# What is this baby snake?



## Krystal (Feb 2, 2010)

Just wondering if anyone knew what this baby snake is? Located in North Brisbane.
Thanks, Krystal


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## Cabotinage (Feb 2, 2010)

i know nothing but i thought it sort of looks like a keelback (this is where the scientific names goes) dont even quote me on that though oh im porbbaly wrong because i missed some scale.


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## chickensnake (Feb 2, 2010)

not 100% but yeah i would say keelback aswell


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## jase75 (Feb 2, 2010)

Yes its a Keelback.


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## Cabotinage (Feb 2, 2010)

yay at least i think im right now  i just googled them and it looks about right i dont know why i thought it was a keelback.

must of been the scale count. (im just messing with you guys)


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## Guest (Feb 2, 2010)

I have heard of many juvenile rough scaled snakes being mistaken for keelbacks before! Im not saying this is the case here and iv never seen a keelback in the flesh before but I do want to stress the point if you cant positively ID the snake its best left alone the simplest mistakes can be the deadliest ones


Heres a pic i found for a comparision


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## Krystal (Feb 2, 2010)

Cool thanks for that, we'll let him go down near the water away from houses and people!


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## Krystal (Feb 2, 2010)

Thanks Farma, as soon as we got him out from behind the dishwasher we put him straight in an old hatchling cage. He is so tiny I don't think we want to try picking him up anyway.


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## Guest (Feb 2, 2010)

I might just add that, that wasn't aimed at you personally I have had more than one bad experience where people have mistaken the roughscaled snake for another species that is harmless 
so im sorry if that came across as if it was directed at you personally but it was really for everyone experienced or not! PLEASE BE CAREFULL


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## justbrad (Feb 2, 2010)

Looks like a keelback for sure, had 1 bout that size and same pattern in the dam behind us last week.


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## moosenoose (Feb 2, 2010)

I'd never seen a young keelback before (if that is indeed what everyone says it is :lol..... Very cute!


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## womapyth (Feb 2, 2010)

*Snake identification*

We have keelbacks and rough scales at our place.Very hard to tell them apart. The ventral scale counts are different and there is a difference in the scales in front of the eye.

Good idea to leave them alone unless you have to. They have both come into the house so we have had to move them.

It seems that the keelbacks move more like a green tree snake and the rough scaled moves more like a tiger or black snake. The keelbacks sometimes get into a spinning motion when they are "tailed". The rough scales are more like black snakes to "tail". 

The rough scales seem to have a more distinct head than the keelbacks. My guess is that your little bloke is a rough scale.


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## Fuscus (Feb 3, 2010)

From that photo I wouldn't be game to say it isn't a roughy. Any shots of the side of its head?
I've attached a photo of a baby roughy for comparison


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## Snake_Whisperer (Feb 3, 2010)

Have to agree with Fuscus on this one. As cute and cuddly-wuddly as it looks, a baby Rough Scaled snake bite means a very uncomfortable trip to the hospital. Best way by observation is to look for the Loreal scale. If it has one, it's a Keelback, if it doesn't, it's a Roughie. 

See post #12 in the following thread to identify the loreal scale. It is located between the pre-ocular scale and nasal scale.

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/general-herps-42/i-spotted-2-rough-scaled-snakes-121126


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## chickensnake (Feb 3, 2010)

Here is a few pics of a baby keelback that a mate and i found. as you can actually see the baby snake you have and there is pics of both rough scaled snake and keelback you should be able to tell.


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## Krystal (Feb 3, 2010)

I will have to check the photos I took when I get home but I doubt I have any of the side of its head. We let it go last night so I can't get any more photos of it. 
Looking at all the photos regarding head shape, I think it looks more like the picture that Fuscus posted. Although that could just be because the keelback photos are of bigger snakes.
Regarding movement we didn't pick it up, however when it bolted across the floor it held the top half of its body up - didn't slide along like our pythons do.
The only other thing I noticed was the blue tinge to its belly while it was climbing in the container.
Other than that this snake was tiny - its head was maybe 4mm wide - would have very easily fit on a 50c coin. And it never tried to strike us either!
Either way it is free now and if we get more in the house I will try and get some better photos.
Thanks for all your help


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## Twistyozzy (Feb 25, 2010)

*Identifying baby snake*

It looks like a young spotted python to me (Antaresia Maculosa) mind you, I could be wrong. I have an adult spotted and that snake seems to have very similar markings.
In any case, if it came from the wild, it's best to let it go back.


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## waruikazi (Feb 25, 2010)

Twistyozzy said:


> It looks like a young spotted python to me (Antaresia Maculosa) mind you, I could be wrong. I have an adult spotted and that snake seems to have very similar markings.
> In any case, if it came from the wild, it's best to let it go back.



WHAT? Are you serious? 

Unless you have a decent knowledge of snake ID you need to keep out of threads like this. Misidentification of a snake is potentially very dangerous and it makes you look stupid. If you don't know or aren't sure then don't post.


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## Krystal (Feb 25, 2010)

Definately not a spotted and the markings were totally different - I have stimsons and it was very different to them.

Also I let it go the night that we caught it.


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## jamgo (Feb 25, 2010)

It was a keelback like Jase said.


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## JasonL (Feb 25, 2010)

lol, I love keelback ID threads.... they are just like groundhog day.... everyones the same...


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## redbellybite (Feb 27, 2010)

As much as there is a similar pattern to both the keelback and the roughy ...the head shape is different ,even at juvie stage ...roughys are more box head shaped and eyes arent as prominant as the keelback ,and of course the loreal scale that is not present on the roughy...
STILL at first glance you must take care ,and if your unsure TREAT IT LIKE A ROUGHY ..you certainly dont want to be making that mistake ....oh and as was already said its a keelback .... 






look at the head shape on this keelback ,to the roughy that fuscus has put up ...


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## nathancl (Feb 27, 2010)

i honestly dont understand how people get these snakes confused ? they are different looking snakes.

i guess being around both since a young(er) age makes it easier for me ?


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## wizz (Feb 27, 2010)

150% keelback


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## Australis (Feb 27, 2010)

waruikazi said:


> Unless you have a decent knowledge of snake ID you need to keep out of threads like this.



What are you doing on this thread then?


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## waruikazi (Feb 27, 2010)

Australis said:


> What are you doing on this thread then?



I'm doing something more contructive than you cheif. Do you have anything to contribute other than an irrelivant dig at me?


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## DanTheMan (Feb 27, 2010)

Good old Keelback threads and un-educated guess's at an ID! :lol: Keelbakcs and Roughies are very easy to tell apart, as Wizz has said, 150% Keelback, no doubt about it.


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## HOM3L3SS (Feb 27, 2010)

i think its a jungle :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:


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## Guest (Feb 27, 2010)

nathancl said:


> i honestly dont understand how people get these snakes confused ? they are different looking snakes.
> 
> i guess being around both since a young(er) age makes it easier for me ?


 

Its something that just happens iv had people that should know the difference tell me a roughy they found in their yard was a python! I asked why they thought that and they said because of the shape of the head!! and these people werent new to snakes either! and I honestly dont understand that but I have experience, some people just dont and thats where the mistakes are made! I said to them if they werent 100% sure what it was why did they touch it? they said they were 100% sure it was a python!!

another friend found a snake in their yard and called the zoo to get an ID! over the phone they were told it was a harmless green tree snake so they put it in a bucket and took it down there when they arrived the zoo told them it was actually a tiger snake! given our locality I knew this was all wrong and asked if they got any photos, the showed me some pics of it and at first glance I could see it was another roughscaled snake!


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## Guest (Feb 27, 2010)

DanTheMan said:


> Good old Keelback threads and un-educated guess's at an ID! :lol: Keelbakcs and Roughies are very easy to tell apart, as Wizz has said, 150% Keelback, no doubt about it.


 
very easy if you have experience Dan


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## Joelspythons (Apr 17, 2010)

that is a rough scaled snake i can tell bicause the head and the eyes are bigger then a keelback and keelbacks have small heads that is 100% rough scaled


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