I let this little critter go in the yard so he could go eat mice and insects. Brown snake also known as a rat snake, they love to swim. I noticed him as I was midway in during a dive on the pool surface!
Found a swimming partner this evening
- Thread starter Lykly
- Start date
- May 23, 2015
- 25,786
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Put him in the smoker!! Tastes like chicken.
I have a butcher shop near me that sells standard and "exotic" meat. You can get rattlesnake from them as well as all sorts of other interesting selections from the animal kingdom...
I have a butcher shop near me that sells standard and "exotic" meat. You can get rattlesnake from them as well as all sorts of other interesting selections from the animal kingdom...
I had one in my skimmer just like that last year. Didn't save it in time. 
Now noticing a snake mid-dive must have been a true "pucker" experience!
Now noticing a snake mid-dive must have been a true "pucker" experience!
I have to tell you, it truly was.... I caught it in the corner of my eye and swam to directly to the stairs...out and got the net!! Not so sure about smoking the thing, I think I'll stick to beef pork fish and poultry.
- Apr 23, 2017
- 2,400
- Pool Size
- 22000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Pretty sure it is a brown / rat snake. The snake was about 12 inches long and the diameter of a pencil. A pit viper (or water moccasin) at a young-age has bands across his body and their eyes are not oval. I admit the head looks triangular in one of those pictures, but in other pictures are taken not so much, as you can see in the article they can make their head look triangular when stressed. The body markings at a young age make me confident this is not a viper snake. At least I hope not...... I will attach another picture from a different angle or the head and not look quite so triangular. You'll notice there are also no bands across the body which would be present on a young pit viper.
"Water moccasins are often confused with nonvenomous snakes, leading to the death of many harmless snakes. According to the Virginia Herpetological Society, one such species is the northern water snake (Nerodia sipedon). It looks similar, but the crossbands on the back of the snake do not widen at the ends. Another snake often mistaken for the cottonmouth is the nonvenomous brown water snake (Nerodia taxispilota)
Viernum offered advice on how to tell the types of snakes apart: "Nonvenomous water snakes have round pupils, whereas cottonmouths have vertical, catlike pupils. Cottonmouths also have a triangular head, and nonvenomous snakes have a more slender, elliptical head shape," she said. But these snakes can be tricky, and the head shape bears a second look because "most nonvenomous snakes can flatten out their head, which causes them to take on a more triangular appearance."
The head in that last picture doesn't look so much like a viper. Most if not all US venomous snakes are pit vipers. Copperheads, rattlesnakes and cottonmouths are. I don't know western snakes, but if I saw that head on a snake I would be very careful.
I agree, after your comment I went back and looked closer and did a lot of reading. If it were not for body marks on a young snake I would've regretted letting that snake go. You are correct about that triangular head, I think it was more of the picture though to be honest. You definitely got me thinking and I will be paying more attention. Thanks
Looks like a checkered gartersnake. But I'm a wuss, all snakes are deadly as far as I'm concerned.
- May 23, 2015
- 25,786
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I go straight for the 410, because in my mind, all snakes can jump at least 20 feet and kill you. And I'm cringing at the thought of having to post a thread "Any suggestions? I just filled my pool with buckshot...and the pool store suggested a sequestrant. Should I SLAM first?"
- May 23, 2015
- 25,786
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Easy-peasy....salt-shot! Stun the snake and add some extra salt for the SWG [emoji6]
Genius!!!!! Starting a "In case of reptilian emergency" thread ASAP
Coral Snake is the exception save some rear fanged species like the Dusty Hog Nose, which aren't considered a threat unless you're a mouse, or a Lizard.
Or you can simply pick it up by the tail ..... carry it to your neighbors yard and throw it over the fence!! LOL
I noticed that you are in Oklahoma City. If this is where the pic was taken, then the snake is a Dekays Brown Snake. Not a rat snake, and definitely not a pit viper of any kind.
A lot of snakes that are completely harmless have triangle heads. This is a poor way to tell a venemous snake from a non venomous snake. Also, snakes eyes dialate just like ours, so pupil shape is also a poor way to tell the difference.
For those in Texas, Oklahoma or Louisiana you can check out a FB page called "what kind of snake is this? north Texas".
Bryan
A lot of snakes that are completely harmless have triangle heads. This is a poor way to tell a venemous snake from a non venomous snake. Also, snakes eyes dialate just like ours, so pupil shape is also a poor way to tell the difference.
For those in Texas, Oklahoma or Louisiana you can check out a FB page called "what kind of snake is this? north Texas".
Bryan
