Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was driving home this morning and saw a snake on the road, downtown of all places, and could not identify it.
It resembles the gila monster coloring pattern with a black top fading to a yellowish-green and black checker pattern on the bottom..It was fairly docile and did not seem to be in much of a hurry to leave the street as I stood by it for about 30 seconds.
Does anyone know what kind this is and does it follw the same patterns in where I can hang out near the spot where I saw the snake and get a picture?? If you can identify it please tell me what size this snake grows to. It was stretched all the way across a single car lane with about 6 inches hanging over the lines on each side..Thanks....Joe

A little clarification is necessary for an ID.

First off, where in the World are you (and the snake)? If you are in Thailand, what we come up with will differ from what we would come up with if you are in Arizona, for instance. This is an international web site. We need to know precisely where the snake was found.

Secondly, a little better description would be nice. When you say Gila Monster-like, do you mean that the colors were pink/orange and black mottled or banded like a reticulated or banded Gila, or were you speaking only of the pattern appearance, color withstanding? Was it heavy-bodied or slender? Did it hiss or take any defensive postures? Was the head distinctly wider than the neck or fairly close to the same size? Was it smooth and shiny in overall appearance or was it sort of "rough" looking?

There is always the possibility, also, that it is an escaped exotic pet, especially in the environs it was seen (downtown). This would make identification extremely difficult without a photo.

Well judging from this "Entered from pcp02191824pcs.hatisb01.ms.comcast.net at 68.63.231.197 -->" I would guess that they are in Hattisburg Mississippi, and since they statedthe snake was in excess of 8' my vote is for an escaped exotic.

Mike

Jeff...there's something really, really wrong with you. I like that in a herping buddy.....

I am in Hattiesburg Mississippi, which is were I saw the snake. The snakes pattern was similar to the gila monster's pattern but not coloring. It was not aggressive, I stood beside it and nudged it out of the street but it was not in a hurry to evade me..it might of been cold as it was about 7 in the morning. The head was about the same size of the body which was slender and body was smooth. the ssnake is all black on the top all yellowish-green at the bottom and these colors blend together on the side of the snake.. at first i though it was a king snake but i did not see any pictures in the gallery but it is a very pretty snake..Hopefully i can catch it and we will have a better chance of identifying it.......Joe

I'll have to see a picture of this one. I can't think of a thing in that area that would fit that description and grow to that length.

Give the length a rest, despite the landmarks. At the risk of offending, observations seem larger than reality. Already we know that it is not "Gila Like" in coloration. Sounds like a CB "special" King to me. Dunno the flavor but it feels right. An escapee.

Regards,
J.

If it were any further north, I'd say it's a black rat snake. I'm not sure what they'd have to do with looking like Gila monsters, but they're black on top, sometimes yellowish towards the bottom of the sides, and have checkered bellies. They don't get 8 feet long, but, then, field reports of snakes' lengths are notoriously inaccurate. In Mississippi... could be an escaped pet black rat, or just an abnormally dark grey rat. *shrug* That, or some wierd exotic, though I can't think of any exotics that'd fit the description any better than black rats do.

Patrick Alexander

The world's biggest Calabar ground boa? You've got to admit they're the most Gila like in coloration out of all the snakes I can think of right now.

Yeah..to tell you the truth, the thing I thought of first was an escapee Spilotes pullatus.

Bad news...This morning I left work a few minutes early to see if the snake would be around. As i drove by the library I saw the snake making his way off of the curb and into the street. I pulled into the parking lot (about 100 feet away) and walked back to get a good look and maybe take him to the state park later today. When I arrived at the snakes location he had managed to make it to the center lane, I went to cross and pick it up when a passing motorist went out of thier way to run the poor creature over. I couldnt believe it, a long string of cuss words came out of my mouth as well as a few derogatory hand gestures directed to the motorist..I took the smake to the sidewalk to get a good look and measure it. An old man came out of his office to see what I was doing, he told me it was a speckled racer but had some strange patterning to it. The racer measured 6 feet 9 inches and had a beautiful coloring to its bottom and sides of green and black checkering and green blocks on its back..(taking off the sunglasses helps with colors.).
Thanks for trying to help me identify the snake, I had not been to this site before yesterday but i have enjoyed all of the wonderful photos and information contained on the site..
Thanks Joe Harper xjoeharperx@yahoo.com

The speckled racer (Drymobius margaritiferus) barely enters Texas from Mexico. The buttermilk snake (Coluber constrictor anthicus) barely enters extreme southern Mississippi. It is the only Coluber that is spckled as an adult. The length, if it is any of the Colubers, is probably a world record. The coachwhips (Masticophis) reach those lengths & greater, but none are speckled or blotched as adults.

~~Greg~~
Venomous Snakes of Florida

a speckled kingsnake in MS, not a speckled racer. They are pretty similar looking the inexperienced snake people. A 6'9" speckled kingsnake would be a record, I doubt it was really that long before it was run over.
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Chris Harrison

Mud snakes can grow pretty big and are black on top, but pinkish on the bottom and sides. I don't know about the yellowish-greenish thing, though. Look up mud snake or Farancia abacura and see if any pics look similar...
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