Help identifying snake ... does he need to go?

[rizq]

King snake was high on my list of possibles, but his solid bright yellow belly and closely spaced bands has been throwing me. I have been trying to spot him again to get a pic. I do not think he is venomous or poses any risks to me, but do not want him eating my poor chooks (though the full grown ones might still be more of a risk to him that he is to them). I DO however want him eating the rats

so I do not just want to go out and shoot him if I do not need to. I will not move him ... he is too mean. I am not afraid of snakes, but I am not into playing with ones that seriously intend to bite me.

 

[Punk-Rock_Chicken]

Google King Snake Images...There are hundreds of color patterns on Kings... but they are usually the ones with any kind of bandings.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Hmmmmm........my first glance at the pic (after I finally stopped laughing and dried my tears.....LOL sorry) was that it looks just like my precious King snake (my pet) Oreo. HOWEVER, she has the slender head/build one would expect of a king snake and wide, complete bands. However, each snake is patterned different. It doesn't sound dangerous but I would be careful just in case. I am a huge advocate of keeping them around if at all possible and relocating them to a safe area if not. Snakes are friends not foes!!!! Good luck!!!

 

[rizq]

I am pretty sure you are right about him being a king snake, that was kind of what I was leaning toward. There are several types of king snakes native to Tennessee, so would not be an odd neighbor. I just wish I could find a pic closer to what he looked like and be sure, lol.

If I see him again I will try to get a picture of him. I think he may have to go before the turkeys hatch though. We are going to brood the chicks ourselves, but let the turkey keep her poults. Mr. Snake cannot have them for supper.

 

[Stina]

http://www.tennsnakes.org/

list of the snakes native to TN....just look up photos on google of each species.

 

[rizq]

Quote:
ROLF! Isn't my picture wonderful? My brother was laughing at me so I challenged him to do better with paint and a laptop touchpad ... he went to bed

I do not have any problems with snakes in general ... I used to horrify my mother dragging home garter and grass snakes ... but I worry about the birds given that his den is right by coop.

 

[rizq]

Quote:
That was the site I started with yesterday

Thanks though. I am pretty sure he is a king snake and it sounds like everyone agrees. Though nobody has promised me he will stick to rats and not eat chickies

 

[Punk-Rock_Chicken]

Well being from Tennessee, you only have4 venomous snakes native to you...The Copperhead, the Cotton Mouth, Timber Rattle Snake and Pigmy Rattle Snake. And your pic looks nothing like any of them.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

This is my sweet little Oreo. Thought you might like to compare.

She got mad at me for waking her up for the pic. LOL Oh, and just for the record, my drawing would have been MUCH worse so don't feel bad!!!

 

[Matt A NC]

I hate snakes. Didn't used too, until stuck my hand under a hen to see if she had any eggs and wrapped my hand around the coil of a big black snake. Since then I have had an unusual reaction to them. The hen was fine and the snakes last meal was at least 8 eggs. It measured out at 6'4".

I do try to leave most snakes alone, unless poisonous. If they do find the hen house(s), they are dealt with immediately.

Matt