^That rhyme is what I was taught when I was in boy scouts years ago and it's stuck with me due to being catchy and simple. Red on yellow--kill a fellow. Red on black--venom lack/friend of Jack.

Unfortunately it only helps ID the one you're least likely to find in this state.

6/7/2010 1:49:03 PM

ive been bit by a copperhead, and trust me, it isnt something i would like to do again.

6/7/2010 2:12:33 PM

From what I've read, a coral snake bite isn't very painful. You just stop breathing in an hour or so.

6/7/2010 4:35:11 PM

you're not likely to be bitten (and pumped with poison) by a coral snake as they're rear fanged snakes. They have to "chew" to get the venom in their prey. so if one just strikes you quick...you're prob ok.

Hopefully....

6/7/2010 4:49:07 PM

Quote :

"^2 after reading that thread, I have determined you sir, are a moron"

[Edited on June 7, 2010 at 5:20 PM. Reason : ]

6/7/2010 5:12:53 PM

^^ wrong, corals are proteroglyphous elapids

6/7/2010 6:36:37 PM

^That's true. Here's some more on snake fangs for anyone interested.

Coral snakes have fixed, albeit small, fangs located in the front of the mouth. These are much different to viper fangs which are not fixed, they are hinged, meaning they can tuck in the roof of the snake's mouth or be projected out the front to strike, or any angle in between.

The third type are rear-fanged snakes, which are called opisthoglyphous. Local examples include hognose snakes and worm snakes. These type of snakes are rarely dangerous, with only two documented exceptions, the African Twig Snake and the African Boomslang, both having caused fatalities. When I was in Costa Rica the locals told me to watch out for parrot snakes saying that they could put a hurtin on ya on given the odd chance that you could get bitten by one.

The fourth type of snake fangs are located in a few special African snakes, and they are called burrowing asps, stiletto snakes, or side-stabbing snakes. They do not have to open their mouths to strike. Instead, they can stick their fangs (or only one fang, hence the name 'stiletto snake') out the side of their mouths. This is an adaptation to their burrowing lifestyle. The snakes can enter a burrow chasing after prey and easily envenomate their dinner from a number of different angles without ever opening the mouth (which would hinder the pursuit).

6/7/2010 11:22:52 PM

anybody ever catch a pine snake in the wild? rarest NC snake i've ever caught was a rainbow snake.

PS - never caught a mud snake either...though i've seen 1 or 2 dead

6/8/2010 11:27:27 AM

Northern Water Snake?

[Edited on June 8, 2010 at 12:00 PM. Reason : a]

6/8/2010 12:00:20 PM

^^ yes, i've caught pines down on bragg and the gamelands.

6/8/2010 3:29:01 PM

a cottonmouth struck at my brother this afternoon. he was walking on top of the dam at my parents' pond and stepped over it w/o seeing it. it was in a recessed kind of hole thing. it scared the hell out of him. he ran back up to the house, got his shotgun, and killed it dead. he called me and he sounded soooo freaked out lol

he took these w/ his phone




[Edited on June 8, 2010 at 3:57 PM. Reason : ]

6/8/2010 3:53:27 PM

in other news.....

http://wral.com/boy-dies-from-being-bitten-by-cottonmouth/stupidmotherfucker

6/8/2010 3:58:37 PM

i guess i'm slow...i don't understand your point.

6/8/2010 4:06:30 PM

Seems like a lot of you know quite a bit about snakes on here. I have a question for you. I have heard that Poisonous snakes don't always inject venom when they strike ( I heard this about rattlesnakes in particular). Is there any truth to this.

6/12/2010 8:19:06 PM

Yea, it's called a dry bite. It's estimated that approximately 25% of venomous bites are dry bites.

6/12/2010 9:23:15 PM

you're right, snakes are driven by their id


in fact, I don't think they even have egos, and certainly not superegos

6/13/2010 9:46:22 AM

Quote :

"a cottonmouth struck at my brother this afternoon. he was walking on top of the dam at my parents' pond and stepped over it w/o seeing it. it was in a recessed kind of hole thing. it scared the hell out of him. he ran back up to the house, got his shotgun, and killed it dead. he called me and he sounded soooo freaked out lol"

Location? County?

BTW, while the Coral Snake's venom is very powerful and a bite from one is serious, fatalities are extremely rare from this species mostly due to it's diminutive size, lack of aggression, and relatively low venom yield. The venom delivery system is also less efficient than a pit viper's, dramatically lessening the chance you'll get a large dose.
In most cases a Cottonmouth or Timber Rattler is much more dangerous than a Coral.

[Edited on June 14, 2010 at 11:44 AM. Reason : ,]

6/14/2010 11:40:16 AM

Quote :

"a cottonmouth struck at my brother this afternoon. he was walking on top of the dam at my parents' pond and stepped over it w/o seeing it. it was in a recessed kind of hole thing. it scared the hell out of him. he ran back up to the house, got his shotgun, and killed it dead. he called me and he sounded soooo freaked out lol"

Good thing he went back and killed it in its natural environment! B/c, ya know...otherwise it might have followed him to the house and snuck in at night and killed him

6/14/2010 11:56:19 AM

^FTW

6/14/2010 12:04:37 PM

^^ Pretty sure they're in Nash County...Rocky Mount area. I know se7entythree is at least. I've spotted a handful of Water Moccasins down there. Mostly on the tar river, but it seems like they're more prevalent the further east you go.

[Edited on June 14, 2010 at 4:48 PM. Reason : l]

6/14/2010 4:48:22 PM

any idea?

http://i.imgur.com/lYIGrmT.jpg

5/11/2015 11:10:41 AM

I'm guessing rat snake

5/11/2015 11:14:46 AM

I SAY YOU HE DEAD

5/12/2015 8:06:17 AM

Definitely a dead juvenile rat snake. Pantherophis alleghaniensis.

5/15/2015 9:36:14 PM

https://goo.gl/photos/kdSZpy7hCFPF1z1NA

how bout this one from Wilmington?

[Edited on June 1, 2015 at 7:57 PM. Reason : vadf]

6/1/2015 7:56:58 PM

or this one?

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t1.0-9/10997039_583339108436068_679760098811792575_n.jpg?oh=878a59641fd3a7bbed93e526f3d0933b&oe=56300C24

6/13/2015 4:26:12 PM

it kind of looks like a timber rattler, but for some reason I can't make out the features on his head.

6/15/2015 2:12:34 PM

I think the first one is a striped garter and the second one is an eastern hognose.

6/15/2015 5:53:32 PM

come on, upside down, i need answers

6/16/2015 6:21:20 PM

NRR, 1st photo = Greenish Rat Snake (or Eastern Rat Snake depending on if you accept the new taxonomy).
2nd photo= Brown Water Snake

6/16/2015 7:32:02 PM

thanks, b.

6/16/2015 8:01:45 PM

Adrian, you can't steal my thunder. This is my domain.

But yea, he's right. The coastal rat snakes have an olive base coloration. Adults are striped, whereas juveniles are striped with blotches. As you move inland, the base color gets darker/uglier, and the juvenile patterning stays present into adulthood. Eventually, as you move further westward, they transition into the completely black phase (black rat snakes).

6/17/2015 7:47:10 AM