Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hello, my dog was barking in the screen porch, and I went out to see, I saw this snake near my back door, it sort of stayed still for a while, then ran back into the bushes. Anybody you know its name, or if it's poisonous? Would it eat a 3 lbs chihuahua?
Hard to be sure from that photo, but I'm almost positive it's a black racer. They'll bit if they feel threatened, but they're not venomous, and the only way they could eat something as large as a Chihuahua would be if they somehow learned to use a knife and fork. It's way too big for a racer to even attempt to swallow. They're good for keeping mice and rats under control, though, so I'd leave it be if you see it again.
It's hard to tell from the photo, but it could be a Black Racer as noted above (we have Blue Racers up here). It could also be a Black Rat Snake (which isn't poisonous either). Both eat primarily rodents, frogs, etc., and wouldn't be a threat to your dog. About the only snakes in Florida that your dog would need to watch out for would be the exotic boa constrictors and pythons we all hear about. Of course, you shouldn't just let your dog run around anyway, so you have little to worry about.
It's hard to tell from the photo, but it could be a Black Racer as noted above (we have Blue Racers up here). It could also be a Black Rat Snake (which isn't poisonous either). Both eat primarily rodents, frogs, etc., and wouldn't be a threat to your dog. About the only snakes in Florida that your dog would need to watch out for would be the exotic boa constrictors and pythons we all hear about. Of course, you shouldn't just let your dog run around anyway, so you have little to worry about.
I agree with all of that.
With a dog that small he even has to worry about monitor lizards as well as a host of indigenous animals including hawks etc.
The Great Horned Owls in my neighborhood would snatch that dog up in a heartbeat.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,936 posts, read 36,962,945 times
Reputation: 40635
Indeed hard to tell, but Southern Black Racer is probably right. Totally harmless and can't harm anything over a small rodent or lizard.
MIGHT be a dark watersnake of some type or very unlikely an indigo, but I think the first poster is correct - Coluber constrictor. Don't think a black rat snake, pretty uncommon that they're that uniformly dark and the body shape is also off for that one.
There are no poisonous snakes. Some snakes are venomous. Clearly not a cottonmouth (the most common type) or a rattler (wrong body shape) and not a coral so no issues there.
I want to Thank You all for helping to place a name to the snake. There is a creek right behind my home, and that is where she went. My Chi does not go outside, but she plays in the screened porch. *not by herself anymore* Snake could get inside from under the door. This was an eye opener . Thank you again.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.