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Re: OT, snake ID



LISA . . .

This, undoubtedly, was an aptly named Redbelly Snake (Storeria 
occipitomaculata), a close relative of the more commonly seen Dekay's 
or Brown Snake (S. dekayi). It occurs across the eastern U.S.

Despite the fears of your product manager, a Redbelly Snake couldn't 
bite you if it wanted to. (It will make short work of earthworms and 
slugs, however.)

The odor you smelled was a musk that many kinds of snakes produce, 
likely as a deterrent to predators.

Cheers,

BILL

**********

>Hi there,
>
>I'm sorry for this OT post, but I know there are some snake-saavy 
>people on the list. :-)
>
>This morning as I was crossing the parking lot from the office 
>mailbox, I saw what I thought was a piece of dark colored string on 
>the asphalt. As I got closer, I though it was a dead snake. Turned 
>out to be a live snake.
>
>He was very little, only about 8 inches, I'd say. he could fit 
>curled up in my palm. I of course had to bring him inside to show my 
>coworkers. They were less than impressed. I forget sometimes that 
>not everyone likes snakes as much as I do. Our product manager 
>wouldn't come out of the bathroom until I put the snake out. <g>
>
>Anyway, I have never seen such a snake before. He was dark grayish 
>black, with a kind of reddish mark just behind the head. But what 
>was most notable was his belly. It was bright orange-red, very 
>vibrant.
>
>He was very docile, happy to explore my hands and fingers with the 
>sweet little tonuge flicking in and out. Never showed any agression, 
>although he did make a funny smell when I first picked him up. Like 
>wet dog.
>
>He really was a cute little snake! Any ideas on his species?
>
>Lisa G.
>lisabirder@aol.com
>Cary, NC

-- 

P.S. The website for Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History 
now has a search engine that is accessible from the main Table of 
Contents page.


**********

BILL HILTON JR., "The Piedmont Naturalist"
Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History
1432 DeVinney Road
York, South Carolina 29745
USA

e-mail: <hilton@hiltonpond.org>

Voice: (803) 684-5852

eFax: (503) 218-0845

Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History is a 501(c)(3) 
non-profit research and education organization, so all in-kind or 
monetary gifts to Operation RubyThroat and the Center are 
tax-deductible. Please visit our websites:

Hilton Pond:  <http://www.hiltonpond.org>

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"Never trust a person too lazy to get up for sunrise or too busy to 
watch the sunset."

						BHjr.

**********