Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We found a baby snake, 8 inches long, in our basement. Sorry no photograph. My husband said he looked it up on the internet and it was an eastern garter snake or garden snake. But I thought garter snakes had stripes lengthwise. This little guy had bands around him not stripes lengthwise. Looked to me like he was dark grey with whiter multiple bands up and down his body.

He took off into our closet, but later we found him again and were able to get him oustide. We were trying to push him further away from the house using our pool net, and he start raising his head up and struck out at the net. We kind of flung him further out in the wooded area. I hope he is okay and keeps heading away from our house.

Any ideas on what type of snake it might me? We live in St. Louis, Missouri.

Thanks.

Look at the post just before your post. There's a pic of a young black racer. This could well be what you had. You are correct in that garter (not garden or gardener) snakes are striped.

~~Greg~~

my first guess woukld be a baby water snake,probably midland or northern,from the description....these are usually,but not always,found close to water,and it is pretty common to find them seeking shelter in buildings/etc. this time of year...i suppose it could have been a kingsnake as well,but my first guess is a nerodia species(water snake)...though they are brown as adults,the bands in many species are black and light gray/white/silver....good job not killing it,surely does'nt sound like a venomous snake.