Snake

[Winglover]

Last week after a rainshower I walked the dog and ran into this snake. Anyone know what it is ? My snakebook doesnt really give me a precise answer.

[Ravnos]

Looks like a fairly young black rat snake to me. One of the more common snakes in much of the eastern US. They can have an attitude, but are harmless and the kind of snake you want around. They keep the pest rodent population down, and in doing so, they can indirectly keep away other species of snakes.

Rav

[beansale]

That actually looks pretty close to this snake that my in-laws have in the low mountains of Colorado. I thought it was a garter, by their description, but I haven't found anything that looks like him. He lives in the rocks around their pond, and is about 12 inches long, no thicker than a pencil, and is basically brown and grey. Any thoughts? I know you said that one is from the Eastern US. Can they get to Colorado?
By the way, winglover, gorgeous snake and awesome photos.

[Ravnos]

The garter snake family, which consists of many different species all across the continent, is pretty universal in having a stripe down the middle of the back. The stripe can be red, orange, yellow... but every garter snake species I can think of off hand has it.

The great plains rat snake ranges in Colorado. 12 inches would be about the size of a baby, they grow fast and can get upwards of 4 foot. They tend to prefer grassland type habitat at the edge of light forest, and aren't found at altitude.

Also in Colorado you have the coachwhip, night snake, and glossy snake which all could fit your description easily, and being that it hangs around a pond, it could even be one of the water snake species. If you had a picture, or more details, I could narrow it down better.

Rav

[beansale]

I don't have a picture, or remember any more details, but I will see what I can do. My inlaws are a little freaked out by him, so I will see what I can get, detail and pic wise next time I am up there. I thought that he had a grey stripe down the back of him, like my garter does, but it was at a distance, so I can't be sure. It wasn't like the one in the picture, though, although that is a gorgeous snake. Thanks so much, Rav.