Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone!!!

I need your help to identify this snake...
I rescued him from a cousin, well he was not even sure if the poor critter has eaten anything since he got him...

So I am really concerned about the snake and wish to identify him/her in order to provide the best care.

I have thought that it could be from the genus Thamnophis, and currently I have done the setup for the snake based on that guess.
But my guess is only based on just one picture frow a book (the book from love & love If I remember well...).

Thanks for your help,

Luis

It's definitely a Storeria, I'm thinking it's a red bellied snake, although I can't see the belly. It might also be a gray version of a brown snake (or DeKay's snake).

>>It's definitely a Storeria, I'm thinking it's a red bellied snake, although I can't see the belly. It might also be a gray version of a brown snake (or DeKay's snake).

Hi Erik!!!

The belly is a colour between light cream and gray, does it help you?

That is a Brownsnake (Storeria dekayi). It will probably eat earthworms for you if you can find small enough worms at this time of year (fishing supply shops or even wal-mart carry fishing worms).
-----
Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

>>That is a Brownsnake (Storeria dekayi). It will probably eat earthworms for you if you can find small enough worms at this time of year (fishing supply shops or even wal-mart carry fishing worms).
>>-----
>>Chris Harrison
>>San Antonio, Texas

Ohhhh!!! I really appreciate your help!
I will keep an eye open on the "Small Terrestrial Snakes" Forum.

Kind regards,

Luis

hold it,man......where was this snake found?while it does superficially resemble a storeria,it also looks a little different in some ways to me,having seen dozens of storeria dekayi and occipitomaculata..

>>hold it,man......where was this snake found?while it does superficially resemble a storeria,it also looks a little different in some ways to me,having seen dozens of storeria dekayi and occipitomaculata..

Hi Justinian!!

Thanks for your reply.
As far as I know, the serpent was bought on a store. It was given as a present to one of my cousin's childs by a friend. So I dont know where was actually adquired (otherwise, the first place to ask for an ID of the snake species, could be the store)...

Do you know if there is a dictintive character that could help me to know for sure if it is a Storeria??

Best regards,

Luis

if it's storeria-a red-bellied snake or brown snake-it will have the following charachteristics:1)keeled scales.......2)a divided anal plate.....3)no loreal scale(i.e. in a straight line between the eye and nostril,there will be just two scales)....check these points,and let us know if you've got questions/what you find!if all three points are not true-it's from another genus,and we'll alk you through another key.ttyl

>>if it's storeria-a red-bellied snake or brown snake-it will have the following charachteristics:1)keeled scales.......2)a divided anal plate.....3)no loreal scale(i.e. in a straight line between the eye and nostril,there will be just two scales)....check these points,and let us know if you've got questions/what you find!if all three points are not true-it's from another genus,and we'll alk you through another key.ttyl

Hi!!!

I checked the info that you provided to me and I am somewhat confused... The snake has a divided anal plate and there is no loreal scale (I had to find a diagram first... ), but as far as I can see the scales are not keeled...
Is possible that it can be a variety of S. dekayi? Or maybe its because is a juvenile?
So far, it is happily eating Tenebrio larvae...

L.

you know,what is odd to me is the pattern on it's head/neck....but i can see the scales are keeled in the first pic...so it looks to be storeria indeed-i would say a red-bellied snake before a brown.....but you said the belly is cream-colored,right?that does'nt sound like a red-bellied snake-and dekay snakes usually have a pink belly-but yeah i guess it's some subspecies of brown snake-where was it found again-what part of the country?as a kid those ate earthworms for me,with gusto.

Thanks for your help!!

Yes, I should say that the belly is more accurately described as Cream than pink.

I will try the earthworms as soon as I can put my hands on one!!
I am in Mexico city and I still have to find a place to find pesticide-free earthworms...

As for the origin, being a store-bought snake I should guess that is an import... I dont know if Storeria inhabits as far as Mexico.

Again thanks,

Luis

>>you know,what is odd to me is the pattern on it's head/neck....but i can see the scales are keeled in the first pic...so it looks to be storeria indeed-i would say a red-bellied snake before a brown.....but you said the belly is cream-colored,right?that does'nt sound like a red-bellied snake-and dekay snakes usually have a pink belly-but yeah i guess it's some subspecies of brown snake-where was it found again-what part of the country?as a kid those ate earthworms for me,with gusto.