Any Herp people here to confirm a snake for me?

That, or a corn snake?

It looks safe to me, but I'm not an expert.

-Andrew

(Corn snakes ARE rat snakes :icon_wink)

I'm fairly sure it is, just I've never seen this color pattern in my area... I'm used to the red and yellow ones...

try a banded water snake

mistergreen said:

try a banded water snake

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Now that's a great call. Thanks!

Since it's obviously not a rattler or a coral snake, water mocossin has been my only real worry... but banded water snake looks like a perfect match, and this snake definitely doesn't have a viper head, so I think water mocossin is out.

you can usually tell by the shape of the head. The pattern is reminiscent of ratler but not quite. I think with this guy, his defensive posture is to flatten out his head. He kinda looks like a ratler then.

ps. in college I made paper snake toys and how to identify them as a design project

i know it's tough but if it has diurnal eyes (round pupils) chances are it not venomous
however if it has draconian eyes it more than likely is some sort of moccasin or copper head if it curls and shakes its tail it could be a viper not just rattlers "rattle" there tail it does sort of look like a corn but the pic of the side of the head looks a little off corns are very common round these parts if it is a corn it will have a white to yellowish belly with random square black spots also corns are no longer considerer rats snakes hope i helped either way LEAVE IT ALONE!

I agree with what mistergreen said. Generally you can tell if a snake is venomous or not by the shape of its head. Venomous snakes usually have a wide diamond-shaped head to hold the venom glands. This snake's head is pretty narrow, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. It's got a nice pattern, whatever it is

Still out there...

Fortunately we've been able to keep the dogs away from it thus far, though, and it stays pretty much motionless while we're outside.

I was rather surprised it stuck around after my flashlight and camera flash blinding it all night last night, but I guess it's enjoying feasting on the plethora of frogs on my back porch...

Sure looks like a water snake, if its eating frogs probably so. If you can get a closer shot of it's head it would be easier to tell. Also, what color/pattern is the belly?

If you're adventurous you can try to get it to bite a piece of cardboard and see what the bite patten is (not holding it by hand though)!

I agree with the banded water snake.

Usually Cottonmouth/Water Moccasins will open their mouth to try and scare you away.

got a broom? just flick off your porch.

mistergreen said:

got a broom? just flick off your porch.

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Doesn't florida have a wildlife relocation program? Since there's tons of snakes where i live, we can just call up someone to get the snake and they'll relocate it to an area far from civilization.

Keeps the other vermin away, you likely have some mices, frogs etc.

As long as they are not poisonous snakes.
I love CA King Snakes, they eat rattlers which are pretty stupid as far as snakes go.

King snakes are beauts and eat about any vermin, wish they eat more rabbit/squirrel. Need a Pine Martin for that:thumbsup:

Regards,
Tom Barr

Yes, there's plenty of frogs and lizards on my back porch. I've got a large bamboo wind chime that hosts a whole colony of several different species of tree frog (I've counted as many as 13 frogs at one time and at least 3 different species).

Looks like the snake has eaten a lizard or a skink most recently from the shape of the lumps on its body LOL

I don't mind it eating Leopard frogs since they're Invasive anyways, but I wish there was a way to convince it to leave the native green tree frogs alone; the Leopards are already out-competing them... :icon_sad:

There's lots of Rattlers around this area of FL; I haven't seen one yet but our next door neighbor had a Pygmy on her back porch a few years back.