Comments on: Snake Identification

By: Toni Flaherty

Toni Flaherty — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:02:36 +0000

My brother told me the way to tell a venomous snake from a nonveomous is: If it has a neck it’s venomous and no-neck means nonvenomous. Is this correct? Thanks. (By the way, your site is great!)

By: jcbiggar1

jcbiggar1 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:39:44 +0000

Hey Mary, the small snakes are always hard to identify. I don’t think I can without a picture of the snake. The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake doesn’t live in Pennsylvania, so you don’t have to worry about that. The venomous snakes in Pennsylvania are the Massasauga Rattlesnake, Timber Rattlesnake, and the Copperhead. I don’t think any of these really fit your description of the snake. Still be careful. Even the bite from a non-venomous snake is dangerous.

By: Mary

Mary — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:34:58 +0000

I hope you can help me . I found a baby snake in my garden in mid June . It was only about 14 inches long , small head , redish brown color and the markings resemble a eastern diamond back . I live in Pennsylvania and I don’t know if they would be around here. I’m concerned about my kids and dogs being in the garden with me now. What do you think it might be?

By: Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:18:39 +0000

Awesome website! Nice work!

By: jcbiggar1

jcbiggar1 — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:01:00 +0000

Laura, There are 19 non-venomous snakes, and 3 venomous in Pennsylvania. The ones that kinda fit your description… Green/Brown w/Black Marking…. are listed below. Of course since I don’t have any pictures I can’t be sure of what snake it was, or if any of the snakes I have listed below are them. The First three snakes listed, are normally a plain light green color or greenish brown color, but occasionally have dark colored markings on them. The last snake listed is normally has a greyish color w/ black markings, but some times will have a greenish brown tent to it.

Smooth Greensnake (Opheodrys vernalis) – Non-Venomous
Eastern Smooth Earthsnake (Virginia valeriae) – Non-Venomous
Northern Rough Greensnake (Opheodrys aestivus) – Non-Venomous

Eastern Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus) – Venomous

By: jcbiggar1

jcbiggar1 — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:10:30 +0000

Jen, I can’t be sure of the snake you described because I do not have a picture of it, but the snake you described sounds like a Banded Water Snake. These snakes are non-venomous, and of course, found near water. Again, this may not be the snake it was. Wish I could of helped more. Thanks for your time!

By: jcbiggar1

jcbiggar1 — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:59:17 +0000

Here is an image attachment of a Yellow Belly
Water Snake (Nerodia erythrogaster). Could this be what she saw?

http://sensationalserpents.com/?attachment_id=735 †

By: jeff holland

jeff holland — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:13:20 +0000

A snake came through my yard. my wife saw it I didnt. she said is was about 3 feet black with bright yellow belly almost flourent in color. Any idea what it was?

By: Laura Scudde

Laura Scudde — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:02:05 +0000

I was moving a pile of bricks and discovered a small (8″long) black snake with a single narrow orange ring around its “neck.”

By: jen

jen — Wed, 07 May 2008 01:41:44 +0000

I found a red snake with black stripes around it in our lake. What does this sound like and should we be concerned.