Eastern Snakes Forum: Re: ID Brown Snake

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To ask a question about a snake, don't reply to this post, go to the forum home page and start a new post. Your question will get a lot more exposure. Please give us an idea of where you live, as reptiles can often be identified only by locality!

Please do not place messages about killing a snake, and asking what kind it is you have killed! That is like going onto a message board about dogs and telling about torturing one to death, and asking what kind of breed it was. You will likely get "flamed", and likely by the forum owner, depending on his mood that day.

A note about head shape in snakes: Head shape is a totally useless character for identifying a snake, and has nothing to do with whether the serpent is or is not venomous (poisonous). Many harmless snakes, especially when young, have rather large heads. Please describe color, pattern, markings, and habitat where the snake was found. The shape of the head will not help us in any way. Thank you. Please post comments on THIS ARTICLE ONLY! To ask a question go here: Home

Re: ID Brown Snake

Posted by Alex, forum owner on May 14, 2011, 3:58 pm, in reply to "ID Brown Snake"

Hi Dick;
It is most likely a Northern Water Snake; their pattern will be obscured in a large adult that is dry; the pattern will be bright on a youngster, especially one that is wet.

I thought at first that it was a Plainbelly Water Snake, which is plain brown above, but looking at the photos closely shows a hint of pattern. If you go to Northern Water Snake, Davidson College and look at the photo on the left, (shown here also), you will see a snake very like yours.

--Previous Message--
: I saw and photographed a brown snake
: about 2-2.5 feet in lenght at Hughes
: Hollow in Potomac MD this morning. I
: cannot identify the snake. I am hoping
: one of you can.
:
: Photos can be seen at
: http://www.advdelphisys.com/Photos/FloraNFauna/20110508_Snake/
: .
:
: Thank you.
:
: Dick Maley
:

Message Thread

ID Brown Snake - Dick Maley May 8, 2011, 12:09 pm

Re: ID Brown Snake - Alex, forum owner May 14, 2011, 3:58 pm

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[quote] Hi Dick; It is most likely a Northern Water Snake; their pattern will be obscured in a large adult that is dry; the pattern will be bright on a youngster, especially one that is wet. I thought at first that it was a Plainbelly Water Snake, which is plain brown above, but looking at the photos closely shows a hint of pattern. If you go to Northern Water Snake, Davidson College and look at the photo on the left, (shown here also), you will see a snake very like yours. --Previous Message-- : I saw and photographed a brown snake : about 2-2.5 feet in lenght at Hughes : Hollow in Potomac MD this morning. I : cannot identify the snake. I am hoping : one of you can. : : Photos can be seen at : http://www.advdelphisys.com/Photos/FloraNFauna/20110508_Snake/ : . : : Thank you. : : Dick Maley : [/quote]

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