled so many copperheads from the front wall for relocation that I'm starting to refer to it as the 'clown car of copperheads'. On a typical year we'll see one or two. This year we've relocated 6 or 7 already & there are still two littler ones in the wall that we haven't been able to get to (yet!!)

 

[addy1]

They tend to be nocturnal hunters,

Thanks I didn't know that. In AZ we had tons of rattlers, so very aware of them. Here I have seen nothing to worry about in all our years and all my years of messing with our land.

 

[addy1]

but my guess is that you have rat snakes, not racers.

This is one we have. It was under a car. The other one was behind a chest freezer we have outside for bee work.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Those look like rat snakes to me.

Here - I found a site that does a great side by side comparison!

HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A RACER AND A BLACK RAT SNAKE — Steemit

Often, accurately identifying similar creatures can be difficult. Here in Arkansas, there are a lot of snakes. (… by papa-pepper

steemit.com

 

[addy1]

Those look like rat snakes to me.

Thanks, never could decide lol. Black vs Rat!