# What kind of snake is this?



## Surge223 (Jun 27, 2008)

It's not very big, 4-5 inches. My neighbor injured it with an axe.


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## smalltime (Jan 26, 2007)

looks like a baby rattle snake to me, diamond shaped head.. Cant see the shape of the eyes in this photo, but I'd say rattle snake.


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## Manny (Dec 26, 2003)

Copperhead?


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## snakeshooter1 (Mar 8, 2009)

Manny said:


> Copperhead?


 This or a baby rat snake hard to tell without seeing in person and seeing snakes eyes. ETA I'm leaning toward baby copperhead though.


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## Surge223 (Jun 27, 2008)

The markings and colors don't match a baby copperhead. 

From what I have looked up on-line, the closest picture I found was a baby rattlesnake. I have NEVER seen a rattlesnake in SW MO and this is the 2nd one I have found in a month. The other one was identical. 

Here is another pic.


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## mistletoad (Apr 17, 2003)

Looks like a young rat snake or racer - those are both pale as juveniles. Not a copperhead - they have a yellow/green tail tip when young. Wrong head shape for a rattler.


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## haunted (Jul 24, 2011)

I think it's a rat snake (chicken snake) too. They don't turn dark until they're older.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

I don't see any rattles in those photos.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Western Fox snake:

http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/western-foxsnake-western-fox-snake


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## edcopp (Oct 9, 2004)

Rat snake.


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## CenTexJenn (Nov 25, 2013)

Seeing the shape of the head better in the 2nd pic my instant thought was rat snake.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I think a viper has a more pronounced V shape to the head. The jaw is obviously proud of the neck.


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

Looks like a pigmy rattlesnake to me.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

its a young eastern milk snake....see them all the time.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

thats the colors i see here...but theres a huge array of colors depending on where you live.

http://www.snakepictures.us/milk-snakes/


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## Wolfy-hound (May 5, 2013)

Rat snake would be my first choice, with fox or milksnake following that. I'd say 90% one of those.

Definitely not a rattlesnake or pygmy rattler, the sloping head and lack of jaw definition is distinctively different from the rattler family. I couldn't say absolutely on baby copperhead, since it's been a long time since I saw one in person but I don't think it is.


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## KMA1 (Dec 9, 2006)

Well, I don't see the lines on the side of head and neck, so I don't think its a rat snake. Definitely not a copperhead or rattle snake. Its a little hard to make out, but I believe that the nose is upturned and it definitely has the rest of the head shape of a young hog-nosed snake, so I am pretty sure that is what it is. Bet if you looked at its head from the side you would definitely see the distinctly upturned nose.

kma1


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## Manny (Dec 26, 2003)

If you blowup the picture you will see the pupil in the eye is round. Not a venomous snake.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

It has a head like a boa constrictor. Are they that far north, yet?

Definitely not a rattlesnake; tall too pointed and slim


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## txplowgirl (Oct 15, 2007)

I DON"T CARE what kind or how big of a snake it is! I hate Snakes of any :runforhills:kind!


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## Cascade Failure (Jan 30, 2007)

elkhound said:


> its a young eastern milk snake....see them all the time.


I agree. Many around here as well. Still can't convince the wife it's not a copperhead. 

I can't imagine what she thinks of our black racers. If she stops screaming I'll ask....


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## Cascade Failure (Jan 30, 2007)

Surge, checkered belly???


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## Surge223 (Jun 27, 2008)

Cascade Failure said:


> Surge, checkered belly???



Not real sure about the belly. I don't remember any checkering, but who knows? What would checkering indicate?


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## AR Aaron (May 26, 2010)

Manny said:


> If you blowup the picture you will see the pupil in the eye is round. Not a venomous snake.


Yep. this was going to be my comment as well. Which is what most people are concerned about.


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## DryHeat (Nov 11, 2010)

Definitely not venomous. Not a hog-nose. My first thought was rat, then fox. Milk seems a way outside chance to me, they look to have a pronounced red color inside the blotches, and it's not a juvenile racer, either. Poor little guy, that injury looks lethal to me.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Juvenile Black Rat. It's a rare year when I don't find at least one around here.

Baby black rat snakes have checkered bellies.

Poor baby.


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