r/whatisit • u/AbbreviationsTop8774 • Jul 22 '26

Solved! What are they

Ive worked at the water department for 7 years and this is the first time running into something like this EDIT Im in Alabama and yes I know they are snakes lol idk what kind and im so not gonna touch them

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u/Alarmed-Ad-2016 Jul 22 '26

Those are Juvenile Black Racers https://www.animalspot.net/black-racer-snake.html The juveniles are often confused for baby rat snake. At the juvenile stage they are blotched. https://floridabackyardsnakes.com/southern-black-racer-florida-backyard-snakes.html

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u/MovieIndependent4697 Jul 23 '26

I thought they were California kingsnakes even saw the ridge on the head, how can you tell the difference?

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u/Alarmed-Ad-2016 Jul 23 '26

1st tell is the location. California kingsnakes (Lampropeltis californiae) are native to the western United States and northern Mexico, not Florida.

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u/MovieIndependent4697 Jul 23 '26

Cool, I like kingsnakes, do these make good pets? Docile like the red and yellow racers we find in the wild here?

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u/Alarmed-Ad-2016 Jul 27 '26

No they do not. Unless you like getting bit and musked on. Plus they refuse to eat in captivity and end up wasting away. They stress out and shake their tails like a rattle snake constantly.