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I know nothing about snakes unless they rattle so can someone identify this snake please? I was at Papago,he was about 4ft. (so it seemed) and had black and yellow strips. Thanks!

If the stripes were about 1/2 inch apart and the yellow ones were sorta off white, sounds like a King Snake.
Did it look like this http://www.wildherps.com/species/L.getula.html

Cindy Coons,
You are lucky to see such a cool snake, four feet is a good sized one for around these parts.
Maybe he broke out of the zoo.

I know nothing about snakes unless they rattle

Remember, not all snakes that rattle are rattlesnakes, bull/gopher snakes will rattle too.

GTG

My first thought was a king snake, too. They're pretty common here.

http://www.desertusa.com/magfeb98/feb_p ... snake.html

I believe what you saw is a Sonoran King Snake. It resembles a Coral Snake and the first time I saw one I screamed like a little girl. they are not vernomous but are fast and vocal. A 4' foot speciman is indeed a large one.

There is a poem that reminds you the difference between a Coral and a King but I can never remember it. something like "When Black Touches Yellow it can Hurt a Fellow"

Thanks! That is pretty much what it looked like only definitly yellow and the stipes were fairly even in width. Nonvenomous is the key to me. I've come across all sorts of wildlife out there but I'm not too fond of reptiles.

Scratch the Sonoran Mountain King Snake, they are red, black, and yellow. I agree with everyone else, it's a plain old King Snake.

Well, Snick, a Sonoran King Snake isn't exaclty a cat - so I'm not sure scratching one would endear it to you, but you're welcome to try....

By the way - there are several versions of your poem that fload around, here is one I remember:

Red touches yellow - kill a fellow,
Red touches black - venom lack

Actually, Cindy - I'm rather jealous. I've never run across a King snake - I have always wanted to. Especially in Papago park. Very impressive. I hope you let him continue on his merry way...

Of course I let him go on his way, I certainly wasn't going to try and stop him! With my fondness for snakes I believe I looked something like this 8O

olesma wrote:Well, Snick, a Sonoran King Snake isn't exaclty a cat - so I'm not sure scratching one would endear it to you, but you're welcome to try....

Yea, I'm not good with animals, I should learn to leave them alone. I tried "Bronco Busting" once, but at my my weight I busted one up pretty bad and they would let me play anymore.

Coral Snake ? Think of a stoplight, red and yellow. The nose of a Coral snake is black and the red band is bookended with yellow bands except near the tail.

[quote="Snick33Yea, I'm not good with animals, I should learn to leave them alone. I tried "Bronco Busting" once, but at my my weight I busted one up pretty bad and they would let me play anymore.[/quote]

Snick - just don't consider any careers involving animal grooming...I shudder to think what could happen there 8O

"Let's just take a little off the tail here - oops...Ma'm, let me explain what happend here..."