Thread: Strange Snake in my Yard

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I was in the kitchen when I noticed one of my dogs acting strange so I went out and saw this large snake. I took a couple of pics as I noticed it was flaring it's neck. I thought "what the hell?!" and went and got my gun. When I got back outside it then reared up and flared it's neck again!

I was then concerned that someone either let lose or had escaped a live cobra so I called 911 and told them this. They transferred me to animal control, and as I was telling them about this it began to twitch so I asked them if they would hold on a second... BANG BANG. I can only imagine what she thought. LOL

I told them my location and she said I was out of their jurisdiction but I could bring the snake in. When I arrived one of the officers came out and took a look and was very concerned. So she gloved up and took it inside. I followed her in and as she walked into the back I overheard her say to someone "it sure looks right".

Later she came back and said it was some kind of unusual green striped water moccasin. Now I've seen lots of snakes around here and can identify most. Heck I've had a boa and the kiddo had a pet corn snake I let lose next to an old barn when he got bored with it.

I also know some snakes will flatten themselves when threatened to look bigger, but I have NEVER seen one outside of a documentary on India rear up and flair it's neck like that. I've looked all over the web and cannot find anything on domestic snakes that look like this or describing it's behavior.

This is one of the pics I took as it flared on the ground. It was when I capped it's arse that it was raised and flaring it's neck.

What do y'all think?

Did you check the fangs?

OMG I think I would have had a stroke if I saw that in person!

I found this:
Moccasin heads are wide / triangular shaped and they have a distinct neck. The harmless water snake does not have an obvious neck and it's head is slender - elongated. BTW: It's not uncommon for the harmless water snake to flare his head when in danger so it sometimes appears to have a broad head.

http://www.arkieprince.com/snake/

http://www.redorbit.com/education/re...779/index.html

It looks an awful lot like the top pic.


AND here is a Hog Nose snake flaring:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vickisnature/2592144259/

More about the Western Hognose:
http://www.maybenow.com/Are-their-sn...Texas-q6865916
So that would be in the general area if they are in Texas, they'd be in Oklahoma.

I went to check on fangs later but the mouth was too gummed up from the blood letting and I couldn't make out much.

Frankie... yeah I saw that same pic in the second link, and thought it is similar in the color but it didn't have any kind of modeling even faintly. I agree the third link does show a similar flare but the coloring is wrong. And my first thought on it was maybe the hognose variety. But the animal control officer did say it was venimous being a moccasin so I would assume they found fangs, and had a pit? As where the hognose just has toxins in it's silava, and again the color is wrong.

I agree it does seem more probable that it was a hognose with some kind of color mutation or albinoism but for the officers claim (or my assumption of fangs).

But is makes a much better story being a cobra in my backyard.

It looks like the 3rd one to me, the Hognose. I wonder if it can change colors to match its surroundings? Wow, scary bastard though.

Lucky you, Yubney. I wish I had found a Cobra in my yard; been wanting one for years; hubby thinks it would kill me tho. Want a nice black one; gray stripes; love the sound of the rumble under their hood....... Oh wait, you're talking about snakes; i want the car. LOL

What a story and horrifying monster. Loved this part though:

"...and as I was telling them about this it began to twitch so I asked them if they would hold on a second... BANG BANG".

HA HA HA HA!

Jesus.

I need to change my drawers just having seen the picture of that thing...it may need to be triple-tapped with a rocket launcher or something.

Originally Posted by slaz

It looks like the 3rd one to me, the Hognose. I wonder if it can change colors to match its surroundings? Wow, scary bastard though.

I would agree except for the animal control officer claiming it was a water moccasin which would mean it had pitts and fangs that identify it as a poisonous snake variety.

Originally Posted by Terra

What a story and horrifying monster. Loved this part though:

"...and as I was telling them about this it began to twitch so I asked them if they would hold on a second... BANG BANG".

HA HA HA HA!

LOL yeah and I left out the hesitation the 911 dispatcher gave when I first told him "I think I may have just shot a live cobra in my back yard".

I may be under serveillance now. LOL