[phideaux]

Been working on my MTV in my shop last few days,
Went there today, and seen this over by the corner of the sliding door.

Now , if I straightened out the skin, it is a few inches over 6 foot.

I have an idea what it is from, but not positive.

I have a few big King snakes around the farm, and they always seem to hang out in the same area form year to year.

I've seen a big boy/girl King snake around back of the shop a few times.

But you guys probably can identify it from the skin.

Jim

 

[phideaux]

Been doing some research,

Looks like I may have a record size "Black King Snake " residing right here on the farm.

Some info says the record 58" may be questionable.

Looks like Ky and TN are the major living quarters of the Black King.

I have been seeing a big Black King in the same hunting area , behind my shop, for at least the last 6-8 years..
It just stands up about a foot and looks at me as I pass by.

I just leave them alone , they aint cooperheads, and their diet consists of mainly other snakes.

Every picture I found was taken in West KY.

This seems to be their main stomping grounds.

Next time I mow, I'm taking my phone for pics, I might be famous.




Jim

 

[Oldhand]

I used to keep king snakes, looks like the right shed. Biggest snake I have seen out here was a ten foot black racer. He changed color a couple times along his length. He was running along a rail road track I was horse back at the time.

 

[phideaux]

This is a pic of one like I see around here .

I know I have at least 3 , and I always see them around the same area.

I'm sure thats the skin from one.



Jim

 

[SHOOTER13]

Bad Ass...I would not mind him on my property at all.

Might cut down on the chipmunks for one thing...

 

[buster40c]

I don't think I would want to be walking around where those snakes are known to be. Maybe on a 4 wheeler with side screens to protect my legs.

 

[phideaux]

They are not aggressive or poinsoniuos,

I have taught my entire family , to respect the Black King snake....not to bother them, and definitely never harm one........... just didn't know they got that big.

Yes they are notorious for dieting on Copperheads and Mocassins.

That's gotta be why I never see either of them, or any other snake(an occassional water snake) here on the farm.

I just sent a letter with pics to KY Wildlife Management.

Jim

 

[buster40c]

I have recently noticed a garden snake around my house. I have killed more than a few cotton mouths around the house and pond.

 

[phideaux]

I have killed more than a few cotton mouths around the house and pond.

Un Hunh....

You need to get yourself a gaurd Snake.. A Black King..


Jim

 

[buster40c]

LOL Do I go to Pet Smart to buy one?

 

[Oldhand]

Actually they do sell king snakes, usually two or three footers. Back when in the service when in the field not unusual to see guys with moving objects in their shirts, king snakes they caught.

 

[DoubleR]

Wow!! That's awesome!
Our king snakes are rare around here and black and "off white". Eat the heck outta rattlesnakes. A protected snake on our property.
We mainly see gopher snakes around here.
Love snakes! Thank you for sharing Jim! Just in case you become famous, your autograph is in the mail right????

 

[phideaux]

I expect to hear back from KY Wildlife any minute.




Jim:cryinglaugh:

 

[SHOOTER13]

Really....?!

Around here...call Animal Control for road kill on Monday...the fly ridden carcass is still there on Wednesday...by Sunday, the turkey buzzards have eaten everything.

They finally do a drive by the following Monday...

Thanks AC...my tax dollars at work!!

 

[buster40c]

Those buzzards will clean up the road kill in short time. I saw a full size large goat ate to the bones in two days and the third day the bones were even gone. I don't see to many snake road kills. I guess the snakes crawl off to die at sundown.

 

[phideaux]

Got a response from Ky wildlife today.....



Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2017 12:22 PM
To: Sharp, Philip - NRCS-ST, Marion, KY <[email protected]>; Sharp, Philip (FW) <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: Record King snake? Almost certainly a Rat Snake

Jim & Philip, this looks like a shed skin from a rat snake to me. I can see the remnants of large dorsal saddles (blotches) in the pattern, and I can also see faint keels on some of the individual scales toward the middle of the back. Our native black kingsnakes normally have small whitish dots on some of the scales and (usually) narrow crossbands made up of small whitish dots – these show up on the shed skins. Also, kingsnakes have smooth scales on the back that lack the faint keels.

A snake’s skin is somewhat elastic and can be stretched as needed by the snake – this allows it to swallow and digest large meals (mice, rats, small birds, etc.). When you look at a snake you see only the outer layer of scales. However, when a snake sheds his skin you see the scales plus the actual skin normally hidden between the scales, so the shed skin will often be about 20% longer than the snake it came from. I am guessing the 76-inch shed skin came from a snake about 60 inches (5 feet) long.

FYI – accurately measuring the actual length of a live snake is tough. If you stretch him out straight, he will struggle against this and will actually pop some of his vertebrae, especially in the neck region. Often this will eventually result in the death of the snake. The only way to get an “official” length measurement from a living snake is to take the snake to a vet, have the vet knock it unconscious with gas or drugs, straighten it out on a flat table, and take a measurement.

No one I know of keeps data on record lengths for snakes. The “record lengths” in the field guides are based on lab measurements of preserved museum specimens in good condition (no broken or separated bones and not stretched out artificially after they had died). The field guide record length for a black kingsnake is about 58 inches, but anything over 4 feet long is really big for a kingsnake.

John MacGregor
Herpetologist - Nongame Program
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
#1 Sportsman's Lane
Frankfort KY 40601

[email protected]

office phone 1-800-858-1549 (extension 4476)

Cc: MacGregor, John (FW) <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: Record King snake?


Faster response than thought.



Jim

 

[phideaux]

I have both snakes on my place.


King snake

Rat snake

Jim

 

[spikedriver]

^^^ Interesting stuff. Never figured I'd get a biology lesson on RT.

 

[phideaux]

We cover A to Z.......... here at RT...:tiphat:



Jim