To Funny---------snake story with PIC-----

[Gary Max]

I have been working on getting a super pen vise built. I bought a machinest vise off ebay and finally made some time to take it to the local machine shop today. It is a big old heavy thing that I got cheap.
When I pulled up-- Steve (Owner of Shop) headed to the back room and came back carrying a frozen baggie. One of his cats had a fight with this baby rattlesnake and the snake lost.
I love it when folks save things and want to know if I can make a pen out of it. Anyhow the snake is cleaned and drying now----Looks like I can get two pens out of it---heck I am going to take one back to Steve. maybe he will knock a couple bucks off the bill.
The snake is frozen in this pic---

 

[wudnhed]

Yuk but fun for you!!![]

 

[its_virgil]

Not so sure that's a rattlesnake Gary, but I'm no reptile-ologist.If it is, someone will surely correct me.[] Maybe we have a snake expert here who will identify it for us. It will make some nice snake skin pens, though!
Do a good turn daily!
Don

[/quote]

 

[wdcav1952]

Don may well have a point. It doesn't seem to have the viper triangular head. Whatever kind of snake it is, two things are clear: 1. Being dead it is a "good" snake. 2. It looks great, and should make a couple of nice pens.

 

[MesquiteMan]

I think either Gary meant Rat Snake or the guy that gave him meant rat snake. That is what it looks like to me. I am not a herpatologist either, though so I could very weel be wrong too! It does have the characteristic rat snake head rather than rattlesnake and the tail apears to go to a point, thus no rattles. It it was a rattlesnake with rattles cut off, the tail would be even more blunt. It will make some nice pens, nonetheless!

 

[TBone]

If it's last name is snake, the only acceptable first name is dead. [] I agree, doesn't look like rattlesnake but hard to tell from picture and the fact that I only get close enough to them to aim.

 

[alamocdc]

I'm not a herpetologist either, but that doesn't look like any rattler I've ever seen. The tail is defintely too pointy and the head doesn't have the characteristic pit viper shape. It is more likely a rat or milk snake (closely related) and both common in KY.

 

[Gary Max]

I was thinking since it was so young that there would be no Rattle yet. It only about 8 inchs long and the size of a pencil.
What ever it is----real nice pattern on the skin.
The sales tag will just say snake on it anyway. Keeps me from being wrong---LOL
I have more resin on the way-----I will take a pic of it when it becomes a pen.

 

[Skye]

99.9% sure it's an Eastern Hognose.

 

[Mudder]

Looks a lot like a rat snake to me:

Let's compare.

 

[whatwoodido]

I vote for hog nose as well, that was the first thing that came to my mind when I saw the picture.

 

[Penmonkey]

Hog nose have a broader head and neck. I'd say its a rat snake, photos help.

 

[woodbutcher]

It is NOT a rattlesnake.
Jim

 

[Skye]

Look at the dark spots on the back. Each large light spot has a smaller dark spot to each side of it. Almost a checkerboard pattern. Hognose fo shizzle.

 

[ilikewood]

You know what it looks like to me?....a snake. All snakes are bad therefore they are all the same.[]

 

[Skye]

Also notice the marking on the back of the head. Almost like evil goat horns, lol

Important to know what it is when it comes time to sell the pen.

Hognose.

 

[alamocdc]

Originally posted by Gary Max
<br />I was thinking since it was so young that there would be no Rattle yet. It only about 8 inchs long and the size of a pencil.
What ever it is----real nice pattern on the skin.
The sales tag will just say snake on it anyway. Keeps me from being wrong---LOL
I have more resin on the way-----I will take a pic of it when it becomes a pen.

Gary, you're right, newly hatched and young rattlers don't have rattles. They do, however, have a very distinctive button where the rattles will eventually grow.

Having seen Skye's insert of the hog snake, I have to change my opinion and agree with him.

 

[MesquiteMan]

Skye doesn't know what he is talking about. It is obviously a Boa Constrictor! Just kidding, Ske! It does look like a hognose.

 

[Mudder]

Originally posted by alamocdc
<br />
Having seen Skye's insert of the hog snake, I have to change my opinion and agree with him.

Seeing Skye's pictures would have to make me also believe that it is a hog snake.

 

[Skye]

I wanted to say "I know my snakes", but I know where some of you would have drug that comment into, lol

 

[MDWine]

My son, the herpetologist, replied:

One of 2 snakes... eastern or southern hognose.... depends on the
location.... an accurate scale count and detailed pictures of head and body would help..... I would put my money on eastern hognose, looks like he has alot of skin to hood... Heterodon Nasicus platirhinos is most likely the snake....

Oh, BTW, it's a female

 

[Gary Max]

That's it---If MDwine's son says it a hognose that's good enough for me. Of course the tag will still say" snake"
I thought there was a Herpetologist in the crowd --I had just forgot where
Thanks Michael

 

[wudnhed]

I vote Hognose. We live in the desert and that isn't a Rattler, JMHO[]

 

[NCWoodworker]

I vote for eastern hognose, too...not to be confused with the Eastern pignose, which is distinguishable by the curly tail.

Nice pattern, though...will make a neat pen.
Chris

 

[MDWine]

Yeah, I'm paying VERY GOOD MONEY for that information!!! (he's a junior this year)

 

[chitswood]

Where's SnakeCharmer? We need his expert opinion on this![]

 

[Gary Max]

That snake ain't Charming anymore---it's dead

 

[woodbutcher]

The thing about a rattler is this. When you see one no one has to identify it for you. You will know it's a rattler.

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Originally posted by Gary Max
<br />That snake ain't Charming anymore---it's dead

The ONLY time a snake is charming is when it's DEAD []

Bwahhh.. I HATE snakes!!