Please help identify this snake

rez · 10-10-13, 02:07 PM

Hi everyone,
Yesterday we had this snake show up in our garage and i wanted to see if anyone could help identify the snake. I want to make sure it is nothing serious or poisonous.

wrecker45 · 10-10-13, 05:14 PM

Looks like a dekai brown harmless.

rez · 10-10-13, 05:31 PM

if it helps i live in southern california. i was thinking it was a gopher snake

**Pareeeee** · 10-12-13, 12:27 PM

I've never seen a Dekay's Brown Snake with spots like that, highly doubt that's what it is. These markings are very much Gopher Snake - which is a harmless snake.

wrecker45 · 10-12-13, 02:14 PM

Eastern_Brown_Snake.jpg does this look the same

**Pareeeee** · 10-12-13, 08:10 PM

It is similar but it has completely different head markings and no spots down the spine where the snake in OP's pic has spots.

Compare, the Gopher snake has the spots down the spine, the same facial markings as in OP's second pic, and very striking pattern:

Where Storeria dekayi does not, and has more of a "zipper" pattern down the sides. The pattern is more dull than a Gopher Snake's.
Dekay's Brown Snake also has a dark area on top of the head which Gopher Snakes do not.

wrecker45 · 10-12-13, 08:53 PM

I have never seen a gopher snake. But learning is good.