What kind of snake is this?

It looks like a copperhead snake from the first image here.

@janbb The caption for that pic indicates that it’s an Australian snake

We have copperheads in America.

@Dutchess_III Yes, but they look quite different.

@thorninmud Guess it traveled some? (Oops)

I almost want to call it a rattle snake. Would you say it is a viper of some sort?

If the head is rectangular, keep well away. It is really difficult to tell from the photo. The colourings almost look like just a common garter snake.

It isn’t a copperhead. They are banded, not stripped. http://comp.uark.edu/~sbeaupre/P3300025.JPG

Here is a good Herp-guide http://herpsofarkansas.com/Snake/HomePage

If I had to guess just on the photo, which gives no idea of how big the thing is or a very good idea of head shape, I’d say garter snake or a brown rat snake.

Mmmm…I think rat snake might be the answer?

My guess would be a Mississippi green watersnake

Good guess, except according to Wiki it isn’t found in Arkansas.

It’s in this Arkansas Snake Guide

Ah. thank you.

Looks like @syz might have nailed it.
It is definitely not a rattlesnake. Pit Vipers have triangular shaped heads with pits below their eyes for sensing prey. I am not familiar with Kansas snakes, but I sure know my CA. rattlers. haha
Don’t harm him, he is beneficial. I don’t like killing rattlesnakes either but if they are too near the animals around here we do them in.

My cat survived a bad bite a few years ago.

@Dutchess_III I actually found it on a “Snakes of Arkansas” site.

“The Mississippi green watersnake is endemic to the southern United States (1), where its range stretches from western Florida in the east to southern Alabama in the west. It is found from south-eastern Texas to south-eastern Missouri and southern Tennessee, where it reaches the northern limit of its range”

(Source same as photo)

Yikes! The kind that would send me into cardiac arrest instantly!