Posted by Seradin Engram on August 2, 2007

Q: My dad was cutting the grass just this morning when he saw a tiny little white snake. No other colors or rings or anything on it. Just white. It was about 6 inches long and very beautiful. I would like to know what type of snake it is and what I can do to take care of it. My dad put him in a little bucket with some water and leaves. I hope we haven't harmed him!

Thanks so much!

Habitat: suburban/yard

State: New York

Habitat: suburban/yard

A: So glad you included a photo Seradin as your description had me scratching my head. You said your snake was "white" but the photo shows a tan snake with lots of little markings along its body - the details are really important for making an identification. If you're talking about the snake in the photo, although it is a little bit out of focus, it looks very much like a Northern Brown Snake (Storeria dekayi) to me. This is a timid snake that never gets very large (9-13") and is totally harmless, as you might suspect. Brown snakes feed on slugs, earthworms and soft-bodied insects. Their food preferences and small size makes them especially difficult to keep healthy in captivity so I'd recommend releasing your little guy soon. Thanks for sharing and I'm so glad you have such a nice positive attitude toward snakes.

John Wiessinger ( August 3, 2007)