sps282
Member
There are two kinds of snakes....Live ones & Dead ones....I prefer the later!
Can someone ID this snake
- Thread starter gjamison
- Start date
Armyphotog
Member
Looks like my last boss. Can't ever forget that friendly demeanor.
mstuhr
Member
Local herpetologist
Local herpetologist identifies it as the "Dreaded,Finger Lakes Region of NY, kill you right away snake".
Heck, I could make 4-5 Missouri snakes out of that thing with a proper hoe!
Thanks
Mike
P.S.
Rats and mice are important for the ecosystem too ya' know.
Local herpetologist identifies it as the "Dreaded,Finger Lakes Region of NY, kill you right away snake".
Heck, I could make 4-5 Missouri snakes out of that thing with a proper hoe!
Thanks
Mike
P.S.
Rats and mice are important for the ecosystem too ya' know.
cass
Member
One of my old herpetology books list the record length for the Eastern Garter at 48 3/4 inches. That is an old record, and probably out of date. Beautiful specimen.
williamlayton
Member
The only thing I am going to say is every snake that I have ever identified was dead first.
Blessings
Blessings
CQB27
US Veteran
I believe that is Jake. My Drill Sergeant told me all about him while I was in boot at Ft. Benning in 1984.
Texas Star
US Veteran
I think the more realistic posters decided that it's an Eastern Garter Snake, but a very large example.
One that size could probably make someone very sick if it managed to deliver a serious bite. They have rear fangs, like the Boomslang and the African Bird Snake. Not that the Garter Snake is that lethal, by any means.
The Boomslang needs to inject just about 1.5mg. of venom to kill an average 150 lb. man, against some 20 mg. for most cobras and the Black Mamba. (The Cape Cobra/Yellow Cobra is more toxic, at some 15 mg. Books by Minton and Minton and the US Naval medical manual for snake ID and treatment provided this info. I'm going by memory, but think those figures are correct.)
If new member Frikkie sees this, he probably knows the danger of those snakes. Thought he might like to know the lethal dose.
Not much research has been done on garter snake venom, which seems fairly potent in some populations, although none has yet killed a human, to my knowledge. It's a neurotoxin.
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ogilvyspecial
Member
BearBio
Member
1) A small boy in Santa Barbara, CA died from a garter bite but it may have been a protein reaction.
2) One of the authors of the Navy ID book, Dr Fred Shannon, died in Randsburg, CA after being nailed by a mohave rattler. He was with Dr Findley Russell (his co-author) and died in 15 minutes. He was bit on the left thumb.
Texas Star
US Veteran
BIO-
Thanks. Didn't know that about Dr. Shannon. I do know the Mohave Rattler is potentially quite lethal. I certainly know Dr. Russell's name, and Sherman Minton's. I think Dr. Minton also contributed to that book, and he and his wife wrote at least two other books. I think that Dr. Russell and Dr. Minton are now deceased.
My first reaction to the OP photo was that it was some sort of "trick" photography, but, now that I'm more or less reliably informed that Garter snakes are actually known to achieve such sizes, I'm reinforced in my initial impression that it's a Garter snake. There is a similarly marked and colored snake here in the desert SW, the patch-nosed snake, distinguished from its similar eastern cousins by different squamation (shape/size/arrangement of scales). This serves to illustrate to me that you don't know what you don't know.
williamlayton
Member
I will only say that if any has killed more snakes than me we should get together and talk.
Blessings
Blessings
Oldiron
US Veteran
Don't know on your numbers but when we were kids my brother and I would have a snake killing contest every summer. We would take the Benjamin the halfmile down the creek to my grandparents house shooting snakes all the way. Usually got 40-50/year between the two of us.
Larry
It is an Eastern Garter Snake. Probably not too large. Its just how the Picture was taken. They have no fangs what so ever. No front fangs no rear fangs.............no fangs. Just very many rear pointing teath for grasping and holding onto things. Non poisonous but will bite if molested. if bitten, dont panic and pull your finger(or whatever) away. Wait for it to release you(takes about a second) so you dont tear your finger or whatever up. If the bite breaks your skin get a tetanous shot if your tetanus shot is not up to date.
Chubbs103
US Veteran
I used to think they were non-venomous as well. Then I saw some wild-life special saying we were all wrong.
I caught hundreds growing up. If I only knew.
Garter snake - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Scroll down to "venom"
Chubbs
I caught hundreds growing up. If I only knew.
Garter snake - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Scroll down to "venom"
Chubbs
mjr
Member
One of my earliest childhood memories is of me killing a garter snake by beating it to death with a stick. I wasn't yet three years old and probably thought I was St. George killing the dragon. My dad wasn't impressed with my heroism--he loved all forms of wildlife (except ticks and mosquitoes) and never killed anything that didn't absolutely need killing. I haven't killed a snake since.
enfield
US Veteran
Most snakes in the US are harmless to humans and animals. The few that aren't are easily identified.
Thanks Chubbs
Interesting on the venom. I have been refering to Petersons field guide for years. never failed me yet.
For the sake of the species I wouldn't go spreading the possible fact that they do have some amount of venom given the fact that to date, no one has died of a garter snake bite. Used to catch them by the dozens as a child.
Interesting on the venom. I have been refering to Petersons field guide for years. never failed me yet.
For the sake of the species I wouldn't go spreading the possible fact that they do have some amount of venom given the fact that to date, no one has died of a garter snake bite. Used to catch them by the dozens as a child.
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