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I was reading an article about snakes, and their version of hibernation (umbration? sp?) once the weather cools a lot further.

At the end of the article was a nice useful piece of information.

DFW Wildlife Control offers to ID a snake if you text them a picture.

Snap a pic, then text it to 817-606-7607.

I had snapped a pic of very long blackish snake at my place. They texted me the answer very quickly that it was non-venomous, Plano, water snake.

Oh good, when I walk to my car, I won't be stepping on my cause of death!!

SIA

surprise_i'm_armed wrote: ↑Mon Oct 02, 2023 6:00 pm I was reading an article about snakes, and their version of hibernation (umbration? sp?) once the weather cools a lot further.

At the end of the article was a nice useful piece of information.

DFW Wildlife Control offers to ID a snake if you text them a picture.

Snap a pic, then text it to 817-606-7607.

I had snapped a pic of very long blackish snake at my place. They texted me the answer very quickly that it was non-venomous, Plano, water snake.

Oh good, when I walk to my car, I won't be stepping on my cause of death!!

SIA

Pit Vipers have slit pupils; non-venomous have round pupils. They also have a distinctly shaped head. I know everyone is thinking I'm not gonna get that close! LOL but if you kill the snake at least you'll know if it's bit would have been dangerous. I used to hunt venomous snakes in my youth, mostly water moccasins i.e. cotton mouths. Their coloration varies wildly and banded water snakes are very often confused for cotton mouths. The speckles on a water snake and a moccasin are also completely different. I try not to kill snakes because they are beneficial in controlling rodent populations, but if a venomous snake poses a threat or they are in a location frequented by humans obviously they either have to be eliminated or relocated. The most frequent snakes we see in my location are cotton mouths and copperheads. I would hope people would learn to identify snakes and not live by the only good snake is a dead snake credo. Thanks for posting the useful tool that might help educate folks. Glade yours wasn't dangerous.
In this photo you can plainly see the different shaped head and pupils.

Hm. I sent them this picture but I haven't gotten a reply back yet.

Rafe wrote: ↑Tue Oct 03, 2023 6:14 am Hm. I sent them this picture but I haven't gotten a reply back yet.

That's a 4 eyed pink mouth white snake. VERY venomous

There is a Facebook page (yeah, I know) called Texas Snake Identification. The admins are herpetologists and very knowledgeable about snakes in Texas. You post a picture along with the location and they usually reply within an hour.