Hello - Help with Snake ID

[honor1231]

I am very familiar with forums so I thought since I am simply here for a snake ID, I would just place it in the intro section so I don't have to introduce myself and also go and make another thread in the general discussion.

I am a resident in Rockland County NY near the Hudson River. I found a rather small snake in my basement but it had a peculiar pattern (for a person oblivious to all things reptiles such as myself). I have a few photos attached. It is about 8 inches in length. Someone has identified it as a Corn Snake, but I still want to get everyone's opinion on this forum.

Apologies if I still misplaced this thread.

Thanks in advance,

Honor

[infernalis]

Nerodia Sipedon. Common (and harmless) water snake. A close cousin to the garter snake.

[honor1231]

Thank you so much!

[bigsnakegirl785]

Hello and welcome. Second the water snake.

[SSSSnakes]

Hi neighbor. I'm Orange County, NY. I'll make it a 3rd for a water snake. harmless.

[Starbuck]

to those that answered water snake; i absolutely defer to your judgement;
but before i read your posts and was looking at the picture my thoughts were 'a very dark eastern milk'. Since i am native to the hudson valley, i wanted to know how you all arrived at water snake? It didnt seem to have the typical nerodia look i am used to? I guess im just wondering what the characters you picked up on were. thanks.

[SSSSnakes]

to those that answered water snake; i absolutely defer to your judgement;
but before i read your posts and was looking at the picture my thoughts were 'a very dark eastern milk'. Since i am native to the hudson valley, i wanted to know how you all arrived at water snake? It didnt seem to have the typical nerodia look i am used to? I guess im just wondering what the characters you picked up on were. thanks.

The head shape and eye location are off. It's missing the head pattern and the body pattern is not correct. All slight differences, but noticeable by experienced herpers.

[Pirarucu]

Welcome aboard!

[infernalis]

Right here where I live, we have Lampropeltis triangulum & Nerodea sipedon both on the same property, been here since 1973, guessing I know the difference by now.

Hmmm... did I mention I have kept both species ;)

[SSSSnakes]

Right here where I live, we have Lampropeltis triangulum & Nerodea sipedon both on the same property, been here since 1973, guessing I know the difference by now.

Hmmm... did I mention I have kept both species ;)

With that said, I to live where both species are common for over 30 years and I DO keep both species.

NEVER doubt Wayne, he has never been wrong since I have known him.

[bigsnakegirl785]

I've seen enough juvenile and adult water snakes around here that I can usually ID them in photos, but some angles are little weird for me. I've caught one Eastern milk where I live, but their heads are different than the water snake's. Also, from most of the photos of the milks I've seen, the bands don't extend all the way down their sides like water snake's.

[Donnie]

Hello and welcome

[Starbuck]

i guess i was confused by how light the 'grey' areas between the bands appeared, most of the nerodia i have seen tend more towards brown. Thanks for clarifying!

[warehouse13fan]

to those that answered water snake; i absolutely defer to your judgement;
but before i read your posts and was looking at the picture my thoughts were 'a very dark eastern milk'. Since i am native to the hudson valley, i wanted to know how you all arrived at water snake? It didnt seem to have the typical nerodia look i am used to? I guess im just wondering what the characters you picked up on were. thanks.
it's a northern water snake, I live next to a stream full of them and I've kept four in the past few years..... so I should know the difference between a eastern milk and a water snake. If you look closely, the scales look rough, milk snakes have smooth looking scales.