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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65407
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Snake Photo: ID Request from Sallysouth (Msal)
From Sallysouth (Msal):
Mija sent me this.She found it on a road, on a golf course in San Jose del Cabo. No ID so far! Anyone know what kind it is? Thanks, Sally
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tehag
Super Nomad
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Snake
Looks to me like a Baja California Coachwhip, Masticophis fuliginosus.
Seems a lot lighter colored than usual, but shape and markings are right on.
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Russ
Elite Nomad
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albino gofer snake? The head looks similar but I googled it and didn't see any with that pattern.
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David K
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Sally. in looking at all the snakes in Ron McPeak's 'Amphibians and Reptiles of Baja California', it looks like one of three sub species of Coachwhip:
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Osprey
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Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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There are uncountable numbers of coachwhips down my way -- they prey on lizards and are far and away the most prevalent snake around. Smart, quick,
prolific wins the day.
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BajaGringo
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Are they poisonous?
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by tehag
Looks to me like a Baja California Coachwhip, Masticophis fuliginosus.
Seems a lot lighter colored than usual, but shape and markings are right on. |
Tehag wins!
Here is what Ron McPeak says about them:
I photographed one near Rancho San Gregorio (southwest of San Borja, in 2001):
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Sallysouth
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Thanks David! The pic in your first post has very similar markings, just a bit darker.The snake in the bottom photo doesn't seem to resemble either
one!
Happiness is just a Baja memory away...
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Location: San Diego County
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Sallysouth
Thanks David! The pic in your first post has very similar markings, just a bit darker.The snake in the bottom photo doesn't seem to resemble either
one! |
Exactly... see the text from Ron's book... there are three subspecies... The one I saw looks like 107A, Juanita's looks like 107B only lighter.
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tehag
Super Nomad
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Snake
Baja California coachwhips come in a pretty wide range of colors. Here are 3 which occur in Loreto. The yellow is the commonest local coloration of
adults, the brown is an immature of same, and the one bird hunting in a palo verde tree is a darker morph.
They are not venomous, but are aggressive and will bite if handled or cornered.
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capt. mike
Elite Nomad
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saw one, about 6' long slither to a bush at PSFO one time and scared the bee jeesus out of me. i never saw a snake with a diff colored head before and
always wondered what bit was. thx!
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: | Originally posted by tehag
They are not venomous, but are aggressive and will bite if handled or cornered.
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I would not call that "aggresive." Most animals will bite if handled or cornered, including most nomads 
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BajaGringo
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Well, based on some of the posting here lately, that sounds about right...
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Cypress
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Coachwhip? They're very fast. Make a buzzing sound when their belly scales skim across the ground. Will climb a tree before you can blink. Have seen 'em down south. That species is mostly black, but the adults from the head
down to 1/4 of their body length are grey/white. Neat snakes!!
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Neal Johns
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mtgoat666, that aggressiveness is compared to other snakes. A gopher snake or boa if handled gently will not usually bite. Coachwhips, other racer
family snakes, and most water snakes will. Don't ask me how I found out many times. 
I charm snakes and women with the same results....
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
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nancyinpdx
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He looks sooo creepy! I'd be scared if there was one in the house!!!
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bacquito
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Thanks for the information.
bacquito
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longlegsinlapaz
Super Nomad
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I've experienced ONE whip snake & hope to never meet another one. It's the ONLY snake I've ever encountered who headed FOR me rather than AWAY
from me! I don't like ('k, HATE!) snakes & when I see one, I go out of my way to cut a wide swath around them! In my experience
whip snakes are totally aggressive in that it actually chased me!  I was not
impressed, didn't take it as a compliment at all! <shuddddder>
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Sallysouth
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tehag, thanks for the photos and info! Waiting to see what Mija has to say.She hasn't told me about the behavior of the snake.
Happiness is just a Baja memory away...
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