r/herpetology • u/ThroatDapper6677 • 6h ago

Is this a northern red bellied snake?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Sorry for the horrible pictures haha. This little guy was found in eastern Canada

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12

u/Dark_l0rd2 6h ago

Red-bellied snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) is correct. !harmless

2

u/SEB-PHYLOBOT 6h ago

Redbelly snakes Storeria occipitomaculata are small (21-27 cm, record 40.6 cm) natricine snakes with keeled scales often found in disturbed habitats like urban and suburban yards, and on slopes with small flippable rocks. They are commonly encountered snakes and make good pest control as they feast on small, soft-bodied invertebrates. Sometimes difficult to distinguish from brownsnakes from above, redbelly snakes are often less patterned and have the namesake red belly.

Storeria brown and redbelly snakes may puff up or flatten out defensively, but are not considered medically significant to humans in terms of venom. They are usually reluctant to bite, but all animals with a mouth can use it in self-defense.

Relevant/Recent Phylogeography

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.

I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, here report problems here and if you'd like to buy me a coffee or beer, you can do that here. This bot, its development, maintenance and use are made possible through the outreach wing of Snake Evolution and Biogeography - Merch Available Now

1

u/ThroatDapper6677 6h ago

Thank you!! All the pictures I was seeing didn’t quite show the vibrant blue so I was really unsure

3

u/Dark_l0rd2 6h ago

That’s because it is starting the process of shedding.

!ecdysis

2

u/SEB-PHYLOBOT 6h ago

Snakes undergo a process called shedding or 'ecdysis' where old skin is shed in favor of a new, fresh layer of scales. During this process the old skin becomes dull, the belly may turn pink, and the eyes turn mostly opaque blue due to a build-up of fluid between the old and new spectacle. A few days before the skin is physically sloughed, the eyes become clear. When it comes time to shed, the snake will push or rub up against objects in the environment to hook the old skin on something and unroll it off of them like taking off a sock.

I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, here report problems here and if you'd like to buy me a coffee or beer, you can do that here. This bot, its development, maintenance and use are made possible through the outreach wing of Snake Evolution and Biogeography - Merch Available Now

2

u/ThroatDapper6677 6h ago

That’s so cool, thank you!