Rubber Boa Snakes In Washington State

Garter snakes rubber boas and western rattlesnakes bear live young from eggs retained in the body until hatching.

Rubber boa snakes in washington state.

They tend to be habitat generalists so finding one under a rock or log in the forest or field is possible. Gopher snake pacific gopher snake pituophis catenifer catenifer. Garter snakes rubber boas and western rattlesnakes bear live young from eggs retained in the body until hatching. The generic name charina is from the ancient greek graceful or delightful and the specific name bottae honors dr.

Young are born pinkish but darken as they age. Ventral side yellow olive green to orange. It s a pacific northwest specialty. Nonvenomous but can be aggressive.

The common name is derived from their skin which is often loose and wrinkled and consists of small scales that are smooth and shiny. Henri marie ducrotay de blainville described the rubber boa in 1835. I m local to the area and have never seen a tan color snake. Three additional snakes in washington state get less attention because they live away from population centers and are somewhat secretive in their nature.

All other washington snakes lay eggs in protected areas where the eggs receive enough external heat to hatch. Northern rubber boas can also feed on lizard and snake eggs. Bull snake great basin gopher snake pituophis catenifer deserticola. The western yellow bellied racer coluber constrictor mormon is a subspecies that can be found in eastern washington as well as california nevada western colorado oregon and southern british columbia.

Each baby snake weighs only 7 5 grams and is 7 to 11 inches long. Adults reach 180 centimetres 71 in. Young northern rubber boas move out during spring after their first hibernation and reach maturity at around 2 to 3. Young are born from july through september and fend for themselves after hatching.

Reproduction courtship and mating occurs shortly after snakes emerge from hibernation. I found a snake of some kind on the pacific crest trail in washington state. Racers are most often found in dry sunny areas with cover including open woodland open fields hedgerows thickets and wood edges. These characteristics give the snakes a rubber like look and texture.

The family boidae consists of the nonvenomous snakes commonly called boas and consists of 43 species. The first picture shows a northern rubber boa. 15 33 inches 38 84 cm weight. Dark brown to tan back.

They are one of the smaller boa species. Botta an italian ship s surgeon explorer and naturalist. No longer present in washington. Female northern rubber boas give live birth to two to eight young in the late summer or fall.

Coastal rubber boa northern rubber boa two headed snake. All other washington snakes lay eggs in protected areas where the eggs receive enough external heat to hatch. Rubber boas are nonvenomous snakes native to north america.