Maybe a young Brown Snake? Here is a link I use when we have unidentified visitors: http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps_of_nc/snakes/snakes.html Don't kill it, he sounds useful.
DH says it looks like a rat or king snake, not poisonous though... agree with kdc, don't kill it. Maybe use a long branch or a rake to relocate it to the woods.
i vote corn snake, also harmless but has a pattern similar to a copperhead, and should have hatchlings about now... http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps_of_nc/snakes/Elagut/Ela_gut.html
I'm certainly no fan of snakes but it's nice to hear folks saying "...don't kill it!". Based solely on probability, I'd bet money it's just a harmless rat snake. Please don't take this as gospel but I think the ones you really have to worry about identifying (copperheads and cottonmouths- rattlesnakes are pretty obvious) have prominent heat pits -heat detectors- on their heads that look like large nostrils.
Thanks. I checked the snake page after I dropped it into a bucket, but wasn't sure which it might be. When I took it out to photo it, it zigged when it should have zagged and got caught in a bad position. It is no longer with us, now dropped in a creek to feed the circle of life. Mean little thing, though.
I'm not after having one as a pet, but I sure think they have their place outside. We have a large black snake living under the shed out back, he's been there for several years. I think he's very cool to look at although I guarantee I will scream like a banshee if he suprises me. :jester:
Tough break for the snake but what can you do? You have to protect your family and you can't take chances with that. I'm still curious as to what it was, though.
My neighbor called me to get one out of her barn the other month. I walked from a bright, sunny day into a dark barn and dang near stepped on him! Scared the heck outta both of us (me and the snake, that is...).
I'm not trying to argue with nobody, but I really do think it's this one: http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps_of_nc/snakes/Stodek/Sto_dek.html
This one is hard to suprise, he is very skittish. I see him poke his head up between the slats of the ramp, but if you open the back door, he is gone before you can blink. When it first got warm, we had two big ole black snakes in the yard at the same time. I just know there are some babies out there somewhere. :jester:
Just lost one of my pet snakes on Friday. She had been with us for about 12 years or so. Down to just 3 now.
I'm sorry to hear that! We get attached to our pets, no matter whether they have fur or not. :grouphug: