this post was submitted on 12 Oct 2025
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Maybe some kind of corn snake? He's in southern California, and the bike path was along the San Diego river.

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[–] Wilco@lemmy.zip 21 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] SlothMama@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

I was thinking the same thing, but thanks for additional confirmation.

[–] gingernate@sopuli.xyz 7 points 1 day ago
[–] Donebrach@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago (1 children)
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[–] lol_idk@piefed.social 175 points 3 days ago (4 children)
[–] rainbowbunny@slrpnk.net 8 points 2 days ago

Could be a worm

[–] Diplomjodler3@lemmy.world 28 points 3 days ago (2 children)
[–] felixwhynot@lemmy.world 53 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] makyo@lemmy.world 27 points 3 days ago (2 children)
[–] nocturne@slrpnk.net 44 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] MeThisGuy@feddit.nl 2 points 2 days ago

no. that's clearly a badger and a mushroom.

[–] Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world 22 points 3 days ago (1 children)

A 🦡🦡🦡🦡🦡🦡🦡🦡

[–] khannie@lemmy.world 22 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

🦡🦡🦡🦡🦡🦡🦡🦡🦡🦡🦡

[–] khannie@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago
[–] tal@lemmy.today 13 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I think that he's probably right, but there are legless lizards out there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legless_lizard

[–] Diplomjodler3@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

Shouldn't drink so much then!

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[–] rainbowbunny@slrpnk.net 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] N0t_5ure@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

He was very majestic!

[–] yermaw@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 days ago

EKANS

Moves silently and stealthily. Eats the eggs of birds, such as PIDGEY and SPEAROW, whole.

[–] PapaStevesy@lemmy.world 77 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] spongebue@lemmy.world 39 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Nope rope. More specifically, a danger noodle

[–] SolSerkonos@piefed.social 27 points 3 days ago (9 children)

All the guesses are either Gopher Snake or Garter Snake, so probably not a danger noodle. Just a nope rope.

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[–] macarthur_park@lemmy.world 54 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] Gullible@sh.itjust.works 17 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Weird description, rattle snakes aren’t aggressive either. Every one I’ve met has attempted to leave after announcing itself

[–] zod000@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I have definitely encountered aggressive rattle snakes. I'd be careful about assuming they'll flee.

[–] Seleni@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Speaking as an owner of five snakes, they definitely have individual personalities. Although I wonder if it’s regional too? Most of the ones where I live seem to be lazy more than anything else.

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[–] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 38 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

He's a snek

[–] DegenerationIP@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Look at that! A nope Rope!

[–] LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net 31 points 3 days ago

Gopher snake I think?

[–] EndOfLine@lemmy.world 24 points 3 days ago

I think it might be a Gopher Snake based off of the coloring and the pattern of the spots along its body.

[–] dhork@lemmy.world 23 points 3 days ago (2 children)
[–] grue@lemmy.world 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)

No bike on snek either.

I hope OP is asking to find out if it's non-venomous and safe to grab to remove from the path next time.

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Don't trend on me

[–] Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 22 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Since he's a gopher snek, he's probably someone's PA, off to fetch a half-caf oat milk latte. And he's harmless. Also, he's native to California. Leave him be.

https://www.calacademy.org/blogs/naturalist-notebook/ask-a-naturalist-rattlesnake-roundup

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[–] anubis119@lemmy.world 18 points 3 days ago (1 children)

If it had wheels, it'd be a bike.

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[–] drspawndisaster@sh.itjust.works 16 points 3 days ago

Ah that's my workmate

[–] Tempus_Fugit@midwest.social 14 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (4 children)

Google lens says gopher snake. Google lens and iNaturalist are great ways to help ID all kinds of animals, plants, and fungi.

Edit for clarification. Don't trust any of these image recognition algorithms. They get many things wrong, but they can help narrow down what a thing is.

[–] N0t_5ure@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

You've nailed it. Looks like a San Diego Gophersnake - Pituophis catenifer annectens. It was morning, and he was warming up on the asphault. He didn't seem too worried about me, and gave me time to stop my bike, pull my phone out of my backpack, and snap the shot.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 10 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I don't think I'd trust image recognition enough for anything potentially dangerous (deciding if the snake is venomous, deciding if a mushroom is edible, etc.), but good suggestion for satisfying general curiosity!

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[–] dwemthy@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago
[–] Maiq@piefed.social 10 points 3 days ago
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