Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi..
Never posted here before, I am normally seen on the building cages, and python areas but today I caught a little snake at my work to save it. I think it is just a black rat snake but I could be wrong all together. I work in a Huge beer warehouse, and some of the "office" people decided to clean out a room that's needed it for a while and to their shock, this little guy was hanging out under a shelf. I was in the warehouse and heard all types of screaming... I went inside and heard someone say "It's a snake,kill it!" I immediately ran in and said "NO!!, I'll get it!" So I got him into a temporary enclosure and snapped a few bad pics, but here he his. (I live in central AL. and snake was caught in dark warm room about 9:30am, He is grey/black and about 2 feet in length, golden/yellow belly and very feisty) Thanks for looking!

I want to say yellow-bellied water snake, but I don't have my field guides at hand.
In any case, Its a water snake.
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

I agree, that's a Yellow-Bellied Water Snake. It's definitely not a Black Rat Snake; central Alabama is Gray Rat territory.

I'm in central Alabama myself; exactly where are you?

Hi, thanks for the replies. I am in Montgomery, AL. What would a water snake be doing inside of a beer warehouse where there is not much water at all? Don't doubt you guys just curious as it seems odd, no?

Lots of possible answers there, but it's a real good bet that it was looking for food. Maybe nearby toads?
It could also have come in search of water or simply cool air.
Many snakes seek shelter in underground fissures, caves, and grottos in the heat of summer.
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

Maybe it's a new species... The yellow bellied beer snake...
Beautiful snake, BTW
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0.1.0 Ball Python - Shaman
1.0.0 Green Iguana - Ike
1.0.0 Tokay Gecko - Fang
2.2.0 Cats - Pumpkin, Furball, Pixie, Stitch
1.0.0 Cockatiel - Ozzy
0.1.0 Budgie - Tweetie
1.0.0 Dwarf Rabbit - Floyd, R.I.P. Rascal
0.0.1 Rat who was too friendly to be eaten - Scabbers

....like they said above,definitely one of the 'plain-bellied' water snakes....gotta be either copper-,red-,or yellowbellied.
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"with head raised regally,and gazing at me with lidless eyes,he seemed to question with flicks of his long forked tongue my right to trespass on his territory" Carl Kauffeld

Red Bellied watersnake...
Adults can reach near 4.5- 5 feet per one source. so if yours is 2 feet it's still young. Juveniles can have a yellowish underside.

If that was in my area I would definitely say Yellow Bellied Water Snake not sure what subspecies of N. Erythrogaster is in your area though. As far as why it was found away from water, i've seen water snakes before that were nowhere near any water they can go a considerable distance from it. I have a friend that has all types of water snakes and the occasional cottonmouth come into his front and backyards all the time yet there's no water around for at least half a mile. Back in May a young Blotched Water Snake popped up in the outfield at my younger brothers high school baseball field during their practice, which is nowhere even near water.

Thanks alot for all the replies and info. When I get some time from work I will take the snake to a creek way out in the woods to release him. I just wanted to get him out of that warehouse where he was destined for death. (sadly)

It is a yellow belly water snake