Re: does anybody know about grass snakes

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Posted by Michael Smith on November 13, 1999 at 08:31:45:

In Reply to: Re: does anybody know about grass snakes posted by Jerry Whitsett on November 12, 1999 at 19:18:40:

[snip] Anyway the snake is a baby
: and has two faint stripes down it's back, no
: markings on it's belly, it is a greenish gray
: color, and has a black spot underneath both
: of it's eyes. Also it's head is bigger than it's
: head, if it matters at such a young age.

I need a little more info. Baby green snakes are actually grayish green, but should have no stripes. Size would help rule out a couple of possibilities - can you estimate how long it would be if stretched out? And how big around relative to a pencil or a toothpick. Some of the snakes we're talking about are small -- 9 or 10 inches -- even as adults. It would help to know if what you have is really a baby.

My guess at this point would be a Texas brown snake. They have a single pale stripe down the center of the back, variable color, and a bit of dark color below the eyes.

The thing about head size isn't related to age. A Texas brown snake would have a head slightly larger than the neck, where a rough earth snake (similar sized brownish snake) would have a narrow, pointed head not wider than the neck. Head size helps rule out a couple of possibilities.

If it's a Texas brown snake, the babies are about 4 inches long and would be very delicate. They might take small bits of earthworm or very small invertebrates. Alan Tennant's field guide tells of a clutch of baby brown snakes being offered scents of a variety of foods (smeared on Q-tips) and only the scent of slugs and snails elicited feeding responses. I don't know that most of us would have access to food that the snake would be able to eat. However, I haven't raised baby brown snakes -- anyone else?

Michael

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: [snip] Anyway the snake is a baby : : and has two faint stripes down it's back, no : : markings on it's belly, it is a greenish gray : : color, and has a black spot underneath both : : of it's eyes. Also it's head is bigger than it's : : head, if it matters at such a young age. : I need a little more info. Baby green snakes are actually grayish green, but should have no stripes. Size would help rule out a couple of possibilities - can you estimate how long it would be if stretched out? And how big around relative to a pencil or a toothpick. Some of the snakes we're talking about are small -- 9 or 10 inches -- even as adults. It would help to know if what you have is really a baby. : My guess at this point would be a Texas brown snake. They have a single pale stripe down the center of the back, variable color, and a bit of dark color below the eyes. : The thing about head size isn't related to age. A Texas brown snake would have a head slightly larger than the neck, where a rough earth snake (similar sized brownish snake) would have a narrow, pointed head not wider than the neck. Head size helps rule out a couple of possibilities. : If it's a Texas brown snake, the babies are about 4 inches long and would be very delicate. They might take small bits of earthworm or very small invertebrates. Alan Tennant's field guide tells of a clutch of baby brown snakes being offered scents of a variety of foods (smeared on Q-tips) and only the scent of slugs and snails elicited feeding responses. I don't know that most of us would have access to food that the snake would be able to eat. However, I haven't raised baby brown snakes -- anyone else? : Michael

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