Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My friend found a baby snake went he went up north (We live in Michigan) and gave it to me. I've been trying so hard to identify him, but so far the closest thing that looks like him is a Copper-bellied water snake. We thought he was a water snake originally because he moves so fast in the water.

He's brown on his back and his underside is bright red.
He's about 11 inches long right now (he's very small and thin)

We've been feeding him baby crickets and feeder fish.

If anyone can identify this snake, plz let me know..

AIM screenname: MamasxDucky
Email: Jez138@writing.com

I'm going to take some pictures of him soon, so I'll be able to send them.

Thanks!

Knowing where your friend found the snake would help, though not as much as a picture or three. You live in Michigan & your friend found it up north...Canada?

~~Greg~~

Not as far up as Canada...I'm not sure exactly. My digital camera sucks so I'm going to ask to use my boyfriend's so I can get some clear pictures. I'm going to find out where exactly he found him next time I talk to my friend. I remember him saying it was near a lake, or pond...

Sounds like it could be a Red-bellied Snake. Many times when people post here about finding a baby snake, it turns out to be an adult Red-bellied or Brownsnake.

>>We've been feeding him baby crickets and feeder fish.

Do you mean you have been force feeding him this stuff or that he has been eating it?

A red-bellied snake would naturally eat worms and slugs, and possibly a cricket or two. It probably wouldn't eat fish.
A young watersnake might eat fish, but would ignore the crickets.
-----
Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

He seems to be eating the crickets,I think..I was wanting to try feeding him worms and bugs by the water and stuff like that.

The redbellies I've caught in MI as a kid would never eat for me. I tried worms and slugs.

Anyway - Does it curl it's upper lip when you're holding it? Redbellies will do that, and it would be a dead giveaway.

Does it have a pattern on it's back? An 11-inch northern watersnake would be a young'un and would have a very pronounced light and dark brown (if not almost black and white) pattern on it's back.
A redbelly snake that size would be an adult and might even have a couple of slightly darker stripes running down the length of its back.

Does it have a pattern on it's underside at all? Or is it solid red?

His underside is pure red, and his back is brownish-black with line type patterns. I havent noticed anything about his lip tho. His head is so small, it would be hard to notice.

I was thinking he was just a red-bellied snake. (the ones that dont get very big at all)

I was so sure he was a water snake tho...

I tried feeding him mealworms..
I cant find slugs anywhere.

Sounds like Redbellied to me too. Check link for pics of MI snakes
MI Snakes

Does it look like this?If so,it's a red belly snake.

YES!!

..He's a little darker on the back, and theres not any yellow, but other then that, that's exactly him.

thanks!!!