Help me identify snake - North of Houston, Texas

[aja8888]

I'm sure this is a common garden variety snake but with the strange markings, I can't identify it. The little guy is about 2.5 feet long, has a small head, and is grey/black in color. He is also living in my in-ground sprinkler zone valve cavity.

I bumped into him when I was weed-wacking the area Saturday and he jumped up then dove back through the one inch diameter hole in the green zone valve cover.

Today he is sun bathing and waiting for a tasty morsel to come by. I didn't want to disturb him when I took the picture so I stayed several feet away and enlarged the photo.

 

[audreyh1]

Can’t help you. That doesn’t look like a pattern. Is he getting ready to molt?

 

[aja8888]

Can’t help you. That doesn’t look like a pattern. Is he getting ready to molt?

Well, that's a good question and I don't know. I guess I'll just wait and see. He seems comfortable being in that area so my guess is that he will stay. If I can get a better look at him and use my "real" camera, maybe I can get a clearer picture over the next day or so.

We do have all kinds of snakes around here and I have seen copperheads, corals, and king snakes in the neighborhood.

 

[REWahoo]

Looks like a recently molted spotted cobra-mamba. They can be very aggressive in the early Spring.

 

[aja8888]

Looks like a recently molted spotted cobra-mamba. They can be very aggressive in the early Spring.

I though a Cobra Mamba was a toy attack helicopter?

Oh, you mean the snake. OK, I'll be careful. But he needs a tree, which I have none in the back '40 at the moment as I cut them all down.

 

[Dash man]

Looks like a Buttermilk Racer to me, but not sure.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7188/6890986460_33a32d2460_z.jpg

Non venomous, nervous, quick and in your part of the country.

 

[MichaelB]

Looks like DD’s ex.

 

[aja8888]

Looks like a Buttermilk Racer to me, but not sure.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7188/6890986460_33a32d2460_z.jpg

Non venomous, nervous, quick and in your part of the country.

Dash, that's him!

According to the write up him, he can grow to 60". This one has a ways to go then.

Thanks.

 

[aja8888]

Looks like DD’s ex.

 

[audreyh1]

I mean, assuming it has a solid color, it could be a rat snake or an indigo snake or other. Hard to tell with your photo. Is it big and long?

I’ve never seen a buttermilk racer and had to look it up - that’s a very cool looking snake.

 

[Ronstar]

It is for sure not a western diamondback rattlesnake.

 

[Graybeard]

In the US all venomous snakes have a triangular head except for the Coral Snake. Do not step on snek.

 

[Philliefan33]

I tell people on my bike trips: If you see a wiggly stick on the trail, that’s not a stick. It’s a danger noodle.

 

[aja8888]

I mean, assuming it has a solid color, it could be a rat snake or an indigo snake or other. Hard to tell with your photo. Is it big and long?

I’ve never seen a buttermilk racer and had to look it up - that’s a very cool looking snake.

Looking closely at it in person, it's clearly a Buttermilk Racer, but a young one. It's about 2 - 2.5 feet long.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Looks like a Buttermilk Racer to me, but not sure.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7188/6890986460_33a32d2460_z.jpg

Non venomous, nervous, quick and in your part of the country.

Using the built-in Google Lens feature, my Pixel 5a phone also identifies it as a buttermilk racer snake.

https://www.naherp.com/photo.php?v_id=390690

 

[aja8888]

Using the built-in Google Lens feature, my Pixel 5a phone also identifies it as a buttermilk racer snake.

https://www.naherp.com/photo.php?v_id=390690

Very cool! I didn't know about the Google Lens feature. Thanks!

 

[aja8888]

It is for sure not a western diamondback rattlesnake.

Yes, that's a good thing. We do have plenty of rattlers around here though.

 

[old medic]

A Rattle Headed Copper Moccasin?
but seriously I think Dash nailed it.

 

[Ronstar]

Yes, that's a good thing. We do have plenty of rattlers around here though.

You should be ok. I heard that the most attacked demographic is 18-34 males where alcohol is involved.

 

[pjigar]

It is a buttermilk racer. Harmless.

 

[Walt34]

You should be ok. I heard that the most attacked demographic is 18-34 males where alcohol is involved.

And that's usually accompanied by the sentence "Hold my beer and watch this!"