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Insect and Spider Identification: SOLVED: what's this snake sitting in my sago palm?

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Forum: Insect and Spider IdentificationReplies: 26, Views: 379
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Gymgirl
SE Houston (Hobby), TX
(Zone 9a)

March 01, 2008
04:35 PM

Post #4609666

He's sorta greyish with orange behind his head and black spots.

Thumbnail by Gymgirl
Click the image for an enlarged view.

Gymgirl
SE Houston (Hobby), TX
(Zone 9a)

March 01, 2008
05:03 PM

Post #4609762

Here are a few more shots. The last two are after DH mashed him with the shovel. I want to know if this snake was a friend or a foe?

Thumbnail by Gymgirl
Click the image for an enlarged view.

mistygardener
Saint James, MO
(Zone 6b)

March 01, 2008
05:06 PM

Post #4609774

I am afraid that I would have been right there with DH and the shovel, no matter friend of foe! I HATE SNAKES! LOL
Lily_love
Central, AL
(Zone 7b)

March 01, 2008
05:06 PM

Post #4609775

Some great shots of the "Mr. no shoulder" there Gymgirl. I wished I know, but will hang out and find out the I.D. Be careful at the mean time.
kennedyh
Churchill, Victoria
Australia
(Zone 10a)



March 01, 2008
05:15 PM

Post #4609807

It looks to me like the Pigmy Rattlesnake Sistrurus miliarius: http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.jdmpics...

Kennedy
claypa
West Pottsgrove, PA
(Zone 6b)

March 01, 2008
05:25 PM

Post #4609843

I don't know, but I thought it looked like an Eastern Hog-nosed snake - one site says they're often mistaken for the pygmy rattlesnakes. The color is extremely variable, too.


http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS/eastern hognose snake red color ph...
Lily_love
Central, AL
(Zone 7b)

March 01, 2008
05:37 PM

Post #4609875

I don't know much about snakes, but the first picture of the Rattle snake shows clearly that the head was much bigger than its slender 'neck' Where as the EHN snake is more in line with the shape of the Snake in your Sago Palm?
Sequee
Carmel, NY
(Zone 6b)

March 01, 2008
05:40 PM

Post #4609886

Did he have a rattle on his other end???

Eeeeeeew!
Gymgirl
SE Houston (Hobby), TX
(Zone 9a)

March 01, 2008
05:43 PM

Post #4609900

No rattle. I don't think it's either one. Still trying to ID
claypa
West Pottsgrove, PA
(Zone 6b)

March 01, 2008
05:50 PM

Post #4609927

Here's another pic to compare. Look at the pattern on the head:


http://www.bugsinthenews.com/Texas Snake Web/Eastern Hog-Nos...
georgiagarden3
Arlington, GA
(Zone 8a)

March 01, 2008
05:59 PM

Post #4609962

GG, If you don't get a positive id I found this site for you. He accepts emailed photos and email you back with the Name. http://www.texassnakes.net/pictures.html
GG3
Gymgirl
SE Houston (Hobby), TX
(Zone 9a)

March 01, 2008
06:25 PM

Post #4610066

GG3,
I tried to upload pics to his email, but looks like his site doesn't exist anymore.

I'm having trouble going to the links ya'll are posting. My browser won't "go!" Shucks! Thanks so much for helping me with this Id. This is the second one the DH has killed in that same Sago!
Gymgirl
SE Houston (Hobby), TX
(Zone 9a)

March 01, 2008
06:26 PM

Post #4610071

Here are some more views of the snake.

Thumbnail by Gymgirl
Click the image for an enlarged view.

Gymgirl
SE Houston (Hobby), TX
(Zone 9a)

March 01, 2008
09:42 PM

Post #4610691



This message was edited Mar 1, 2008 7:44 PM
Gymgirl
SE Houston (Hobby), TX
(Zone 9a)

March 01, 2008
09:45 PM

Post #4610705

Claypa,
You were correct. It was an Eastern Hognose Snake, totally harmless. Next time, I won't tell my DH anything. I am truly saddened, because I decided long ago to live in harmony with God's creatures, to the extent that I can remain safe...this is a true tragedy...

There was a time I might have gone screaming through the yard. Well, maybe just one yell, til I composed myself. My mother was an arachnaphobe, and I developed a healthy respect for the things people truly fear. I also had to develop a courage about dealing with "creatures", because my mother would go into a complete fetal state. Once she visited me here in October, and traveled home Halloween night. YOU try going through Hobby Airport on Halloween Night and not running into a cobweb with a spider. I tried to run interference and scout out every corridor we had to go down. And, we made it all the way to the check-in counter. I thought we were safely there, and I turned for one split second. When I looked back, my mom was curled up in a corner, whimpering. She had managed to see the one display I didn't catch -- the cobweb and the spider...

Anyway, I didn't grow up with the luxury of being a "girlie" girl. I had to toughen up and handle the creatures. And, since I have been a DGer, I have gotten extremely comfortable with the animals, and "creatures" I have encountered in the yard. Including the larvae that looks like huge maggots! I have hated maggots all my life. They made me squeamish -- until DG! Last fall, I encountered a HUGE Banana Spider over head in this gigantic web. I studied it for weeks, until one day I came home and DG had pulled the web down...oh well.

Anyway, I'll respect the wildlife. Live and let live...

Thumbnail by Gymgirl
Click the image for an enlarged view.

Lily_love
Central, AL
(Zone 7b)

March 01, 2008
09:50 PM

Post #4610722

Amen! Thanks Gymgirl, you've described me in the well written few paragraps. How gardening with DG has completely changed my outlook on all god's creatures large or small, scary looking or not...because looks can be sometimes deceiving. Let me repeat your sentiment: "I'll respect the wildlife. Live and let live..."
Kim
Texasescimo
Argyle, TX
(Zone 7b)

July 01, 2009
09:52 AM

Post #6762990

Next time you find a hognosed snake, can I have it? I always thought they were cool as they are suppossed to roll over and play dead when disturbed. Never saw one in real life.
Gymgirl
SE Houston (Hobby), TX
(Zone 9a)

July 01, 2009
01:30 PM

Post #6763792

Texasescimo,
You've got it! (if the DH doesn't GET it first!)

Kim,
Thanks for the compliment!

Linda
Lotsalilys
Maple Heights, OH

July 01, 2009
03:59 PM

Post #6764409

Such a shame but they do mimic the pygmy rattlesnake. The inhabit about the same range too. Texasescimo, those are diffacult to feed unless you have a ready supply of small toads. The western hognose while not as colorful is easier to keep, and they can usually be weaned over to baby mice from toads.
helenchild
Decatur, GA

July 01, 2009
04:39 PM

Post #6764561

I think its a shame to kill a snake. They have their job to do too. Same with spiders.

Helen
Texasescimo
Argyle, TX
(Zone 7b)

July 20, 2009
04:46 PM

Post #6843039

I would not really havae the time to take care of one myself, but I have had success in weaning Texas rat-snake off of field mice onto chicks, keets, eggs, and fake eggs. Lol
Lotsalilys
Maple Heights, OH

July 20, 2009
06:22 PM

Post #6843428

Eastern Hognoses are really hard to convert to mice, when you cold still keep them in in Ohio I kept a couple of dead toads in the freezer (not the food one) and would put a piece of it in the mouse so it smelled like a toad. Some snakes would never eat anything but toads. Texas ratsnakes will eat almost anything, I am not surprised you could get them to eat chicks, I think they feed on some birds in the wild.

If you want a Hognose snake go with a western, they are really muche easier to keep.
vossner
Richmond, TX
(Zone 9a)

July 21, 2009
09:43 AM

Post #6845808

Gymgirl, we have our own longnose, the TX longnose snake. Looks a lot like the eastern longnose. Not supposed to be found in gulf coast area, but maybe it's found its way. TX longnose eats rodents.

I found this in my book A field guide to texas snakes, a wonderful resource. I hate snakes, but armed with this little book, at least I've learned that not all of them are going to jump and eat me alive, and I no longer kill everything that slithers around. Can probably get a copy on Amazon cheap. Highly recommend this book.
vossner
Richmond, TX
(Zone 9a)

July 21, 2009
09:45 AM

Post #6845814

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://s190.photobuck...
Gymgirl
SE Houston (Hobby), TX
(Zone 9a)

July 21, 2009
11:46 AM

Post #6846238

Voss,
That's a great link. Thanks for posting it! I'm even more convinced now that my friend was the Eastern Hog-nosed.
cmsjjdr
Panama City, FL
(Zone 8b)

August 03, 2009
10:27 PM

Post #6904344

hog-nose snakes are very interesting. We played with them when I was a kid. Haven't seen one lately. The ones we had would rear up and flatten their head like a cobra. They would hiss very loudly and act threatening. If that did not work they would roll over on their back and "play dead". If you rolled it upright, it would roll over again, trying to stay on it's back until left alone. Great fun.
Gymgirl
SE Houston (Hobby), TX
(Zone 9a)

August 04, 2009
01:29 PM

Post #6906390

Oh, to have the courage of a kid...

I used to sit in the 1st seat on the Texas Cyclone roller coaster at Astroworld.

Oh, to have the courage of a kid...

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