Snake ID: Possible moon snake hatchling?

[n3xia]

This snake was found in Batchelor, NT, on a footpath, in the middle of the day but under shade. This footpath is between buildings and less than a metre from a small garden with hay laid over it. Sorry about the poor quality photos. A friend reckons it might be a moon snake/orange naped snake, Furina ornata. Its belly is quite pink so it probably hatched recently - maybe during last night's rain. Not sure if you can tell from the photos, but its eyes are tiny and jet black.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Not a moon snake - I'm not familiar with the burrowers from that part of the world, but it's not a hatchling, and it is a burrower.

Jamie

 

[n3xia]

Another couple of shots from the side.

 

[Blackdog]

I'm with Jamie definately a burrowing snake, Brachyurophis roperi perhaps.

 

[n3xia]

That sounds like the one! Thanks guys So where should we put him then? Presumably somewhere he can burrow, away from ants etc? There were a lot of birds around where he was found.

 

[Echiopsis]

That sounds like the one! Thanks guys So where should we put him then? Presumably somewhere he can burrow, away from ants etc? There were a lot of birds around where he was found.

Just put it in the garden bed where it was heading in the first place, you'll do it no favours by relocating it. Like any other Brachy it'll be under cover in no time and away from any predators.

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

people commonly associate the belly colour of snakes with age? very mysterious
but that snake certainly is

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Brachyurophis roperi

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[n3xia]

Just put it in the garden bed where it was heading in the first place, you'll do it no favours by relocating it. Like any other Brachy it'll be under cover in no time and away from any predators.

It wasn't heading towards the garden, but thanks anyway.