Hi There I'm new here!

[Emurillo]

I have a question to ask all of you. I was cleaning out my yard this morning and came upon some snakes. I live in northern Colorado and we have garter snakes around but this one did not look like a garter snake. I want to know if this snake is harmless so I could let it be. Thanks in advance. Here is a picture. I hope I uploaded correctly.

Enrique

[Sid]

Hi Emurillo,

Welcome to the forum. The snake in the lower right of your photo is a garter. The other looks like a gopher snake to me, but I may be wrong. At any rate it isn't venomus.

Sid

[Ameivaboy]

i beleive the snake on top is a juvenile racer that hasnt developed the uniform color they are known for yet or possibly a corn snake as there is a disjunct population in colorado that doesnt have the typical "okeetee" coloration

[Thamnophis]

Hi Enrique, welcome here,
I also think it is a young black racer, Coluber constrictor.

[adamanteus]

Yes, I also concur! Garter in the foreground, racer in the background.

[Snaky]

Welcome to the forum, enjoy it here!
Will not concur on the upper one, don't have the knowledge about that many species:o. Will of course concur that the lower one is a garter:D

[Cazador]

Welcome to the forum, Enrique.
Rick

[drache]

welcome here Enrique
and thanks for being nice to the snakes in your yard
I like that "presumed harmless 'til proven dangerous" attitude
I wish more people had it

[ssssnakeluvr]

the snake inthe back is a juvenile yellow bellied racer. they have those markings for a year or so, they fade as the snake grows up.

[Emurillo]

Thanks for all your help everyone. I went back out to get a better picture and it was gone. It probably went somewhere else in my yard. The reason I asked about that snake is because my 3 y/o daughter plays out there and I did not want her to get hurt by it. Are racers also harmless? I was cleaning out my yard, there was alot of brush all around, and I fliped this big rock and there where 5 snakes under there 4 babies and that one racer. I am a little scared of snakes, but left them alone. I even picked up the smaller one and played with it a bit so my daughter would not be scared of them. I hear that Garter snake are good for gardens because the eat bugs and stuff, so i will welcome them in there. Thanks again for all your help, I will post a couple more pictures when I get home so you guys can see the babies. I also enjoy seeing all the pictures of the different types of garter snakes you guys post.

Thanks.
Enrique

[adamanteus]

Hi Enrique, Don't worry about the racer...it's harmless too. More pictures would be nice, you never know, you might start to get really interested!

[Odie]

Hi, from Oregon, Enrique:cool: