I found this little guy at the entrance to my garage.

Ruth n Jersey

Well-known Member
I went out to water my flowers and this little snake was in the entrance to my garage, I guess it is a type of garter snake but looking online I couldn't find the exact markings on the pictured snakes.
I managed to get him in a bucket.
snake closeup.JPG
He was a nasty little thing and would coil up if I got to close with the camera.
But I guess I'd coil up if somebody put me in a bucket.

I took him down our street to where there is a lot of brush, trees and a pond. He can chose his living space as long as he stays out of my garage.
 

I went out to water my flowers and this little snake was in the entrance to my garage, I guess it is a type of garter snake but looking online I couldn't find the exact markings on the pictured snakes.
I managed to get him in a bucket.
View attachment 183766
He was a nasty little thing and would coil up if I got to close with the camera.
But I guess I'd coil up if somebody put me in a bucket.

I took him down our street to where there is a lot of brush, trees and a pond. He can chose his living space as long as he stays out of my garage.
So brave Ruth! I would have run screaming into the street.
 

I find garter snakes occasionally in the yard and sometimes they get in the house somehow. I'm somewhat tolerant of them, even though I hate snakes, because they keep the mouse population under control. The neighborhood cat and falcons help with the effort. There's a big field down the street where I guess the mice immigrate from. Damn immigrants!
 
I agree with those who say California King Snake. It's endemic to the west so if you have it there in New Jersey, it must be a pet that got loose. They are popular as pets because they come in a variety of colors and are not poisonous. He also sounds fairly tame which might mean he's been handled alot by the pet's owner. You said he's nasty but he's not striking out at you.
 
I went out to water my flowers and this little snake was in the entrance to my garage, I guess it is a type of garter snake but looking online I couldn't find the exact markings on the pictured snakes.
I managed to get him in a bucket.
My mind went to the possibility of it being a coral snake

Coral_snake_&_King_snake_mimic.jpg




No matter

I woulda ran down the road, screaming

snakes, any, give me the creeps
 
Looks like this harmless one:
New Jersey also hosts two Milk Snakes (Lampropeltis triangulum) subspecies. The picture shows their colorful bodies. They are habitat adaptable, living in fields, forests, farms and residential areas. Finding Milk Snakes can be as easy as taking a hike and flipping over a few big rocks or logs. The can grow up to on average about three feet in length and the red to orange to dull rust color of the bands makes them easy to spot.
picture of a Milk Snake
 
My mind went to the possibility of it being a coral snake

View attachment 183808




No matter

I woulda ran down the road, screaming

snakes, any, give me the creeps
Several little poems were designed to recognize the two:
"Red, Yellow - Kill a Fellow. Red, Black - Venom Lack." (The Coral snake always has Red & Yellow bands touching. The Scarlet King Snake's Red bands are always touching Black).
 
@Tish and @Lara my son got back from doing work out in California. I am thinking this snake hitched a ride back in his truck. He has been home for about 3 weeks and it isn't far from where he parks his truck in out driveway. Maybe he has been in our yard since then.
Gives me the creeps.
Aha! The mystery is solved lol it's a hitchhiking snake, I don't blame you for being creeped out by it, I certainly would be.
 
I went out to water my flowers and this little snake was in the entrance to my garage, I guess it is a type of garter snake but looking online I couldn't find the exact markings on the pictured snakes.
I managed to get him in a bucket.
View attachment 183766
He was a nasty little thing and would coil up if I got to close with the camera.
But I guess I'd coil up if somebody put me in a bucket.

I took him down our street to where there is a lot of brush, trees and a pond. He can chose his living space as long as he stays out of my garage.
Well done, Ruth, it may be a good idea to put a little sign (about 6" off the floor) in your garage entrance saying:

Snakes prohibited. :)
 

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