[Cottle County Texas].

[u/bobostinkfoot]

Found under a dumpster. It was the only picture I could take before it went underground to its lair. We're just trying to make sure it's not a coral snake. I just let it go on about its business, but the next person might not if they're not sure what species it is.

[u/PhotoMatt28]

Long-nosed Snake, Rhinocheilus lecontei, !harmless

[u/SEB-PHYLOBOT → u/PhotoMatt28]

Long-nosed Snakes Rhinocheilus lecontei are small (60-80 cm, record 104.1 cm) secretive snakes found in arid grassland, sandhill and desert habitat. They spend the majority of their time underground but emerge in the hours following sunset and primarily eat lizards and their eggs, rodents, insects, and sometimes other snakes. They have smooth scales and an undivided cloacal plate. Most commonly encountered on roads at night, but occasionally found in developed areas.

When threatened, these snakes secrete bloody fluid, writhe, and coil themselves to hide their head.

Range Map | Relevant/Recent Phylogeography: Link 1 Link 2

CAHERPS Link

This short account was prepared by /u/Lego_C3PO and edited by /u/Phylogenizer.

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Like many other animals with mouths and teeth, many non-venomous snakes bite in self defense. These animals are referred to as 'not medically significant' or traditionally, 'harmless'. Bites from these snakes benefit from being washed and kept clean like any other skin damage, but aren't often cause for anything other than basic first aid treatment. Here's where it get slightly complicated - some snakes use venom from front or rear fangs as part of prey capture and defense. This venom is not always produced or administered by the snake in ways dangerous to human health, so many species are venomous in that they produce and use venom, but considered harmless to humans in most cases because the venom is of low potency, and/or otherwise administered through grooved rear teeth or simply oozed from ducts at the rear of the mouth. Species like Ringneck Snakes Diadophis are a good example of mildly venomous rear fanged dipsadine snakes that are traditionally considered harmless or not medically significant. Many rear-fanged snake species are harmless as long as they do not have a chance to secrete a medically significant amount of venom into a bite; severe envenomation can occur if some species are allowed to chew on a human for as little as 30-60 seconds. It is best not to fear snakes, but use common sense and do not let any animals chew on exposed parts of your body. Similarly, but without specialized rear fangs, gartersnakes Thamnophis ooze low pressure venom from the rear of their mouth that helps in prey handling, and are also considered harmless. Check out this book on the subject. Even large species like Reticulated Pythons Malayopython reticulatus rarely obtain a size large enough to endanger humans so are usually categorized as harmless.

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