# Alright snake brains out there...



## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

I need some help here. I get these every year and want to know what they are. If it is poisonous I want to kill it but if not then it more then likely will keep the bad ones away and the goats and LGD's have not been bothered by him at all. What do you think? Not sure if you can tell but there is a yellowish underbelly.


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

i cant tell from pics.. they're kinda fuzzy, but i'm 98% sure it isn't a poisionous species, kinda looks like a species of racer


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

oooh, thats scary :O
no idea on snakes, they aren't up here! lol yay!


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## maple hill farm tina (Mar 14, 2010)

If you have a water source nearby (creek, river, or lake) I'd bet on a plain- bellied watersnake. If not, it's a North American Black Racer. Neither of those species is poisonous, and neither is overly agressive. Both are widespread throughout your area. Both are mostly black with yellowish undersides. It's NOT a venomous snake (venomous snakes have heads that are wider than their bodies - think of a blunted arrowhead shape). If you leave him alone, he'll do a GREAT job of taking care of moles, voles, field mice, and rats for you. I have four kids who range in age from 11 to 4, and no one has ever been bitten by either of those types of snakes (and we have LOTS of them here).

There's more info on both of those types (as well as some types that ARE poisonous in your area) here:
http://www.herpsofarkansas.com/Snake/HomePage

-Tina


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## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

Nonvenomous, could be any number of colubrid species. Just shoo it off.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

If you want to get close enough to it to look, a venomous snake has cat like pupils, non venomous have round pupils.


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## ZipperDoo (Apr 18, 2010)

Liz - 

That does not apply in all cases... Boas, pythons, and several colubrid species have slitted eyes and are not in fact venomous. An easier way to tell is the shape of the head, as stated. 

MHFT was right on the money however.

Snake in the picture is NOT venomous, but will go a long way to control any pest problems that may be brewing.  Encourage it to live there if you can, they're helpful.


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

That is what I thought. There are many tadpoles in the pond right now so fighured that is what it was. He was not bothered by anyone. Now I did have one come at us last year and killed it. This one I hope will keep the big ones away.

Here are pics of last years snakes.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

wow..... you sure do get alot of sssssssssssnakes...yikes.. :shocked:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

The black one looks alot like the very common and abundant Black Rat snakes here.


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## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

Looks to be water moccasin - bull snake - not sure? - ratsnake.

Poor snakie with no head..but I understand, I've been bitten by a moccasin and it was no walk in the park, still have a scar.


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## cdtrum (Aug 25, 2008)

Sorry to all snake lovers.....but I am scared to death of snakes! To me a snake is a snake no matter what size.... poisionous or not......I do not want them around here! I had rather have a barn full of mice!


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