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. Will of course concur that the lower one is a garter

[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