# Help! I found a snake! What should I do? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 10, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510 "2003-07-10T17:09:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/1 "2003-07-10T17:09:45Z")
I moved a big log today, and underneath I found a snake. A big scary venomous snake with fangs and…Okay, it was just a little snake. I was able to scoop it into a 5-gallon bucket. I threw in some dry leaves and grass, and covered it with some mesh screen. I hope that’s okay for a temporary home. First of all, I would like to identify this snake. It has really cool markings on it. I doubt it’s poisonous or anything, but I would like to know. Are there any good online sources Second, what should I do with it? Releasing it into the garden is probably not the best option, unless I am sure it is harmless. I came across another snake earlier in the year, and it slithered away into the ground cover. I know it’s lurking there, just waiting to jump out at me! Well, maybe not, but it kind of creeps me out to know there is probably a snake around. I could easily release it elsewhere, but I’d like to know what kind of environment it will like. Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/2 "2003-07-10T17:15:54Z")
Are you familiar with the head structure of a pit viper? You’re sure it’s not one of them? How about a coral snake? It’s not a viper and needs to chew to inject it’s poison but it’s neorotoxin is equally troubling. Please make sure it doesn’t fall into either category before getting in close proximity to it again. Can you describe (from a safe distance) the snake for us? ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/3 "2003-07-10T17:17:35Z")
There are always two, a master and an apprentice. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/4 "2003-07-10T17:24:39Z")
That would be “neurotoxin”. From [here](http://www.getnj.com/njags/plantandanimallife.shtml) it says: The rattlesnake and copperhead, both relatively common in northern parts of the State, are the only poisonous reptiles. The great mountain blacksnake, entirely harmless, attains a length of eleven feet. Among the handsomest of New Jersey snakes are the yellow and brown-banded king-snake, and the pine snake, with a whitish body marked with brown black- margined blotches. As the name implies, it is a native of the pine barrens. Course, there’s always the chance someone’s nonindigenous venomous pet has run amock. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/5 "2003-07-10T17:28:10Z")
Color? Stripes? Banding? Shape of head? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/6 "2003-07-10T17:33:15Z")
I didn’t get a really good look at it. I think that it has white squarish markings on its back, with brown at the sides. Should I bring it to the county extension office? ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/7 "2003-07-10T17:38:17Z")
The best snake is a “dead snake”! ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/8 "2003-07-10T17:42:05Z")
RUN! SCREAM LIKE A GIRL! FLAIL YOUR ARMS AND GO ‘AIEEE’! Oh wait, that’s what I’d do. Snakes only scare me when I don’t KNOW they’re there though. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/9 "2003-07-10T17:44:13Z")
Okay, I got a good look at it. It has a wide gray stripe down its back. At the sides of the gray stripe are tiny black triangular dots. On either side of the gray stripe, it is dark brown, fading to a lighter brown at the sides of the snake. Its head is not wide. It is about as narrow as its “neck.” The head has a dark brown marking on the top of it. The marking is split by a narrow line of gray. He’s a handsome little bugger. ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/10 "2003-07-10T17:47:22Z")
It’s either a harmless grass snake, or a lethal cottonmouth. How long is it? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/11 "2003-07-10T17:57:26Z")
It’s no more than 12 inches long. My husband just got home and took a look at it. He said “Awww! It’s just a little bug-eating garden snake!” I would like to know exactly what variety of snake it is in any case. I’m geeky like that. I named him [Alfonso.](http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/nyy/team/nyy_player_bio.jsp?club_context=nyy&playerid=150093) ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/12 "2003-07-10T17:59:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rasa \* > **RUN! SCREAM LIKE A GIRL! FLAIL YOUR ARMS AND GO ‘AIEEE’!** That’s what I did when I found the first snake. My brother happened to be around. I ran in the house screaming “A snake! A snake!” My brother came out and looked at it and said, “Yes, it’s a snake.” Gee thanks. Then the snake just slithered away. ---
**Author:** ![aaslatten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@aaslatten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaslatten)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/13 "2003-07-10T18:04:13Z")
Why don’t you break out your digital cam and take a pic of it? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/14 "2003-07-10T18:13:55Z")
Does it look like [this](http://jajhs.kana.k12.wv.us/vwv/animal/rep_amph/northernpinesnake.htm)? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/15 "2003-07-10T18:23:43Z")
Aha! Here… [this](http://jajhs.kana.k12.wv.us/vwv/animal/rep_amph/northernbrownsnake.htm) fits your description exactly… maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/16 "2003-07-10T18:31:28Z")
Or [this?](http://www.mainenature.org/images/gartersnake.jpg) They’re very common, anyway. And harmless… sort of. They do bite, but they have no teeth, just raspy things. They’re good to have in the garden. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/17 "2003-07-10T18:40:02Z")
**Lieu** ’s second link is Alfonso! \*Northern Brown Snake (Storeria dekayi) …The brown snake can be found in urban areas and it exists in “colonies” in large numbers. You will be able to find these snakes under old bark slabs, strips of linoleum and tar paper. \* Yup. He was under a log, so that fits with the description of these snakes under things. And I am in an “urban” area. The thought that they might be around in large numbers is a bit scary! So, can I keep him as a pet? ---
**Author:** ![T.Slothrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@T.Slothrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.Slothrop)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/18 "2003-07-10T19:07:36Z")
Semi-related story. I grew up in an small town that was halfway between Camp Lejeune Marine base and Cherry Point Naval Air Station in North Carolina. Because it was convenient to commute, a lot of Marines lived there. Sometimes the Marines would all be gone at the same time so an entire block of houses would be inhabited only by Marine wives. One day one of the Marine wives was mowing her lawn and discovered a snake. \*\* All\*\* of the Marine wives gathered to help kill the snake. The poor snake which had already been wounded by the lawn mower ended up being killed with a hoe - being killed with a shot gun and being killed with a gallon of burning gasoline. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/19 "2003-07-10T19:10:09Z")
> [@](#): > > So, can I keep him as a pet? - - - You can but you shouldn’t. Small snakes like this eat insects, but to stay healthy they need a _variety_ of different insects, not just the same one or two kinds all the time. It is very difficult for most people to supply that year-round. Let it go. ~ ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510/20 "2003-07-10T19:18:04Z")
Seems like you’d be doing both you and the snake a favor by turning him loose again in your yard. His diet is almost entirely garden pests (plus a few non-pest insects, I’m sure). Protect those tomatoes! Set Alfonso after all who would eat your garden growings! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-found-a-snake-what-should-i-do/187510.md?page=2)