Reptile & Amphibian Forums

he calmed down and stretched out so i was able to get a better picture this time...

For some reason, the pictures are turning out small and dark on here.

That one was a little better, though. It still looks to me like a Gray Rat Snake. That's why I was asking where you are. It could also be a juvenile Texas Rat Snake if you are in Louisiana or Texas or in that area somewhere.

How big is it? Is it a baby? And, what state was it found in?

it was found in South Carolina, it is 12-14 inches long and yes it has the "checkerboard pattern" on its belly. from your verbal description i think that it is a corn but i could be mistaken. thanks for your help.

The head does not look like a Corn Snake in that last picture. Is the underside of the tail striped? On the belly of a Corn Snake, there will be large alternating square black markings forming a checkerboard pattern. Gray rat snakes have some blotching on the belly, but it's not sharply defined pattern of square markings like a Corn Snake has. The corn snake will have (usually) an overall red or orange coloration, the dark blotches on the back will be reddish brown bordered in black. In your area, if it's Elaphe obsoleta ssp., it will be a young Black Rat Snake, or possibly a young Yellow Rat Snake if you are in a Coastal area of North Carolina. These, especially young Black Rat Snakes are more confusing to distinguish from baby Corn Snakes, although the young Corn Snakes normally have a great deal of red or orange pigmentation.

Here are two more ID keys that are more positive in your case:

On a Corn Snake there are two stripes on the neck that join together to form a "spearpoint" pattern between the eyes. On a Gray Rat Snake (or other Elaphe obsoleta) there is no spearpoint pattern.

One both species, there is a postocular stripe, that is, a stripe that starts at the back edge of the eye. In a corn snake, the stripe continues onto the neck. On the Gray Rat Snake and similar species, the postocular stripe stops at the mouth.

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Well, it's either a juvenile Gray Rat or Yellow Rat. It ain't a Corn snake, though. If you are within 30 miles or so of the coast I'd say it's probably a Yellow Rat Snake. If you are more inland, I'd say it's a Gray Rat Snake.