I could use some assistance on identifying a snake in SW Florida. It is about 4 foot long and was fat and kinda stubby. 1 pic is with my 11" flip flop to give you a size perspective. Looking into it's mouth I found that it did have some fangs but they were near the edge of mouth and short (maybe 1/8" long). Orange and black bands. See pics...

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Frank
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Florida Kingsnake

Like GS said.

Plus it's got a meal or two in it's belly.

B

Too bad it's dead they kill the bad snakes.

It looks more like a water snake to this amachoor.

If you still have the chance, please flip it over and take a picture of the belly.

awww why did you kill it

Yeah, I thought it looked like Nerodia at first but it doesn't appear to have that trapezoidal cross-section. Then following the link that GS gave pretty well cinched it.

First of all, I hope you didn't kill it on purpose.

The description and pics provided point to the Kingsnake. There are other key factors that should be taken in as clues to the positive ID of the snake. You need a more accurate description in text on the following:

Underbelly coloration but more important, pattern.
Look closely at the scales, are they keeled or smooth.
(Keeled scales have a tiny line running down the middle)
Scale pattern on the head or anal scales.

Never trust coloration 100% as ID. Too many variations in the animal kingdom.

These will bring you to a more accurate ID. Although, it may be a Kingsnake after all.

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Enlighten a self-proclaimed amateur - what's the "trapezoidal cross-section" business?

I just don't see any particular resemblance between the snake in the opening post and the pictures in GS's link.

I'm not trying to initiate any conflict here, just trying to understand the critters in my neighborhood better!

I agree with Eskimo. I'm not trying to say you guys don't know what you're talking about. After all, it seems that the consensus seems to be KINGSNAKE.

When I looked at the pics in the GS link, the black and orange bands on the link appear alot thinner than the snake in question.

BTW, I didnt kill it. the neighbor was bitten by a snake once and doesn't take any chances anymore.

There are a coupla' pics on this link that look alot closer to my snake pic.

http://www.southalley.com/fasciata.html

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Frank
84 500SEL EURO 101K ( JUST LIKE MY 1ST WIFE. GLAD TO GET RID OF HER! )
85 300D 310K (sold)
90 350SDL 184K sold
83 300D 118K (sold)
88 300E 153k (sold)
93 400E 105K (sold)

Pretty sure that's a Banded Watersnake,,,,, fairly common along the rivers here.

Notice that if we were to cut the "kingsnake" in cross section (making a disk) it would appear more rounded than the picture provided of a banded watersnake that Juck uploaded.

Water in my area is so ****** murky from sediment and algae that the only time I see patterns on watersnakes is after they've shed.

The request for a description of the belly is definitive for watersnakes, IMO. I haven't hung out with herps in a long time but IIRC, counting rostrum scales is usually for species delineation with a genus.....Right?

Not sure about that, which I why I'm a self-proclaimed botanist. I can count petals and stamens like nobody's business.

B

PS If you cut that sucker's belly open and fish fall out, you have a watersnake. If snakes or lizards fall out, you have a kingsnakes.

Boy-o! The head is nearly identical to the (formerly) presumed kingsnike!

It just pisses me off that someone killed it. I hope it was not you..

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He already said he didn't kill it.

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