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Rare snake at golden cliffs potentially dangerous?

Original Post
Alex Langfield · · Colorado · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 65

About 3/4ths of the way up the ascent to golden cliffs today my dog stepped on an all yellow snake with black non cemetrical spots varying in size. I've looked all over the data base trying to find out what kind of snake it is and can't find anything even relatively close. I was just curious if anyone knew for future human and animal safety! thanks

Frank K · · Bishop, CA · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 30

sounds like a gopher snake to me.

Alex Washburne · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 65

Yeah, sounds like a non-venomous gopher snake /bullsnake /Pituophis catenifer

Locker · · Yucca Valley, CA · Joined Oct 2002 · Points: 2,349

North America = Coral snakes, cottonmouths, copperheads and rattlers.

Pretty sure the only venomous snakes in Colorado are rattlers.

Tom-onator · · trollfreesociety · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 790
Eben Daggett · · Boulder, CO · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 15

Careful, I've come across rattlesnakes in the area on two separate occasions. Once at North Table and the other, a rather large and angry fellow, at Lookout mountain crag. The latter lunged and struck my calf.

Tom-onator · · trollfreesociety · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 790
Poisonous Snakeus Populous Mapus

Eben were you bitten?

I once killed a 6' long green timber rattler at Castlewood Canyon State Park.
A lady with her two small children were coming up the trail behind us and I didn't want them to get bit.

Colorado has a lot of rattlesnakes
Horsetooth, Flatirons, Table Mountain, Castlewood Canyon, Garden of the Gods, Shelf Road Penitente, Sugarite.
Most, if not all of these places have warning signs in the parking lots and on the trails.

Be safe out there people!
J. Albers · · Colorado · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 1,926

Tom.....

I dunno man. While I think you were well-intentioned, I don't think killing the snake was justified (and probably illegal). Perhaps next time just walk back and let the family know? (and this is coming from a guy who f*cking hates snakes) I wasn't there, so no judgement intended on my part, but perhaps leave him alone next time, eh Bubbles? Then again, six fricking feet? Yikes. Did it try to eat you? :)

Mike Morin · · Glen, NH · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 1,355

Aye, first off there are no timber rattlers in Colorado. Second, just give them some space, or if you must move them off the trail, use a long stick and get them as far off the trail as possible. Just don't kill 'em fer gawds sake. Also, yes, definitely illegal.

Benjamin Chapman · · Small Town, USA · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 18,818

Tom-o.......got to concur with J. Albers on this one. Probably easier to backtrack and warn the mother and young 'ins. Without that big rodent eater around the risk of the family contracting Bubonic Plague might be greater than snake bite. With all the snakes out there there are just 7,000 snake bites, annually, and only 15 deaths. Sad, and unjustified herpicide.

Tom-onator · · trollfreesociety · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 790
SlapMeWithWetNoodleus

Aye Matey's I was but a young sport-o!
Not well versed in the guiles of walls, wine, women, & wattlesnakes!

I was walking the trail, rounded an area with brush and almost stepped on it! FreakedMeTheFOut.

I now walk with twekking pole in wattlesnake countwy.

I shall now walk off the pwank of shame...
J. Albers · · Colorado · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 1,926
Tom-o Erectus wrote: SlapMeWithWetNoodleus Aye Matey's I was but a young sport-o! Not well versed in the guiles of walls, wine, women, & wattlesnakes! I was walking the trail, rounded an area with brush and almost stepped on it! FreakedMeTheFOut. I now walk with twekking pole in wattlesnake countwy. I shall now walk off the pwank of shame...
Yeah, I hear you. I too never leave home without my trekking poles because as I said, I am a total baby when it comes to snakes. You will know that I am coming around the corner because of the 'tap tap tap' of poles checking every nook, cranny, and step down.
Greg D · · Here · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 883

A shame when people kill based on fear and ignorance!

Tom-onator · · trollfreesociety · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 790
JustifiableSnakeusRemovalus

I was in Onion Creek (near the Fisher Towers) one Spring, scrambled up a 4th class gully to solo a small summit spire for a picture.
While beginning the descent I noticed a rattler crawling out from behind rocks that I had just climbed over FMTFO AGAIN!
Any stick I found to use to remove the snake simply crumbled to dust!
I was forced to down climb something I hadn't climbed up to get back the truck.

This snake lived to bite another day...
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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