Wildlife in my yard

We frequently get black racers around our yard but most of the time when I see one...it is just the back end as they hightail it away. Today when I was walking back in my house, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and spotted this guy in what is apparently his new "hangout" - the place where the pipe for our outdoor hose is attached to our house. I startled him the first time and he shot back in so I went inside and got my camera and then patiently waited for him to stick his head back out. I kept hoping he would come out further but to no avail. He must be hanging out there a lot though as I also spotted a shed not far from that spot - good area for him as there are plenty of anoles in the bushes right there within striking distance.

Nice close up! You must have caught him on a good day. It's too bad these guys have such a nasty disposition as they really are a very attractive snake.

Good shot but too bad about the anoles. They eat bugs. Maybe this guy is keeping the mice population down.

That's one of the greatest snake faces ever! *love* I have a docile texas ratsnake...I wonder how plausable a docile racer is.....heheheh....

Wow, he's gorgeous! Looks like he just shed. I found an anole right next to the back door yesterday, eating a moth. He was so close to the door I was afraid he'd run away to the inside when I opened the door, but he just stayed there, trying to swallow it quickly.

Nanci

He is beautiful! I love that jet black head. You're so lucky to have snakes hanging around your house!

suecornish said:

Good shot but too bad about the anoles. They eat bugs. Maybe this guy is keeping the mice population down.

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I wouldn't worry too much about the anoles...where I am located we have TONS of them running around. Every time we walk out the front door you just see them scatter everywhere to get out of the way. I am sure if this little racer eats a few it isn't even going to begin to put a dent into our local population!

It's too bad these guys have such a nasty disposition as they really are a very attractive snake.

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I think this is a fairly young one as well. We used to have a really large one that would hang out in the front bush all the time. Joe actually caught him once or twice (Which he was NOT happy about)...but he seems to have moved on...we think to the neighbors yard. This guy is much smaller and we don't seem him nearly as often - he doesn't hang out in an "easy to reach place" either.

Susan said:

Nice close up! You must have caught him on a good day. It's too bad these guys have such a nasty disposition as they really are a very attractive snake.

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I'll never forget when I caught a hatchling in my yard. It was only a few months after I found Maizey, and I was like- I can't believe it!! A baby cornsnake!! And such a pretty color! So I picked him up and he must have bit me 20 times, just over and over and over, before I could get him in the house and into Maizey's feeding container. Then I IDd him as a juvenile black racer- known for nasty temperment- and let him go.

Nanci

ArpeggioAngel said:

I wouldn't worry too much about the anoles...where I am located we have TONS of them running around. Every time we walk out the front door you just see them scatter everywhere to get out of the way. I am sure if this little racer eats a few it isn't even going to begin to put a dent into our local population.

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Then it's good if you are over run by them. We moved into this house in 2003 and didn't find one anole. My husband managed to get two off a job site and now we have about 6 or 7.

There were plenty of hatchlings in our yard last year but mostly copperheads and I think they were keeping the anole population down. This year we haven't found any.

Great photo.