My dog just stepped on this snake???

[Thegreatwapiti]

Walking my dog through a grassy area in Douglas County. Dog spooks and snake starts shaking his tail at lightning speed?? No rattle. Maybe a baby? Don't think the dog got bit. Can anyone identify?

 

[Oak]

I think it's a wandering gartersnake (Thamnophis elegans vagrans) or something thereabouts.

 

[texwest44]

Only snake I know of that shakes his tail like the devil like that is a gopher snake (bull snake). They want you to think they're rattlesnakes just long enough so they can escape.

 

[BrentD]

Only snake I know of that shakes his tail like the devil like that is a gopher snake (bull snake). They want you to think they're rattlesnakes just long enough so they can escape.

Quite a few will do that. I've personally seen hognosed snakes and fox snakes do it, in addition to bull snakes. I'm sure there are many others.

 

[Bullshot]

Could be a juvenile yellow-bellied racer like the pictures below. Pattern similarly seems to fade as you go back, but some of the side pattern is visible in your picture, although it doesn't show the front 2/3rd so really its hard to tell. Not a rattlesnake though so no worries. As said, lots of snakes will mimic the tail rattle. Nice bit of trickery!

 

[Elkoholic]

Agree, with the many snakes shake their tail. Had some type of a black snake (maybe a black rat snake) do it to me. Walked into my barn, shut he man door behind me and instantly the metal interior wall at me feet started vibrating like crazy, I looked down and that sucker was a foot from me shaking his tail like crazy against the metal wall. It was not a small fella either, needless to say I wasn't expecting that at all

 

[huntandfly]

I had a bull snake do that to me Turkey hunting a few years ago. Scared the bajeezus out of me until I realized it was just his tail in dry leaves and not a rattle. They look pretty similar to rattlers at first look too

 

[gwhunter]

I had a whole mess of rat snakes in my 1850's basement one summer. Must have cleared out at least 30 of them. Probably half of them rattled their tails like a rattlesnake, but we've only got one type here and they are super rare.

 

[Hunting Wife]

That’s a very tough photo, but looks like a racer to me?

Many species will do the tail trick. That doesn’t tell you much really.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

where is this located?? what state and area?there are alot of douglas countys?

 

[jtm307]

Garter snake, harmless.

 

[2rocky]

since no one has yet....

 

[TOGIE]

posted in colorado.

douglas county is the primary soccer mom county. probably not much over there besides bull snakes, garter snakes, and rattlers.

 

[rke]

Quite a few will do that. I've personally seen hognosed snakes and fox snakes do it, in addition to bull snakes. I'm sure there are many others.

Add king snakes to list too.

 

[Thegreatwapiti]

Thanks everyone. My dog is still alive and as dumb as ever! Yeah TOGIE, I figured posting it in a Colorado forum was pretty obvious. Not just soccer moms, we have cougars too!

 

[David658]

Thanks everyone. My dog is still alive and as dumb as ever! Yeah TOGIE, I figured posting it in a Colorado forum was pretty obvious. Not just soccer moms, we have cougars too!

Do you have vultures? 20 years older than cougars, and still love the hunt. Just can't bring the game home...