What snake is this?

[Sunnyfalls]

Gayle says your photo may be off color and is blurry... Does it have Black bands with a White back and Red or Orange sides along with an upward hooked nose scale? If so, she thinks it may be the rare non-venomous Thornscrub Hook-Nosed Snake.

Gayle & Bob
"Los Gatos Casita"

 

[jymbee]

I made sure that this one would be very difficult (or impossible) to look up on the web before I posted it.

About this time tomorrow, I will explain what it is and why nobody here could figure it out--if nobody does by then.

-Don- Auburn, CA

Ok here is what ChatGPT says about your challenge:

The Scarlet Kingsnake is often confused with the Eastern Coral Snake due to their similar coloration. Both snakes have red, black, and yellow (or white) bands, but their patterns differ. A common rhyme used to distinguish them is:

• Scarlet Kingsnake: "Red touches black, friend of Jack."
• Eastern Coral Snake: "Red touches yellow, kills a fellow."

This rhyme refers to the order of the colored bands, where the Scarlet Kingsnake has red bands touching black bands, while the venomous Eastern Coral Snake has red bands touching yellow bands.

 

[DonTom]

• Scarlet Kingsnake: "Red touches black, friend of Jack."
• Eastern Coral Snake: "Red touches yellow, kills a fellow."

It's neither of those. And neither of those are native to AZ, where this one was found.

The oldest version I recall is "Red to Black means venom Lack" "Red to Yellow will kill a fellow."

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[DonTom]

she thinks it may be the rare non-venomous Thornscrub Hook-Nosed Snake.

Nope. That is not it.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Tulecreeper]

This is a native snake to southern AZ. This species is found from around Kingman south.

If you saw one, would you know what it is?

Would you think it is venomous or not?

This is a tough one to ID, IMO. This one was found in SE AZ.

@Tulecreeper what would your guess be if you saw this one?

This photo I took today, but from a book on herpetology (I have never seen one):

View attachment 175588
-Don- Auburn, CA

If I had to take a stab, I'd say a Western Groundsnake with a non-typical pattern. But only because of the pink nose. If the nose were black, I'd call Sonoran Coral Snake - also with a non-typical pattern.

 

[DonTom]

If I had to take a stab, I'd say a Western Groundsnake with a non-typical pattern. But only because of the pink nose. If the nose were black, I'd call Sonoran Coral Snake - also with a non-typical pattern.

You were very close! If you said that in the opposite, I would owe you a steak instead of you owing me one.

The snake shown is an aberrant morph of a venomous Arizona Coral snake. The white head would throw many people off track.

The correct way to ID a snake is NOT always by what it looks like, yet a quick glance usually does work. This snake is the rare exception.

Count the scale rows, check the type of scales on the head, the anal plate being split or not split, the tail being double or single scaled, and if the eyes are vertical or round and other such stuff. This type of info. is in my field guides. Such as:

The problem is this stuff is rather diffiult to check on a venomous snake! But that is the only way to be sure.

The photo of that snake was from "A guide to the Rattlesnakes and other Venomous Serpents of the United States." By Brian Hubbs & Brendan O' Connor. Year 2012. Page 88.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[old RV guy]

Is it an Articulated Python, of the genus Montysubterra?

 

[DonTom]

BTW, the very best clue I gave was the range of the species, from Kingman south. That is the range of the AZ Coral Snake. But now I see it's more SE than south.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Tulecreeper]

BTW, the very best clue I gave was the range of the species, from Kingman south. That is the range of the AZ Coral Snake. But now I see it's more SE than south.

View attachment 175600

-Don- Auburn, CA

I genuinely flip-flopped back and forth in my mind several times which it was and only settled on the Groundsnake because of the nose.

 

[DonTom]

I genuinely flip-flopped back and forth in my mind several times which it was and only settled on the Groundsnake because of the nose.

Good, because I almost lost two steaks!

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Sunnyfalls]

"Reticulated" python...NOT articulated?

Here's a photo of the Thornscrub Hook-Nosed Snake.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Good, because I almost lost two steaks!

-Don- Auburn, CA

No, you made the bet, no me.

 

[DonTom]

No, you made the bet, no me.

I can say the same about your bet--the one you lost.

I gave you better than a chance to get even on this one, I gave you a chance to get ahead. And you almost did, it was a close one!

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Tulecreeper]

I can say the same about your bet--the one you lost.

I gave you better than a chance to get even on this one, I gave you a chance to get ahead. And you almost did, it was a close one!

-Don- Reno, NV

Oh, I agree I still owe you because I took your bet, but had I guessed this one correct you wouldn't have owed me anything because I didn't take you up on it.

And if your still looking for an RV park in this area there is one called Cotton Lane RV Park: Cotton Lane Resort - 55+ Resort Community in Goodyear, AZ

And this one: Home

@Jackiemac knows where other places in this area are.

 

[DonTom]

because I didn't take you up on it.

Likewise, I did not take you up on your bet!

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

And if your still looking for an RV park in this area

That is getting close to Phoenix. What is the traffic like out there?

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Tulecreeper]

Likewise, I did not take you up on your bet!

-Don- Reno, NV

True, but I made the bet and you proved me incorrect so as an honorable guy I have to pay up. Tis but a pittance.

 

[Tulecreeper]

That is getting close to Phoenix. What is the traffic like out there?

-Don- Reno, NV

Like all urban areas, it depends on the day of the week and the time of day. I would not be wanting to negotiate traffic, even without a MH, in that area between 0700 and 1000, nor between 1500 and 1900. Midday and evenings during the week aren't too bad; nor are weekend days unless you get right into the PHX area.

 

[DonTom]

True, but I made the bet and you proved me incorrect so as an honorable guy I have to pay up. Tis but a pittance.

Which also means if you reversed your guess, I would owe you a steak instead of you owing me one. For the same reasons.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

Here is another snake I bet nobody here can guess. Not even me by just looking.

It was found in AZ.

I would need to figure this one out by the type of head scales, scale count and stuff like that. I would be very surprised to find out it is a rather common snake, but this one with a very usual pattern.

Anybody want to guess?

-Don- Auburn, CA