Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This snake was found in Clay County, Missouri on Saturday, 10-31-09. I'm not that familiar with Garter snakes, but this animal looks very different than most I see around here. We are in northwestern Missouri, so this may be an Eastern Plains Garter snake, according to Johnson, T.J. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Missouri, 2nd Edition. It seems to have a continuous solid gray dorsal stripe and light brown lateral stripes. It is very light gray with no yellow, red, or black. It measures apporimately 10 inches. I'm just interested if this coloration is typical. Certainly not one I've ever found in this part of Missouri. Thanks for the help.

Thank you again for any comments.

RLK

It is a dekay snake.Not a eastern garter.

Yep,looks like a Dekay's to me also! Jeff

Agree, definately a Storeria dekayi.

fyi for the original poster, it is commonly called a Dekay's brown snake, Dekay's, or just brown snake.
They are very common here in Iowa and also in Missouri as well, although they are not seen as often as garters or as well known, probably due to their very small size.
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Jeff Benfer
gartersnakemorph.com

That's a Texas Brown Snake (aka DeKay's Snake).
Here's a Northern Brown from Ohio:

Third Eye

Thank you to all who posted. I'm terribly sorry about that. I briefly saw the snake and assumed based on size of what it was. I identified later in the light and after I posted here on your forum. It was quite large (almost 10" TL) and had the defensive nature of a garter. Sorry again for the mistake, but I certainly appreciate the resource you folks offer. Another Midland Brown ID'ed and back in the wild!