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Roy M · 01-09-2013, 16:50

Can anyone identify this snake? Zeehag took the pic and had an entertaining little story about it on her blog, SK Solitary Bird | ZeeHag, for August 29th. This doesn't happen much in boring San Diego Bay. Zoom in on the head and the markings.

Teknav · 01-09-2013, 16:55

Hiya Roy! It was already determined that it was a baby BOA constrictor. Now, go do some sailing! (I miss San Diego!)

Mauritz

**Hudson Force** · 01-09-2013, 17:02

Yes, I've been a herpetologist longer than I've been a sailor and we know it is a boa constrictor.

Therapy · 01-09-2013, 17:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptForce

Yes, I've been a herpetologist longer than I've been a sailor and we know it is a boa constrictor.

The snout gives it away right?

colemj · 01-09-2013, 17:41

We were awaken at 3am by sounds of stuff falling on our saloon sole. Michele got up to investigate and as she was walking up the steps from the hull into the saloon, a snake was hanging down in front of her face.

I was awaken by screams from Hades and the sound of Michele locking herself in the head. The only word I could get out of her was "snake"!

Well, upon investigating, there actually was a 6' black kingsnake (milksnake) in our galley. Turns out they live in the 7,000' cloud forests of Panama. It was on our boat because the recent torrential floods must have swept it down to the coast, where it swam out to our boat.

I didn't know what type of snake it was at 3am after a rum squall the night before, so it was treated as a break-in and didn't get a warm reception. I won't go into details, but do NOT comment on this if you are one of the ones here who talks about how they would treat a human invader...

Here is the pic - the head is underneath the tail. The remaining 5' of the snake was coiled out of the picture.

Turns out these are difficult to capture and collectors pay $1,000 for specimens.

Damn.

Mark

Ocean Girl · 01-09-2013, 17:46

Boa! I missed that ID.

Colemj, were you anchored?

**Hudson Force** · 01-09-2013, 17:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Therapy

The snout gives it away right?

The rostrum or mental scales (snout) are clues, but the color pattern is the most definitive identification. It's an obvious Boa just as most would tell the difference between a cat and a rat.

ozskipper · 01-09-2013, 17:47

Wow. Just wow. I live in the land of snakes. And am yet to see one want to go sailing. The cool part about Boas is that they give birth to live young, so mummy must be around somewhere unless your guest is just an escaped pet that is.

**Hudson Force** · 01-09-2013, 18:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozskipper

............................. The cool part about Boas is that they give birth to live young, so mummy must be around somewhere unless your guest is just an escaped pet that is.

This Boa could be as much as a year old. The "live" birth of these reptiles simply refers to the eggs developing internally without the shell, but still without placental nourishment. This is called ovoviviparous development, but even if they were within a shell, they would still be "live".

hellosailor · 01-09-2013, 20:02

So mark, did you get the thousand dollars? Or did you find that out after "tastes like chicken" and a new belt?

MTLandlocked · 01-09-2013, 20:38

Theres a new way to fund the cruising kitty...snake wrangler.

zeehag · 02-09-2013, 04:24

my cute lil guy was tightly wrapped onmy cleat at my hawse----is horned hawse cleat and out was right there---at the end of my docklines....
no i didnt scream but i didnt touch him either......

so, how many hemen does it take to remove a snake from a boat----
the answer on mine was 5----4 to stand around and snerk and one skinny lil maintenance man with a forked stick to remove it and carry it down dock to land.