Snake Identification?

[AmberLops]

I know! I have a frog living in one of the water-filled tarps outside and the bugs are unreal right now!
After looking at that list and pictures on the internet for hours, I still have no clue what that snake was...hopefully it's the only one!
I saw a couple of rat snakes today but no more unknown ones

 

[B&B Happy goats]

Maybe someone let it loose ?

 

[AmberLops]

Hmmm...maybe ?
I'll do some research and find out if it looks like some kind of 'exotic' snake

 

[AmberLops]

Kind of looked like this...but it didn't have any white bands like the one in the picture, and the markings were more gold than red.
Apparently this one is some kind of corn snake/rat snake hybrid

 

[greybeard]

Genetics (and their one off mutations) being what they are, any individual as an outlier can look completely different than that species' historic phenotype.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Within the snake family there are many many of them who's patterns and colors will change with each "shed"....just as bird patterns will change with the first few molts, an eagle dosen't get the mature feathers until they are 5yrs old.....there is a major difference between a hatchling gray rat snake and the mature one too.....all water snakes have aggressive tendencies, some more than others....but, don't have to reside in water.....there is only 1 natural snake that is venomous that have round pupils....the coral....all others have "cat eyes" and are more nocturnal, they are usually resting during the day these are the classic "pit vipers".......

 

[AmberLops]

Thanks guys for the helpful info!!
I'm investing in a snake-grabber. That way I won't have to get so close and pick it up with my hands

 

[Bunnylady]

When you said it was a slender 6-footer, I figured it would most likely be a Rat Snake or one of their relatives. While the Corn Snake is usually thought of as being generally reddish in color, the coloring is highly variable. In captivity, the Corn Snake is bred in a variety of color morphs, but even wild Corn Snakes can be brown or gray; if I had to pick a single species, that would be my likeliest candidate.

With the exception of the Coral Snake, the native venomous snakes are all thick-bodied for their respective lengths. There are numerous thick-bodied snakes that are non-venomous, but my rule of thumb has always been, if you can't get a positive I.D on the snake, don't handle it.

 

[AmberLops]

I thought at first that it was a rat snake...but the coloring was just really strange. And the fact that it moved with its head above ground sounds like a racer...but the belly was solid black.
Do corn snakes get that long??
I still have no clue!

 

[Bunnylady]

Yes, Corn Snakes get that long. Normally, the Corn Snake's belly is checkered with black and white (some of its Rat Snake relatives have that feature, too), but I suppose a melanistic morph might have a dark belly. Juvenile Black Racers have reddish blotches on a lighter background; I suppose it might be possible for an individual to maintain partial juvenile coloration as an adult (I see a lot of adult-sized Green Rat Snakes that have both stripes and blotches, and as the snake you saw was in the top end of size for Black Racers, it clearly wasn't a juvenile). Incidentally, Black Racers have mainly dark bellies, at least around here.