I must say... that is a big Garter snake. If... and that is a very big "if," so I say if upon seeing that sort of snake I could manage to restrain myself... that snake would live. But, that would be a very big "if." Out in the woods/fields... I'd let it just go on about it's business. But around the house... in the yard... it'd be hard not to put a bullet into it's head. I know that attitude is not politically correct. But it is the truth. JMHO. Sincerely. brucev.
Can someone ID this snake
- Thread starter gjamison
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That is the biggest freakin' garter snake i've ever seen!
The first photo had me puzzled because the head looks heart shaped. That usually means venomous.
No such thing as a poisonous snake.
Unusually large garter snakes are very rare to the NY region.
Large/giant garters are usually only found in the central valley area of California. They do bite and although they are not venomous it WILL hurt like hell from one of that size!
Large/giant garters are usually only found in the central valley area of California. They do bite and although they are not venomous it WILL hurt like hell from one of that size!
RIDE-RED 350r
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LVSteve
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Eastern Garter Snake according to my book of reptiles. The book says that they can be over four feet long, so this guy must be close to proving it.
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Fishslayer
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Timothy Treadwell wasn't afraid of Brown Bears or Grizzlies...that sure worked out well for him
You can only fool Darwin for so long...
handejector
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His name is Henry Jones.
Maximumbob54
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ArkiePrince water snake moccasin information
If it's a round head then I leave them alone. If they have a shovel head then I kill them.
If it's a round head then I leave them alone. If they have a shovel head then I kill them.
Texas Star
US Veteran
Some garter snakes do have rear fangs and have seriously bitten people. It would happen more often, but the rear location in the jaw of the fangs and the small mouths of average sized examples prevent many bites.
Don't mess with them. Especially if you don't know what they are.
How long was this one? Looks pretty thick-bodied, too.
Don't mess with them. Especially if you don't know what they are.
How long was this one? Looks pretty thick-bodied, too.
JJEH
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I would be pretty scared to catch a snake with my bare hands...
speedyquad
Member
i'm kinda familiar with snakes, and even venomous snakes are important to the ecosystem.
i've never seen a garter snake that large, but supposedly they can. and the head did throw me as mentioned. i spent time looking for other snakes with similar markings and and the only thing i could come up with is a garter snake...a very large one at that.
JcMack
Member
Clearly, that is an Exwifeicus Reptilius. Forked tongue is the giveaway. This species lines it's den with stolen wallets.
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Texas Star
US Veteran
Did anyone else notice in that first photo the compression of the head in front of the eyes, giving a sort of vision tunnel, enabling the snake to have better forward vision? The African Bird Snake (Thelotornis kirtlandi) has that feature. An interesting survival adaption.
(I'm going by memory on the scientific name, but think that's correct. It is, BTW, very venomous.)
(I'm going by memory on the scientific name, but think that's correct. It is, BTW, very venomous.)
Steve in Vermont
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I've seen and handled hundreds of Garter Snakes in my life and only once have I seen one that big (and I've never been bit). Most of them get eaten by critters, hawks, etc, before they get that large. In the early spring you can come across a den than has opened and there will be literally hundreds of them coming out. They are easy to handle but can get feisty if its a pregnant female. They are a part of nature, harmless to humans, and I urge everyone to simply live and let (them) live. Thanks for sharing a great pic.
hannstv
Member
It would be hard for me to tell if it was a round head square head or triangle head while looking back over my shoulder running like hell!
If you call being turned into a pile of bear poo working out well...
But to the OP: I just made the connection... Why on earth would someone handle a snake they did not know if venomous or not??!! I realize that venomous snakes are very few and far between in NY.. But when in doubt, don't touch!
This is hearsay, but I trust the fella that mentioned it...he said that most females, when bitten by rattlesnakes, are bitten on the lower extremities, because of accidentally stepping too near the snake, either inadvertently or while trying to evade it...on the other hand, most males are bitten on the upper extremities, because of doing something foolish like trying to pick the darn thing up, or playing with it, teasing it etc...makes perfect sense to me.
Yes. Of course.
sipowicz
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