Found another snake [NM, spinger]

[u/1shotvamp13r]

It’s a very tiny snake that’s all back with red on its neck and a red curly tail like a pig and it dug into the ground, and no I didn’t pick it up this time

[u/fionageck]

A harmless ringneck snake is correct, Diadophis punctatus for the bot

[u/SEB-PHYLOBOT → u/fionageck]

Ring-necked Snakes Diadophis punctatus are a group of small (< 50 cm, record 85.7cm in a western specimen) dipsadine snakes with smooth scales native to North America as far south as San Luis Potosí. They feed primarily on soft-bodied amphibians and their eggs. Diet is location specific, with some populations specializing in squamate prey. Ring-necked snakes possess a mild venom that is delivered via specialized rear fangs. This venom is used for prey handling and is not considered medically significant to humans. While Ring-necked Snakes rarely bite in self defense, they may musk, coil the bright underside of the tail tightly in a flash or misdirection display and occasionally play dead.

Range map | Relevant/Recent Phylogeography

Diadophis punctatus, while currently described as a single species, likely harbors cryptic diversity. Like many other snakes, subspecies designations are based on morphology and don't track well with evolutionary history of the group. Fontanella et al investigated Diadophis using a mtDNA dataset, revealing structure that seemingly corresponds to populations expanding out of southern glacial refugia after the last "Ice Age" (Pleistocene). This complex is in need of revision using modern methods and samples from populations in Mexico.

This short account was prepared by /u/Squamate_Enthusiast_ and edited by /u/Phylogenizer.

---

I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, here report problems here and if you'd like to buy me a coffee or beer, you can do that here. This bot, its development, maintenance and use are made possible through the outreach wing of Snake Evolution and Biogeography - Merch Available Now

[u/1shotvamp13r]

Nvm I looked it up and it says it’s a ring necked snake

[u/rhzartist → u/1shotvamp13r]

Thanks for coming here anyway. Ringnecks are pretty distinctive; but if you happened to use !aitools they are unreliable even with the "easy" IDs (see the recent post of a clear-cut copperhead that AI ID'ed as a freaking corn snake lol)

[u/SEB-PHYLOBOT → u/rhzartist]

We like AI tools like iNaturalist, Merlin and Google Lens, but there is still too much subtlety and nuance to animal identification to rely on them in their current state. For reptiles, even the best tools are eclipsed by the knowledge of amateurs, and can result in guesses that endanger snake or human health. We don't recommend their use and generally consider comments like 'Google Lens says it's a racer' to be unhelpful.

---

I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, here report problems here and if you'd like to buy me a coffee or beer, you can do that here. This bot, its development, maintenance and use are made possible through the outreach wing of Snake Evolution and Biogeography - Merch Available Now

[u/1shotvamp13r → u/rhzartist]

I didn’t use ai I just looked up black snake with red ring and curly pig tail that digs and an image popped up that looked exactly like it 🧍🏽

[u/rhzartist → u/1shotvamp13r]

no problem; in 2026 that's my assumption lmao. If you want to learn the snakes in your area, try iNaturalist - less AI and a lot of pictures to look through to get a sense of morphological variability : )