Reptile & Amphibian Forums

These pictures were taken under a bridge over a creek in SW Ohio (Georgetown area).

Thanks,
Travis

Looks like a black ratsnake to me.Are there two or just one? Cool pic anyway.

I am fairly sure it was 2 snakes. I really could not reach the snakes to handle them but the coil on the right appeared to be a snake ready to shed and the snake on the left had much brighter color. Also, it would have been at least a 12 foot snake if it were all one snake.

Thanks for the ID
Travis

Depending on what part of SW Ohio, those could be Northern Black Racers. Looks like smooth scales, and too much black on the ventral scales to be a Black Rat.
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MichaelB

The head does not appear to "fit" for a racer (although it is rather compressed by the tight fit) and I thought racers had a white belly?

If I am not mistaken, there apears to be a trace of pattern in those snakes. That would rule out a Northern Racer in favor of a Black rat. I have seen Black rats that had dark veneers...That's what I think it is.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

I've caught quite a few that looked like that.
Lora

I believe that Black Racers have white on the chin and throat, and the rest of the belly is dark. But I agree that the head doesn't look right for a racer, and the faint pattern is more indicative of a Black Rat.
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MichaelB

I think it depends on the range of the racer. In KY they have all white bellies. I hear in the northeast they have a white chin. At any rate I would say they are black rats. I see patterning on them. You don't see much on a racer.
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14 Leopard Geckos 5.9.0
1 Leopard Gecko egg cookin...took mold off (dimpling now)
2 Tokay Geckos 2.0.0
1 Graybanded Kingsnake 1.0.0 (on vacation in my house)
1 Baird's Rat Snake (Thanks Vadoni!) 1.0.0
1 Gray Ratsnake 0.0.1
2 Dekay's Snake 0.0.2
1.0 Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum
1.1 Green Tree Frogs (H. cinerea)
0.0.1 Gray Tree Frog (H versicolor)
1.0 Bird-Voiced Tree Frog

>>These pictures were taken under a bridge over a creek in SW Ohio (Georgetown area).
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>>Thanks,
>>Travis
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1.0 Corn snake (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake (KY locale)
1.2 Black rat snakes (MO locale)
1.0 Eastern Yellow Belly racer (MO locale)
1.0 Eastern Milk snake (KY locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Yellow rat snake (Dwight Good stock)
1.1 California king snake (Coastal phase)
1.0 Prairie king snake (KY locale)
0.1 Black king snake (KY locale)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

I love Black Rat Snakes! That looks cool.

Brandon