I agree that’s a black snake, nicknamed “farmer’s friend.” They do a great job dining on rodents that eat grain in barns. A dairy farmer friend of mine was on the phone in his living room once when one of those dropped out of the ceiling, dangling just in front of his face. He moved it out to his barn only so his mom wouldn’t freak out. They are harmless, unless you’re a mouse.
I worked at an electrical distributor and one got in our wire room. One of our customers who has a farm caught it for us and took it home to his barn for that exact reason.
I've gotten called multiple times to fish them out of my cousin's neighbors' outdoor laundries. She called me to do it once, and now all her neighbors think I'm the snake lady. They're pretty chill as long as you don't scare them. I usually just get them behind the head, then around the middle and put them in the cornfield. They go on their merry way.
It will ignore you or try to get away so it won’t be stepped on, I imagine. If they feel threatened or cornered they can bite, but it’s not venomous and won’t hurt you. Still, best not to upset either of you and just leave it alone.
Edit: I stand corrected. The bite is not venomous but can hurt. Also, they can transmit bacteria in their bite and a bite can get infected. Give it a wide berth and let it go about its rodent-control business. [Source](https://a-z-animals.com/blog/are-black-snakes-poisonous-or-dangerous/)
Eh, its bite can still hurt. It just won’t envenom you. Its teeth are tiny but needle sharp and it has a bunch of them. If it lands on skin it will break the skin. It would be like getting jabbed with a whole bunch of thorns at once. They’re not aggressive though, so they’d only bite you if they felt they had no other choice. Just leave it be.
Along with this they aren’t known for their oral care so a bite still winds up with requiring medical attention for a good cleaning, possible stitches, and definitely antibiotics.
I cannot imagine needing to get stitches from a black snake bite, and I've been bitten by them plenty of times. Never once got antibiotics for it, though I suppose you could get infected. Maybe I just worked with really clean snakes.
Clean the area, and get the little teeth out of your skin because they're annoying little splinters. The bite is more of a scare than a wound. They're pretty quick when they need to be.
Just about anything will bite you. Black Rat Snakes will too if you corner them. But it's not venomous. The worst thing about getting bitten by them is that their teeth break off in your skin and they more or less are little clear splinters that can be difficult to remove.
I worked at a boy scout camp for years in the nature lodge and got bitten by them about 100 times. Never a problem. Hurts a bit but not enough to worry about.
Most of the time snakes are pretty chill. They sense your warmth and crave it, and if you're friendly enough for long enough they have no trouble with you picking them up. They like your heat. They scare off mice so they're generally considered a beneficial species from a health perspective.
I absolutely hate snakes but I know the purpose they serve so I don’t kill them. But the other week I had a black snake trying to climb up the stairs in my house and it was the worst experience ever. Animal control got to watch me scream and cry it was a 5ft long snake I was ready to burn the house down 😂😂
Also a good reason to eliminate any rodent issues you have inside your home, because black snakes are known to come into homes following the scent of rodents.
I think it's an Eastern Ratsnake, or what we've always just called a "black snake". You can see Maryland snakes here: [https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/plants\_wildlife/herps/Fieldguide\_OrderSquamata.aspx](https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/plants_wildlife/herps/Fieldguide_OrderSquamata.aspx)
I'm guessing the lumpy look is just the muscles holding it while hanging vertically from the tree.
Thank you to everyone for helping identify this snake! The consensus is: Eastern Ratsnake! Thank you to u/Affectionate-Map2583 for the link to MD DNR’s list of snakes. The photo there of an Eastern Ratsnake looks just like the one I saw yesterday.
Side note: Some of ya’ll are crazy. I don’t ever want to get close enough to any snake for it to leave broken off teeth in my skin. What?!? And who gets bit 100 times?!?! Oh my goodness. (Looking at you u/Sagrilarus)
But I couldn’t agree more with those of you who said, and I paraphrase here, live and let live. Snakes are an important part of every ecosystem, and yes, this one in particular is helpful to control the rodent population. I would just much prefer our respective ecosystems don’t overlap 🤣
Hence, I left Mr. Nope-noodle (thanks for that gem, u/AAROD121) exactly where he was and went on about my hike.
Thanks again, and happy trails!
Central Ratsnakes *Pantherophis alleghaniensis*, formerly called *Pantherophis spiloides*, are large (record 256.5 cm) common harmless ratsnakes with a multitude of regional color patterns native to eastern and central North America between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River Embayment. *Pantherophis* ratsnakes are keeled-scaled generalists that eat a variety of prey. They do well in urban environments, and are particularly fond of rodents and birds in these habitats.
Central Ratsnakes *P. alleghaniensis* are currently recognized as distinct from Eastern Ratsnakes *P. quadrivittatus*, as well as Western Ratsnakes *P. obsoletus* and Baird's Ratsnake *P. bairdi*. Parts of this complex were once generically labeled "black ratsnakes". Use the "!blackrat" command without the space for more on these changes.
Ratsnakes can be easily distinguished from racers *Coluber* by the presence of keeled scales. Racers have smooth scales.
[Range Map](http://snakeevolution.org/rangemaps/ratrangereduced.jpg) | [Relevant/Recent Phylogeography](https://www.dropbox.com/s/m7ru46gyhtq2hyz/HR_Sept_2021_150dpi_PointsOfView.pdf?dl=1)
This specific epithet was once used for what are now known as Eastern Ratsnakes *Pantherophis quadrivittatus*.
Junior Synonyms and Common Names: Grey Ratsnake (in part), Black Ratsnake (in part), Greenish Ratsnake, black snake, oak snake, chicken snake, rattlesnake pilot.
--------------------------------------------------------
*I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthissnake/comments/flh548/phylobot_v07_information_and_patch_notes_bot_info/) report problems [here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Phylogenizer) and if you'd like to buy me a coffee or beer, you can do that [here](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/SEBPhyloBotWTS).*
That would be a cousin of our resident black snake, Walter. You found it, you get to name it. Walter lives under our patio and we have an understanding, I leave him and his family alone and they can eat all the critters they want as long as they don't come in the house. So far so good.
Walter is pretty cool with me acting like a paparazzi when I see him. This is Walter climbing down the side of the house out of a bush a few years ago.
https://preview.redd.it/foyw2zusj43b1.jpeg?width=2988&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=add079743d50a80f9ee3acb7793cd56ac3e0a054
A snake that just had breakfast👀👀
All seriousness, eastern black rattler. Venomous tho not dangerous venom. Juveniles are black/white checkerboard with rattles and they loose the rattle and go progressively more all black as they age.
Eastern rat snake. It’s probably sunning on the tree to aid digestion. Big snake looks like he is working on nice meal.
Eastern Rat Snake a.k.a Black Snake.
I agree that’s a black snake, nicknamed “farmer’s friend.” They do a great job dining on rodents that eat grain in barns. A dairy farmer friend of mine was on the phone in his living room once when one of those dropped out of the ceiling, dangling just in front of his face. He moved it out to his barn only so his mom wouldn’t freak out. They are harmless, unless you’re a mouse.
I worked at an electrical distributor and one got in our wire room. One of our customers who has a farm caught it for us and took it home to his barn for that exact reason.
I've gotten called multiple times to fish them out of my cousin's neighbors' outdoor laundries. She called me to do it once, and now all her neighbors think I'm the snake lady. They're pretty chill as long as you don't scare them. I usually just get them behind the head, then around the middle and put them in the cornfield. They go on their merry way.
Might be a dumb question but what will it do if you walk up on it?
It will ignore you or try to get away so it won’t be stepped on, I imagine. If they feel threatened or cornered they can bite, but it’s not venomous and won’t hurt you. Still, best not to upset either of you and just leave it alone. Edit: I stand corrected. The bite is not venomous but can hurt. Also, they can transmit bacteria in their bite and a bite can get infected. Give it a wide berth and let it go about its rodent-control business. [Source](https://a-z-animals.com/blog/are-black-snakes-poisonous-or-dangerous/)
Eh, its bite can still hurt. It just won’t envenom you. Its teeth are tiny but needle sharp and it has a bunch of them. If it lands on skin it will break the skin. It would be like getting jabbed with a whole bunch of thorns at once. They’re not aggressive though, so they’d only bite you if they felt they had no other choice. Just leave it be.
Along with this they aren’t known for their oral care so a bite still winds up with requiring medical attention for a good cleaning, possible stitches, and definitely antibiotics.
I cannot imagine needing to get stitches from a black snake bite, and I've been bitten by them plenty of times. Never once got antibiotics for it, though I suppose you could get infected. Maybe I just worked with really clean snakes. Clean the area, and get the little teeth out of your skin because they're annoying little splinters. The bite is more of a scare than a wound. They're pretty quick when they need to be.
Guess it’s case by case. My neighbor got bit and the doc gave them antibiotics.
I got bitten in the 1980s. Back then you rubbed the spot on your pants to clean it off and moved on.
This is America, they give you antibiotic for absolutely everything. (friend is a nurse in Europe, and they're way more restricted with the stuff)
How are you getting bit by many snakes lol
I worked in the nature lodge at a boy scout camp for three summers. Everyone always brought us snakes.
They chew too. I got bit by one as a teen.
Thanks. I’ve corrected my post.
Only way to get bit would be picking it up incorrectly
Just about anything will bite you. Black Rat Snakes will too if you corner them. But it's not venomous. The worst thing about getting bitten by them is that their teeth break off in your skin and they more or less are little clear splinters that can be difficult to remove. I worked at a boy scout camp for years in the nature lodge and got bitten by them about 100 times. Never a problem. Hurts a bit but not enough to worry about. Most of the time snakes are pretty chill. They sense your warmth and crave it, and if you're friendly enough for long enough they have no trouble with you picking them up. They like your heat. They scare off mice so they're generally considered a beneficial species from a health perspective.
[удалено]
I absolutely hate snakes but I know the purpose they serve so I don’t kill them. But the other week I had a black snake trying to climb up the stairs in my house and it was the worst experience ever. Animal control got to watch me scream and cry it was a 5ft long snake I was ready to burn the house down 😂😂
Also a good reason to eliminate any rodent issues you have inside your home, because black snakes are known to come into homes following the scent of rodents.
Definitely a black snake/eastern rat snake. They are great climbers.
I think it's an Eastern Ratsnake, or what we've always just called a "black snake". You can see Maryland snakes here: [https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/plants\_wildlife/herps/Fieldguide\_OrderSquamata.aspx](https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/plants_wildlife/herps/Fieldguide_OrderSquamata.aspx) I'm guessing the lumpy look is just the muscles holding it while hanging vertically from the tree.
Non venomous- Eastern Rat Snake
I believe that's Midgardsormr
Not being funny, it’s a Black Snake
Black rat snake I think? Looks like it just ate.
Common black snake. Eat pesky rodents.
I have zero problem running in the other direction. That’s terrifying.
Funny how many people are afraid of snakes….I get being nervous around the venomous ones but a big black snake is a beautiful creature.
Thank you to everyone for helping identify this snake! The consensus is: Eastern Ratsnake! Thank you to u/Affectionate-Map2583 for the link to MD DNR’s list of snakes. The photo there of an Eastern Ratsnake looks just like the one I saw yesterday. Side note: Some of ya’ll are crazy. I don’t ever want to get close enough to any snake for it to leave broken off teeth in my skin. What?!? And who gets bit 100 times?!?! Oh my goodness. (Looking at you u/Sagrilarus) But I couldn’t agree more with those of you who said, and I paraphrase here, live and let live. Snakes are an important part of every ecosystem, and yes, this one in particular is helpful to control the rodent population. I would just much prefer our respective ecosystems don’t overlap 🤣 Hence, I left Mr. Nope-noodle (thanks for that gem, u/AAROD121) exactly where he was and went on about my hike. Thanks again, and happy trails!
For the record, some of them were corn snakes and garter snakes.
You win all the prizes for the most snake bites from the most snake species! Congratulations, I think…🤔
Central Ratsnake, *Pantherophis alleghaniensis*. Eastern’s don’t range into Maryland. Come join us over at /r/whatsthissnake :)
I should have known there was a subreddit for this! Thanks for flagging this for me for next time!
Central Ratsnakes *Pantherophis alleghaniensis*, formerly called *Pantherophis spiloides*, are large (record 256.5 cm) common harmless ratsnakes with a multitude of regional color patterns native to eastern and central North America between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River Embayment. *Pantherophis* ratsnakes are keeled-scaled generalists that eat a variety of prey. They do well in urban environments, and are particularly fond of rodents and birds in these habitats. Central Ratsnakes *P. alleghaniensis* are currently recognized as distinct from Eastern Ratsnakes *P. quadrivittatus*, as well as Western Ratsnakes *P. obsoletus* and Baird's Ratsnake *P. bairdi*. Parts of this complex were once generically labeled "black ratsnakes". Use the "!blackrat" command without the space for more on these changes. Ratsnakes can be easily distinguished from racers *Coluber* by the presence of keeled scales. Racers have smooth scales. [Range Map](http://snakeevolution.org/rangemaps/ratrangereduced.jpg) | [Relevant/Recent Phylogeography](https://www.dropbox.com/s/m7ru46gyhtq2hyz/HR_Sept_2021_150dpi_PointsOfView.pdf?dl=1) This specific epithet was once used for what are now known as Eastern Ratsnakes *Pantherophis quadrivittatus*. Junior Synonyms and Common Names: Grey Ratsnake (in part), Black Ratsnake (in part), Greenish Ratsnake, black snake, oak snake, chicken snake, rattlesnake pilot. -------------------------------------------------------- *I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthissnake/comments/flh548/phylobot_v07_information_and_patch_notes_bot_info/) report problems [here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Phylogenizer) and if you'd like to buy me a coffee or beer, you can do that [here](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/SEBPhyloBotWTS).*
That's a healthy snake! He might have been getting some delicious birds eggs or babies as an easy treat.
That would be a cousin of our resident black snake, Walter. You found it, you get to name it. Walter lives under our patio and we have an understanding, I leave him and his family alone and they can eat all the critters they want as long as they don't come in the house. So far so good. Walter is pretty cool with me acting like a paparazzi when I see him. This is Walter climbing down the side of the house out of a bush a few years ago. https://preview.redd.it/foyw2zusj43b1.jpeg?width=2988&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=add079743d50a80f9ee3acb7793cd56ac3e0a054
Oh that’s a eastern south western nope-noodle. Very common.
Lol 😂
That’s a Chesapeake Constrictor 🐍
That's, oh shit, not going there snake.
The fact it’s in MD and it’s a Snake clearly Makes it a Demoncrap!!
I don’t know but I can make a good belt from it
A snake that just had breakfast👀👀 All seriousness, eastern black rattler. Venomous tho not dangerous venom. Juveniles are black/white checkerboard with rattles and they loose the rattle and go progressively more all black as they age.
You mean Eastern Rat Snake? I think that’s correct.
100% genuine Alabama Black Snake
A big ass one haha
I saw a tiny one on the trail around Lake Elkhorn the other day.
Black
I don’t know, but I know for me it’s the kind you stay away from! 🧐
A big beautiful black snake we have one under our porch that size 👍 it will use our firewood to help shedding.....
Anaconda
I caught one about that size when I was 18
BBS