Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I was recently given a snake as a present and I have no clue what breed it is. The friend that gave it to me insists its not venomous, and doesen't grow particularlrly big. Anyway, I like it, but am trying to find out what kind of snake it is, so as to take better care of it. Heres a picture, as well as some links to more.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-7/772835/blah2.JPG
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-7/772835/blah3.JPG
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-7/772835/blah4.JPG
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-7/772835/blah5.JPG
Any help appreciated, thanks.

Incidentally, I live in a country callled the United Arab Emirates, the snake is round about 12 inches long, and it hasn't been aggressive in the slighteset, I'm not sure if that helps, but let me know if theres any information you guys need.

That looks like an Awl-headed or Eastern Leaf-nosed Snake (Lytorhynchus diademata). They are harmless, nocturnal, lizard eating snakes that occur throughout the middle east and into Iran.
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Chris Harrison

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

:

I also considered the possibility of it being a Diadem Ratsnake (which is Spalerosophis diadema). This snake is not a Diadem Ratsnake however, but has the same specific epithet, but is in a different genus, Lytorhynchus.

This is similar to the Barba Amarilla (sometimes mistakenly called Fer-de-Lance) being Bothrops atrox and the Western Diamondbacked Rattlesnake being Crotalus atrox. Only distantly related, but they happen to be given the same specific epithet.

Or a better example might be
Phrynosoma platyrhinos - Desert Horned Lizard
Heterodon platirhinos - Eastern Hognosed Snake
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Chris Harrison

If you are not familiar with the species and can't get a clear look at the head...there are a lot of similarities to a netonate Diadem.

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

After I posted, I looked again and the snake's neck looks too thick to be a diadem rat. And, you're right...I can't see the head very well at all in the pictures.

That moniker (Barba Amarilla, or "Yellow Beard" ) has been used for a number of species, including Bothrops atrox, B.asper(Terciopelo), and Lachesis stenophrys(Central American Bushmaster). Barba Amarilla and Fer-de-lance may be two of the most confusing common names in use.

I am 75% sure, but i think it is a western hognose snake.

Brandon