[jibuck]

Since we moved here several months ago, my cat has brought several tiny black snakes inside the house to me. (We have a birdcage, and the cat comes and goes through a dog door)

This week, my cat brought in the below pictured snake. Can anyone tell me what type of snake this is? Getting a little nervous thinking my kitty may be playing with poisonous snakes. Luckily I was able to get the snake out of the house without getting bitten.

Thinking the snake got in under one of the doors that was missing a door sweep, so I installed a door sweep and also checking the birdcage for other access points.

[villagetinker]

IMHO, you are taking chances letting kitty out of the birdcage. We do have wild life around here that will kill kitty. Our cat never goes outside alone, she has free reign of the lanai and birdcage while we are home, and locked inside while we are away. We also have extra strength screening installed in the lower panels of the lanai and birdcage to both keep kitty in and wild life out.
Please be careful with kitty.

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

IMHO, you are taking chances letting kitty out of the birdcage. We do have wild life around here that will kill kitty. Our cat never goes outside alone, she has free reign of the lanai and birdcage while we are home, and locked inside while we are away. We also have extra strength screening installed in the lower panels of the lanai and birdcage to both keep kitty in and wild life out.
Please be careful with kitty.

Coyotes, Eagles, and Gators....oh my!

.

[Nucky]

Three doors down a wonderful neighbor with a pristine home showed me a picture of a medium size snake in her side yard that was positioned like a Cobra. I did have a fat head but was black only...not colorful markings....any of you Marlin Perkins type's wanna take a guess?

[Sandtrap328]

Originally Posted by jibuck

Since we moved here several months ago, my cat has brought several tiny black snakes inside the house to me. (We have a birdcage, and the cat comes and goes through a dog door)

This week, my cat brought in the below pictured snake. Can anyone tell me what type of snake this is? Getting a little nervous thinking my kitty may be playing with poisonous snakes. Luckily I was able to get the snake out of the house without getting bitten.

Thinking the snake got in under one of the doors that was missing a door sweep, so I installed a door sweep and also checking the birdcage for other access points.

Attachment 62040

That is a Black Racer - quite young. Full grown, it may reach over 5 feet. They are a very useful snake. No snake is "poisonous". Some are "venomous". Poison is eaten - like a poisonous mushroom. Venom is injected such as through a fang.

Oh, it is very dangerous to let your cat run around outside. Coyotes, venomous snakes, alligators, fire ants, yellow jacket hornets, venomous spiders, and more are all out there - as well as cars - and nasty people who have been known to put out poison for cats.

[jazzy48]

I am absolutely not a snake expert. I know the black racers, because I have one run that runs back and forth along the wall in my back yard. With my very limited knowledge, I would say that, from what I can see from your picture, the snake's head does not appear to be that of a venomous snake. A good website is Snakes of Florida | Florida Backyard Snakes. It shows common venomous and non-venomous varieties.

With what others have said, I will tell you that I've had several friends that have let their cats roam and the cats eventually do not come home.

[Topspinmo]

Looks like juvenile black racer? If it is its non poinsouous. Adult black racer can be very aggressive.

[Sandtrap328]

Originally Posted by Nucky

Three doors down a wonderful neighbor with a pristine home showed me a picture of a medium size snake in her side yard that was positioned like a Cobra. I did have a fat head but was black only...not colorful markings....any of you Marlin Perkins type's wanna take a guess?

I would take a guess it was an Eastern Hognose Snake. Basically harmless but it will act vicious. They play dead as a last resort.

[Nucky]

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328

I would take a guess it was an Eastern Hognose Snake. Basically harmless but it will act vicious. They play dead as a last resort.

Thank You Sandtrap. I would play dead also.

[CFrance]

A bit off topic, but I don't take from OP's post that she is letting her cat outdoors. She said she is checking the lanai for entry points for the snakes, and that the door was missing a door stop. I believe the cat door is from the house out onto the lanai.

[mixsonci]

I agree with CFrance, that's how I interpreted OPs post.

[rubicon]

Is a dog door a wise choice here?

[jibuck]

Thanks so much for the information. It does look like a black racer. I love the website link, jazzy48. I bookmarked it for future reference in case I run into any snakes while gardening.

Just to clarify, our cat is only allowed inside our birdcage in our backyard. We have a pet door in our slider so the cat can access only the birdcage area. We also close off the pet door access at night to hopefully avoid interactions with any other animals. I may also look into strengthening the lower panels of the birdcage, as villagetinker mentioned he has done.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by rubicon

Is a dog door a wise choice here?

I think it's fine the way she's using it. If she hears and full-mouth meows, however, look out!

[Chi-Town]

Originally Posted by rubicon

Is a dog door a wise choice here?

Perhaps a cat door would be wiser. [emoji6] .