Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Would you tell me your expert opinion on what kind of snake is this? (Picture attached.) I think maybe a corn snake or brown water snake? I don't really think it is a poisonous Copperhead... He's about 48 inches long (four feet long), estimating by the size of the gate he is crawling under.
Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Jim

Snake on back porch

I forgot to add that he is located in Charleston, South Carolina...

that's a nice chain king.where at in charleston are you located?i'm in summerville,myself....
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1.1 cb spotted turtles (parker(f),stinky(m))
0.0.1 cb baby red cheek mud (pickles)
0.0.1 cb baby chiapas musk (chomper)
0.0.3 wc baby stinkpots (inky,blinky,&dot)
1.1 wc eastern mud turtles (george & jane)
1.0 cb eastern painted turtle (fred)
0.0.1 mississippi map (lil' dummy)
0.0.1 cb ally snapper (gamera)
0.0.2 red-eared sliders(kaelan's classroom pets,summer babysitting)
0.0.1 cb07 apalachicola kingsnake
0.0.1 wc halloween crab
2.0 cb children (sidney,13 & kaelan,5)
0.1 wc wife (danae,age withheld due to fears for personal safety)

"my name is inigo montoya...you killed my father.prepare to die."

Megalon & ChrisH,

I'm in Mount Pleasant, SC not far off the Wando River. I was pretty sure it was non venomous, and some others told me he was a King. So thanks to all here for helping ID him.

The King lives in my fenced-in (solid wood walls) back yard, often under our back porch deck, and either enters/exits via under fence paths or over via small trees. With my dog, 3 year old daughter, and 7 year old son also playing in the backyard, I'm afraid they might step on him or chase him, etc, and he bite in self defense. I don't want to harm the snake, esp a King.

Should I perhaps have him relocated by SCDNR wildlife management? Or do kings not really bite, just strangle then eat?

Thanks,
Jim

>>Should I perhaps have him relocated by SCDNR wildlife management? Or do kings not really bite, just strangle then eat?

Jim,

SCDNR would just move the snake somewhere else and data suggest that many transplanted snakes don't survive, so you might be killing it by moving it. Remember, that snake is there because there is food for it to eat. Right now that food (probably rodents) is being eaten by a kingsnake. If you remove the king, some other snake is likely to move in and take advantage of the unused food supply.

All snakes can bite (as can all dogs, cats, horses, people, etc), but the bite of a harmless snake is,..well, harmless! It is little more than a scratch. Having rosebushes in your yard is more dangerous to children than a kingsnake. Futhermore, this snake is not going to bite anyone unless they try and handle it.

I think relocating it would be a waste of time. In fact, using this snake to teach your kids not to touch snakes but to let them live alongside you may be a more important lesson. Maybe your kids will be the only kids in the neighborhood that will learn to appreciate snakes' role in suburban society and that we can live with them and not have to fear them? Sounds like an opportunity rather than a threat to their safety.

Chris
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

n/p
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

yeah,i agree with chrish.but,if in the future you decide that the you really don't want a snake in the yard,don't waste your time with scdnr.they usually won't remove animals that are'nt alligators,and a wildlife removal service will run upwards of $50.you can always pm me through kingsnake,and i will remove the snake for free and release it on my family property by lake moultrie.they have about 15 acres that used to be farmland;i've been restocking with reptiles for the last 5 years or so.
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1.1 cb spotted turtles (parker(f),stinky(m))
0.0.1 cb baby red cheek mud (pickles)
0.0.1 cb baby chiapas musk (chomper)
0.0.1 cb ally snapper (gamera)
1.0 cb homo sapien(kaelan,5)

"my name is inigo montoya...you killed my father.prepare to die."

I think in some cases it is better to relocate a snake...I do some relocating around my home in central florida for people...and although I know it could make things worse to move a snake, if they are living in a highly residential area, its a little different...So i think it depends on the area.

That is an Eastern Kingsnake. The reason it looks so dull is that it is getting ready to shed.

Totally harmless snake that eats rodents and other snakes.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

n/p
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"