Reptile & Amphibian Forums

today i was in yakima washington looking for snakes, and saw two sheddings of a mysterious snake. the head of the snake skin and tail looked like that of a garter, but it was just to fat like a gopher or rattler but it had no rattle or hole were a rattle would be, and it had no pattern eccept for a light color on the sides that got browner as it got near the top of the back. the snake skin was about a foot and a half long, maybe longer, and it was found in a hot dessert full of dry small grass and sage brush and plants alike. what did the shedding belong to?????????????? please tell me! and by the way, the scales were not keeled and it didnt have a garter stripe.

Three possibilities: Coluber constrictor mormon, Charina bottae, and although you were probably a little west of its range, Sonora semiannulata. If the shed was not fairly fresh, identification from it can be nearly impossible.

~~Greg~~

what are the common names of the 3? sorry! i dont know scientific names

Any decent field guide has both common & scientific names in it. If you don't own one, you ought to.

Western Yellow-bellied Racer, Rubber Boa, & Western Ground Snake.

~~Greg~~

definatly not a rubber boa