This is a southwestern carpet python. I saw two individuals on my hike, kilometres apart. I’ve been to this area dozens of times and never seen one, so today was my lucky day!

Normally I only ever see venomous snakes which I don’t ever get close to if I can help it. Although a couple weekends ago I deadass stepped on a highly venomous dugite snake, but it didn’t bite me. I just about shat my own heart out and it disappeared into the grass.

Both pythons were about 2m long, and were sunning on rocks when I came across them. They’re fairly placid and not aggressive so I was able to get reasonably close to take a photo.

The other one was in a more wooded area near a creek. About the same size.

  • shalafi@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    14 hours ago

    You in Florida or somewhere they’re native? I’m in NW Florida but I’d shit live kittens if I found one all the way up here.

    • shalafi@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      14 hours ago

      Had to look that up. 20’ is better than double the all-time record for that snake. I think little you THOUGHT it was 20’! :)

      • GreenKnight23@lemmy.world
        3·
        13 hours ago

        at 13 years old it was about two or three times my height.

        maybe it wasn’t a black rat snake.

        I know it was long, black, and angry as fuck lol.

        could have been the stick I tossed at it…

        • shalafi@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2·
          11 hours ago

          For some reason ya got me giggling. Fortunately none of the snakes around here are chasers. They generally run like hell but the cottonmouths will give a loud warning hiss, or three. Damned near stepped on them a few times in the swamp.

  • Y33tMaster69@lemmy.world
    1·
    17 hours ago

    Super cool! This reminded me of a hike I took in North Dakota with my family when I was about 12. I stepped on a prairie rattle snake, pretty sure it was a juvenile. I told my family about it but it had slithered off before anyone saw it and no one believed me. On the trip back to the car my mom about stepped on one in almost the same spot. Everyone saw it that time and we all watched it slither off a nearby cliff.

  • fizzbang@lemmy.world
    1·
    17 hours ago

    Really cool! I only ever have the chance to see rattlesnakes but they’re rare and I’m happy to have never encountered one. Also a ton of garter snakes which I love.