What kind of snake am I?

[sgtmom52]

DH was clearing a spot for my new coop when he found this guy hiding under a tarp covering some sand we had stored. His first thought was a copperhead as it is short and fairly thick ~ however it has round eyes. Any guesses ~ We are in PA. We did not and will not kill it.

Head ~ notice the round eyes

Since posting I am sure we have identified it as a Northern Water snake which is harmless ~ unless you are a frog, fish or other aquatic critter.


http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.semo.edu/liberalarts/images/KRCU_DN-WaterSnake_2009.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.semo.edu/sepr/programming/dn_episodes_23370.htm&usg=__nA9-xWlxeqd6hVaZwzP6Bi3P9mg=&h=320&w=250&sz=47&hl=en&start=16&sig2=sBIbixtRAlHNnq3axRryzA&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=C7-ZJwH1T2fdCM:&tbnh=118&tbnw=92&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnorthern%2Bwater%2Bstate%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-USfficial%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=BkPoS8PaH5HwsQPRl9CfBA

 

[PinkieSue]

If the scales have a raised ridge down the center it is probably a pine snake. Also could be a rat snake. Both of which will eat chicks.

 

[rancher hicks]

As far as I'm concerned there is only one kind of snake. It looks like the AAhhh snake. Cuz when I see any snake I go aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh sssssssssssssnnnnnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

 

[jeffro29]

Looks just like the water snakes that have been prowling around the yard. If you can just move it and he will go about his job else where. We have had about 5 come in the yard this year has to be mating season for them to be so far from the creek. Good luck Jeff

 

[sgtmom52]

Quote:
We just kinda nudged it and it went on it's way. It was only about 40 feet away from the stream. We are snake friendly and will not kill them.

 

[haTHOR]

good for you! i get so tired of the bragging about snake killing on here. people can really be unaware of the importance of most snakes around the homestead, and allow their fear and ignorance to guide them towards killing rather than predator-proofing their coops.

 

[Whispering Winds]

Billy the Exterminator is very informative about snakes. If they have eyes like a cat they are poisonous, if they are round non. If under their tail area, right near their little you know what, if the scales change directions, POISON, if they stay the same pattern as the pattern coming down the belly, then they are harmless. I love watching that show, because while its really "out there" you really learn a lot about how to git rid of critters. Only one time has he had to give the guys who owned the duck blind something to kill whatever was in there, and I didn't blame them. Cottonmouths out the wazoo, and his brother got stung and he is highly allergic, so it was a free for all for awhile. VERY entertaining.

 

[froggie71]

We just found a snake yesterday too. Harmless Eastern Garter Snake, but still can look scary mean when it wants to. Looks like our snake had been eating quite well.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=340489

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

We had a Kingsnake crawling along the fence of one of our pens on Saturday. first one I have seen this year, I didn't think to get a pic I was to busy checking it out.

Steve

 

[luvmychickigirls]

It looks a lot like the snake I found Saturday near my chicken coop. It was about six feet long. I had gone to check on my chicks. He was hissing and threatening....acting very aggressive. I thought it was a black snake, but have never known them to act so aggressively. I watched as he finally slithered away. I had lost one chick overnight to some sort of predator, but didn't think it was the snake. My chicks are six weeks old and fairly large. So there were four chicks left in the coop. About an hour later, I went to check on my chicks again. To my horror, one chick was dead and the black snake was IN the coop and had another chick in it's mouth. It was dead as well. I had no idea that a snake would be a threat to my chicks at their size.