Anyone know what kind of snake this is?
 

It bugs me that I don't know. Apparently someone killed it and uploaded it years ago. I know the guy from high school; and unfortunately, he kills snakes if he doesn't know if they're venomous or not... I wish he didn't kill any.

https://www.instagram.com/p/ahtItfnYyr/

It may just be a black rat snake, but it looks very shiney to me is why I've asked. I can't remember catching any that looked like that. Maybe it's just lighting of the photo?

Is that a local North Carolina animal? Honestly, it doesn't look like a black rat snake to me, but darn if I KNOW what it is. :shrug01:

Yeah, I believe it was in NC. I thought it could be a black rat snake because the half white and gray belly, but it looks very shiney. I'm not sure what it is if it isn't a black rat snake.

I guess maybe the pic was taken much later after it had been killed and is slightly swollen from decomposition beginning to take place. Also with the amount of variation in black rat snakes it is possible that is what it is. But with the head being gone, I think that is the most often used part of identifying them. Plus the position of the dead animal in the pic just makes it look odd and very un-rat snake looking.

I used to catch a LOT of black rat snakes when I lived in Maryland, and thinking about it, they were quite variable even in that comparatively small locale.

But you probably won't ever know for certain. :shrug01: