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I hope that someone can help me out here. I found a snake skin behind my water heater last night in my house. I don`t know how long it was there but it looked new. The only reason I found it was because I had trouble out of my water heater last night. The skin is brown with two black stripes running down the back. Could this thing still be in my house or is it long gone? Where should I look? I looked last night and could not find it. I live in Alabama and we have had some mild temps for this time of year at times(really cold now) and the last thing I expected to see was the snake skin. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

Sounds like it's possibly a garter snakes shed. I assume the two dark stripes are separated by a lighter, central unbroken line running down the center ? If so, its just a garter snake. If this doesn't describe it exactly, it's likely something else.
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Thane

That was exactly the design that you said. Do you think it could still be in the house? The skin was wet(hot water heater leaking, that`s how I found it and found how it got in) so it didn`t "crumple" when I picked it up. Anyway to tell how old it is?

It COULD still be in the house, especially if it's been cold outside. There are too many variables for me to be able to give advice own whether or not it's there or not or the age of it. It'll most likely stay as far away hidden from people as it can though, will try not to freeze to death, and try to be able to access water once in awhile. I wouldn't worry TOO much. My biggest fear would be it getting stuck and dying in the structure of the house causing a nasty stench.
Thanes Place

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Thane

I don`t mean to keep beating a dead horse here and bombarding you with questions but maybe this will help. I live in NE Alabama. The weather 2 weeks before I found this thing(it was cold when I found it, lows the last two days have been 33 and 15 and tonight 15 again) ranged from the high 50s(maybe 60 one day) to the low 40s(maybe around 35-38 some nights with a couple of frosts thrown in there). The only reason I found the skin was because my hot water heater was leaking and I had to get behind it. There is a space close to it that was dark and secluded(no holes though for it to get away anywhere else, only the hole I found coming up from the bottom)and I checked it throughly and didn`t see anything. I did see the small hole that it came up from and stuffed it. Can you tell how old a skin is? The skin was in water so it wasn`t "brittle" to the touch and still had it`s color. Can you tell from that how old it might have been(skin was about 2-2 1/2ft long)? The plumber said he sees these things all the time and said that the snake could have been in there over the summer or so. My house is not over run with rodents by any means(I never see them) and I have a indoor cat and an outside one as well as a large dog. If the snake were in the house(which I can`t find the thing) wouldn`t the cat be acting funny? Like I said, sorry for 20 questions but if this thing is in there I want to find it before it finds my wife. Hopefully it is long gone in the ground somewhere but the not knowing is the worst part. Thanks for your help.

There's really no way of telling when that snake was in your house, because as you said it's been sittin in water. A snake skin could fully dry out and get put in water and rehydrate. It's from a garter, non poisonous, so i really wouldnt worry. being that cold, he's brumating somewhere, most likely outside. you may want to check though under any close by places that are very close to the ground - if you have a washer or dryer closeby, look under there... under boxes, etc. Look where you think theres no chance of it being, because thats where they go.

as far as the length, i'd say maybe 2 years?

your cat wouldnt be acting funny unless it sees the snake. they don't have a 6th sense to "know" if a snake is close by.

I dont really think theres any way to tell if its still around or not.. but i wouldnt lose sleep over it. If your wife or kids could be fretting about it and losing sleep, tell them that it's out of the house. not gonna hurt them even if its in the house, and they won't know that you dont know if its around or not.
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-Chris

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I wouldnt worry too much about it either. I used to do removal/inspections and its very hard to find an exact location of entry. I would check under cabinets with sinks. Usually around the piping is a small opening that leads under the house. You can block those pretty easily. I once found 18 skins under one house and no snakes so its no guarantee anything is still there.

EP
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Occupants not paying rent:
7 balls
2.1.10 corns(candy cane, creamsicle, ghost, 6 normal, 4 anery )
1 pueblan milk
1 everglades rat
1 cal. king
1 gray band king
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
1 fish
1 mouse
3.3 cats

Thanks for the replies. I probably worded it wrong but I was wondering also if there is anyway to tell how old the skin is rather than the snakes age.

Theres not really a good way to tell. Since it was wet it makes it more difficult. Was it all in one piece? You may be able to find some more skin nearby if not. Check the rafters between the insulation. I know someone said it was a garter but it may have been a rat snake as well. Anyway, if you find more dry skin and it crumbles then its pretty old. If it holds together well then it may be only a few weeks or months old. Still very hard to tell either way.

EP
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Occupants not paying rent:
7 balls
2.1.10 corns(candy cane, creamsicle, ghost, 6 normal, 4 anery )
1 pueblan milk
1 everglades rat
1 cal. king
1 gray band king
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
1 fish
1 mouse
3.3 cats

It was in two pieces. The long part was 2-1 1/2 feet long and the other was maybe 6-12 inches. One part was by the heater and the other was about 2 feet from it. The piece that wasn`t wet was somewhat brittle but didn`t disintegrate when I grabbed it. It did "crunch" when I put in in a paper towel and folded it over. It could be in my insulation I guess and I could try to freeze it out. Do snakes have to eat or drink water when they hibernate? If so I clogged the small hole by the water heater(I can`t believe he fit through that and it was fixed so its no longer leaking) so it`s going to have to find somewhere else to get something to drink. Is there a particular time of year when these thing shed? I`ve heard only spring and summer, I`ve heard only summer, and only spring. Not sure which if any is correct. Thanks for your insight.

What do you mean by freezing it out? Snake shedding depends on how much it eats, there is no shedding season. Do you live near a creek or wooded area? I would honestly not worry too much about it. My guess would be that its gone but if it is under there its just for the shelter and warmth. When was the last time you went under the house?

EP
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Occupants not paying rent:
7 balls
2.1.10 corns(candy cane, creamsicle, ghost, 6 normal, 4 anery )
1 pueblan milk
1 everglades rat
1 cal. king
1 gray band king
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
1 fish
1 mouse
3.3 cats

By freezing it out I mean turning off the heat and leaving the house until Sunday(which we were doing anyway for Xmas stuff). I went under the house yesterday and didn`t see anything. No snake or skin. I live in the country to answer your other question. I have a large field that runs 500 yards behind me and 200 yards to the right and to the left the field goes as far as the eye can see. Behind the fields and to the right and in front of me is wooded areas. There is a pond in the woods behind me also. The nearest house is 1/2 mile away. Now that I think about it I have lived there for four years and have never seen a snake and that`s surprising considering where I live. The skin was the first sign of one that I have noticed. The way I see it the snakes and I have a deal. They leave me alone and I`ll leave them alone. This one broke the deal by coming into my house and if I find it it`s lights out so to speak. Jumping around here again would the "freeze out" work? I thought they needed relative warmth to survive(which is why they go underground).

they do need heat but when they hibernate they kind of shut down. Breeders take their snakes down into the 40s. I assume it goes lower in the wild. I dont think the freeze out will make any difference. I personally dont think youll see it, but if you do please dont kill it. It would take only slightly more effort to catch it and let it go a few miles away.

EP
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Occupants not paying rent:
7 balls
2.1.10 corns(candy cane, creamsicle, ghost, 6 normal, 4 anery )
1 pueblan milk
1 everglades rat
1 cal. king
1 gray band king
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
1 fish
1 mouse
3.3 cats