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Anyone clued up on snakes?


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We found a snake curled up around our water stop cock in the garden - its down a nice deep hole so safe and cosy. It was black with yellow rings, about a finger in diameter and from what we could estimate about 40 - 50 cms long. A friend in UK who knows a lot about these things said it sounded like a King snake and the photos online would back this up. However, these only seem to be found in the USA. Can I assume therefore that this has escaped from someone's collection or perhaps its a different type of snake. Can anyone help and advise especially if dangerous. Don't think my husband will be turning the water off again anytime in the near future in any case! Thank you
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Could it have been a grass snake, Angie?

http://www.arkive.org/grass-snake/natrix-natrix/image-A7229.html

If so, they are not dangerous - but I agree, it would give me a nasty jump to find one in the water hole.

If you want to compare grass snakes (couleuvres) with adders (vipères) you can check here:

http://www.20minutes.fr/planete/764762-20110801-comment-reconnaitre-couleuvre-vipere

Angela
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Thanks for replying so promptly Loiseau. Don't think it was a grass snake, that was my initial thought - it had distinctive bright yellow rings on a very black skin rather than the sort of zig zag pattern of the grass snake. If I see it again I will try and pluck up the courage to take a photo!!
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We had an encounter with a similar sounding Snake a while back. It turned out to be an 'Aesculapian' Snake. It was black with yellow markings, around 5 feet long and looked quite threatening as it was ready to strike out at my missus.

They are also called Rat Snakes and are the symbol used on Doctors badges.

They are a constrictor and not venomous.
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[quote user="vette"]We had an encounter with a similar sounding Snake a while back. It turned out to be an 'Aesculapian' Snake. It was black with yellow markings, around 5 feet long and looked quite threatening as it was ready to strike out at my missus.

They are also called Rat Snakes and are the symbol used on Doctors badges.

They are a constrictor and not venomous.[/quote]

Could be, Vette, could be ... altho' Aesculapian tends to be fairly uniform yellow-brown or grey-brown-black in colour without any, or only faint, rings.  They do sometimes have spots of white/pale above and also pale, often yellowish, bellies.

I suspect Loiseau has got it right with Western Whip Snake (see my posting on the other thread), but we'll have to wait to see what Angie says.

P.s  Thanks for pointing out that Aesculapian is not venemous.

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  • 7 years later...

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