Wow I already got a reply! I didn't expect a reply at all.
On Thu, Jul 10, 2014 at 1:56 PM, <patrickbull1985@gmail.com> wrote:
Entry id: 5574209
Entry title: Man Finds Snake In Toilet On Bathroom Break From Hell (PHOTO)
Entry url: Man Finds Snake In Toilet On Bathroom Break From Hell (PHOTO) (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/10/toilet-snake-construction-worker-alabama-willie-harris_n_5574209.html)
Author name: Hilary Hanson
Submission type: correction
Username: Patrick Bull
Email: patrickbull1985@gmail.com
Kind of error: Factual or typographical
That is a harmless rat snake. They lack fangs and have no venom.... It gets old seeing these stories calling harmless snakes cottonmouth's or copperheads.
This correction submission came from the Contributions form at Man Finds Snake In Toilet On Bathroom Break From Hell (PHOTO) (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/10/toilet-snake-construction-worker-alabama-willie-harris_n_5574209.html)
Hilary Hanson <hilary.hanson@huffingtonpost.com>
1:22 PM (1 hour ago)
to me
Hi Patrick,
Thanks for writing in -- the info about it being a cottonmouth came from the police officer's assessment, but I have to admit I personally am not able to identify snakes. What makes you believe it's a rat snake?
Thank you for the help!
Hilary
Patrick Bull <patrickbull1985@gmail.com>
2:26 PM (2 minutes ago)
to Hilary
I've been keeping and breeding snakes and tarantulas since I was a child. I help moderate the herpsofarkansas.com forums and am a member of several reptile and tarantula forums. I keep and breed the exact species pictured. I'm also an avid field herper and have captured countless rat snakes and cottonmouths both.
Pattern and Body/Head size and shape is a dead give away, as well as length. It looks nothing like a cottonmouth and completely like a Rat Snake. Just about any amateur herper could easily ID that snake from those pics. I don't want to sound rude but us "Snake People" get tired of every single snake being called a cottonmouth or copperhead....
You need to read this blog by a herper more advanced than me on this story. Living Alongside Wildlife: Rat Snake Freakout: Cottonmouth in an Alabama Toilet Edition (http://www.livingalongsidewildlife.com/2014/07/rat-snake-freakout-cottonmouth-in.html)
Also please read this Toilet snake's identity stirs up waves of questions: What did Hueytown police fish out? | AL.com (http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2014/07/post_25.html)
Thanks for taking the time to look into this!