# Id this snake? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 12, 2016, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-snake/748707 "2016-03-12T01:52:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-snake/748707/1 "2016-03-12T01:52:54Z")
[Pic](http://s294.photobucket.com/user/badger60/media/snake_zpsg8cla65e.jpg.html). Sorry for the poor quality, but a) all I had was my phone, and b) I had a spirited dog at the end of a leash. About a foot long, if it were stretched out. Central South Carolina in a flood plain. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-snake/748707/2 "2016-03-12T02:01:20Z")
Storeria dekayi, aka Dekay’s Brown Snake. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-snake/748707/3 "2016-03-12T02:08:56Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#): > > Storeria dekayi, aka Dekay’s Brown Snake. Any reason why you went with that rather than a [common garter snake](http://srelherp.uga.edu/snakes/pics/thasir3.jpg)? I can’t see any detail in the picture to rule out either possibility. With a length of 12 inches, it’s right in the zone for a small garter or large water snake. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-snake/748707/4 "2016-03-12T02:31:19Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > Any reason why you went with that rather than a [common garter snake](http://srelherp.uga.edu/snakes/pics/thasir3.jpg)? I can’t see any detail in the picture to rule out either possibility. With a length of 12 inches, it’s right in the zone for a small garter or large water snake. Common Garter Snakes tend to have a much more distinctly striped pattern than the snake pictured in the OP (although they are variable and some are less striped). The pattern in the photo appears nearly identical to this [DeKay’s Snake.](http://www.bugsinthenews.com/Texas%20Snake%20Web/dteller%20Sugar%20Land%20TX%20030107%20Storeria%20dekayi%20texana%20WA.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-snake/748707/5 "2016-03-12T04:08:01Z")
Thanks, all. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-snake/748707/6 "2016-03-12T10:17:32Z")
I think that’s Donna. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-snake/748707/7 "2016-03-12T13:30:16Z")
I’m here in the Lowcountry, too. And I’ve got to agree with the [Dekay’s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storeria_dekayi) identification. See them around every now and again. No harm to anyone and just likes to get out of the way. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-snake/748707/8 "2016-03-12T13:53:09Z")
What was your dog’s opinion? ETA: The snake is Colubrid, not Colibrid–whew! Hummingbirds are much nicer. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-snake/748707/9 "2016-03-12T14:16:12Z")
Not really in temperament. Hummingbirds can be mean little bastards. I seem to recall Peterson’s definition for their attitude is ‘pugnacious’. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-snake/748707/10 "2016-03-12T14:54:44Z")
That’s true about temperament, I suppose. Can’t really knock snakes on that. Phlegmatic, generally. Not very hot-blooded. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-snake/748707/11 "2016-03-12T15:07:54Z")
Ne’s pa poison!