Snake-um
This young snake was in the road at the barn. Both managers were unsure what it was. It was not venonmous ("poisonous" was the word the she-manager used....incorrect when not eating snakes...snakes can be venomous. "Poisonous" refers to ingestion only).
The head was not a triangle or diamond shape and there was no hint of tail rattle.
Determining that it was non-venonmos, I assured the managers it was a variety of ratting snakes which is good for our environment of the barn. Familiar with Rat Snakes and Corn Snakes, I wasn't certain of this one. It was more aggressive in protecting itself from cowboy boots than the more placid Corn Snake, which I can usually pick up when confronted. This was a rapid mover.
So I bagged it. Punched holes in the baggy, I photographed it for DaggerWing Nature Center to get back to me on the variety.
Taking it down the road where humans were not horsing around, I set it free. It surprised me. It did not take off at the run (fast slither). It turned to me, flickering it's red forked tongue and started to move towards me tongue-smelling the underneath of my boots.
It did this to both boots and then it turned away and went into the grass ditch.
DaggerWing reported back to me that Donald, former director of DaggerWing Nature Center and snake specialist said it was a young Black Racer. Ah...that explains the aggressiveness.
Black Racers are great snakes but not domestic. Corn and Rat snakes can be pets. Black Racers dislike human interaction. They are not aggressive unless cornered. Then a bag, a pillow case, a towel thrown over it will do the job of removing it from the site without needing to kill it.
They are common to South Florida. I have them around my residence and they are welcome here. They eat mice and rats. Usually they are seclusive.
http://www.snakesandfrogs.com/scra/snakes/racer.htm
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