What kind of snake is this?

I was at a local park and saw this snake in a evergreen tree. Another park patron saw me snapping pics while the snake was in the tree, He reached up at got it down, and put it in my arms.So my husband snapped a pic of me holding it. Then we put it back in the tree. It never attempted to bite me! What the heck is it?

http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/a...1/IMG_1371.jpg

A nice big, black rat snake! Beautiful animal!

Thank you for your response! He was huge!

Definitely a gorgeous big one there :) It's always nice to see them big and healthy like that out in the wild.

Dang that is cool. We just have tiny garter snakes around here, (boo).

Very nice, they will get in the neighborhood of 7 feet and pretty good thickness. They are also the ''garbage pail'' of the snake world at least in NC they are. The 4 footer I just relocated accepted live and dead rodents while waiting to be released. Also had feathers in his stool. It is hilarious when they lip curl and open their mouth as wide as they can.

Black Mamba. It must have got loose from someones venomous collection. You're lucky to be alive.;):D

In all honesty, it's probably better to know what kind of snake you're handling before you handle it in the future. You just never know.:gj:

ps. Harmless Black Rat.

I thought Black Rat Snakes had white bellies? I have caught black snakes here, but they have clear white bellies, they are about 5 ft long and I used to see them near horse barns frequently. Any ideas if Black Rats cat have different colored bellies or if maybe I was seeing something different?

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Originally Posted by Brunoheart

I thought Black Rat Snakes had white bellies? I have caught black snakes here, but they have clear white bellies, they are about 5 ft long and I used to see them near horse barns frequently. Any ideas if Black Rats cat have different colored bellies or if maybe I was seeing something different?

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Yah know...you're right, but it still looks like a Black Rat and not a Black racer which does have a black belly. HMMMMMMM. BG has never seen a Black Rat snake with anything but a white belly.:confused: Maybe that locality has different bellies.

Check out this belly- http://www.snakesandfrogs.com/scra/s.../bratbelly.jpg

My corn has the same sort of pattern, starts out bright white with the checkerboard pattern, then it turns from white to orange as you progress down.

Its definitely a black racer. Here in NC Ive seen up to around 6ft and a little bigger than a golf ball.

http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps_of_NC...n/Col_con.html

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Originally Posted by modean02

Its definitely a black racer. Here in NC Ive seen up to around 6ft and a little bigger than a golf ball.

http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps_of_NC...n/Col_con.html

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Black Racer don't usually have the white flecking in them like this one. BG still votes for a Black rat.

Racers have skinny heads also.

Thats is wicked looking. If no one was looking I would have taken it >.>

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Originally Posted by modean02

Its definitely a black racer. Here in NC Ive seen up to around 6ft and a little bigger than a golf ball.

http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps_of_NC...n/Col_con.html

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Sorry I would bet a paycheck that that is a Black Ratsnake. Every one that I have caught in NC looks identical. The easiest way to check is the white is very visible under the chin from the side view. Also like BG says the head of a racer is more narrow than the Rat. Also racers are round like a rope made for ground speed. Rats are shaped like you are looking at a tunnel, arched and flat at the bottom, made for climbing. I have caught numerous Rats and have found feathers in the stool.
First pic is a racer check the solid black belly.
[IMG]https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...r_headshot.jpg[/IMG]
Next is a Rat, they will lip curl and sit with their mouth totally open when distressed.
[IMG]https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...ip_curling.jpg[/IMG]
Even from the few belly scales shown, there is much more white. Not to mention racers are like 4 times faster than ratsnakes and much more aggressive as far as biting.

What about an Indago?....Are they up that far north?...I live in Central FL and have them here....IDK, just a guess...Good looking snake though, nice to see them that big.