What kind of snake is this

[4grandbabies]

Can any one tell me if this is just a common garden snake? Grandaughter found it today, we have not seen one quite like it, mostly I have seen the ones with stripes. Oh, and the pic makes it look bigger than it was, it was young, and apparently the cat had killed it. We have a cat that is death on snakes!

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

my guess is rat snake

 

[journey11]

I think it's a rat snake too. A the pattern on a copperhead will make an hourglass across the top. The patches don't connect on a rat snake.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I can't see the head real well to see if it is triangular, but the markings look like rat snake more than copperhead. A copperhead would be stockier. I also vote rat snake.

 

[Carol Dee]

I looked up some snake information. I had thought it might be a bull snake. (See plenty of those here in Iowa) I still think it might be. The rat snakes seem to have a darker coloration and slimmer body. Either one is good to have around to control mice, rats, etc...

 

[4grandbabies]

I looked up some snake information. I had thought it might be a bull snake. (See plenty of those here in Iowa) I still think it might be. The rat snakes seem to have a darker coloration and slimmer body. Either one is good to have around to control mice, rats, etc...

Yes the head was triangular, and the tail pointed, the cats must have killed this one, we would not have..unless we were definate that it was a danger to the kids playing in the yard.
We have seen more than usual number of snakes this spring, and so far, they have all been what we call the "garden snake" variety.
Thanks everyone for the imput. I was just curious, because I was not familiar with those markings.

 

[hoodat]

Rat snakes can vary a lot in colors and patterns. There seem to be local groups that share a particular pattern and color, maybe related to one another.

 

[4grandbabies]

Rat snakes can vary a lot in colors and patterns. There seem to be local groups that share a particular pattern and color, maybe related to one another.

Dont live far from the Missouri Conservation center. I will try to get info on Missouri snakes from there... I did not know they varied that much-thanks

 

[annageckos]

That is a garter snake. Garter snakes come in many different patterns and colors. I have seen garters that look similar to that one pictured. They are harmless and great to have a round the garden, they eat slugs and other bugs too.

That is not a copperhead, they are a very heavy bodied snake and the markings are all wrong. It also looks nothing like a juvi ratsnake. An adult black ratsnake is all black.

 

[digitS']

But, aren't all garter snakes green and have stripes?

Yeah, I thought bull snake first also but that's only because we have so few snakes around here. In fact, I think there are only garter snakes, bulls and the rubber boa.

I feel that this area is pretty special to have a boa. I even found a tiny one in the garden once. First, I thought it was a very large worm .

Rubber boas don't get very large as adults. "They can be found at elevations anywhere from sea level to over 10,000 feet (3,000 m)." Wikipedia says. That seems rather special to me altho' I suspect they aren't anywhere near that high around here.

Too cold here for the rattlesnake as best as I understand. But, they are less than 100 miles away - and, I hope they aren't traveling in this direction.

Steve