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What kind of snake is this? [Eastern Michigan][SOLVED] (i.imgur.com)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by SharkEatingBreakfast@beehaw.org to c/greenspace@beehaw.org
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My kid was excited and picked 'em up. I wouldn't have touched the snake otherwise! I let them know not to do that next time.

Anyone recognize what kind of snake this is? Like, definitively? Thank you!

EDIT: Most likely a Butler's Garter Snake! Thank you to those who posted answers! Much appreciated! (:

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[-] nieceandtows@programming.dev 18 points 1 year ago

I'm not a snake expert, but that looks like a Butler's Garter Snake. It's not dangerous to humans.

[-] SharkEatingBreakfast@beehaw.org 9 points 1 year ago

I thought that might be it!

Think there's only one venomous snake in Michigan, and it didn't look like that, so I figured it was safe. But you never know! Gotta be safe, yeah?

Thank you!

[-] name_NULL111653@pawb.social 10 points 1 year ago

It's just a garter snake. Harmless to humans, some even keep them as pets where I live.

[-] SharkEatingBreakfast@beehaw.org 5 points 1 year ago

We love us some garters! Kid loves snakes and is studying before he gets one for himself one day. Thank you!

[-] confusedwiseman@beehaw.org 7 points 1 year ago

I’d recommend not picking up any snakes you can’t identify.

Does eastern Michigan have anything venomous? Copperhead maybe?

[-] SharkEatingBreakfast@beehaw.org 5 points 1 year ago

I put that in the post body. The kid got a lecture about handling strange wildlife.

We have one venomous snake in Michigan, I believe.

[-] jcarax@beehaw.org 4 points 1 year ago

The Massasauga, just like we have here in Wisconsin. It's just in the far SW of the state, in part of the driftless, so I'd expect it's only far south for Michigan as well. It's a small rattler.

[-] mihnt@kbin.social 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Correct as far as I can tell. Been living here for 13 years 45 minutes north of downtown and have only seen garter snakes.

Source: Was a groundskeeper for 8 years. Many joints were smoked walking around in the woods.

[-] jcarax@beehaw.org 3 points 1 year ago

It's why I moved far north, when I came back to the midwest. There have been way too many encounters with with rattlers and copperheads, in my post-midwest life. I mostly just see garter and gopher snakes here, but I guess there are some pretty huge pine snakes.

[-] confusedwiseman@beehaw.org 3 points 1 year ago

My bad, I guess I failed reading comprehension today.

Glad it got identified and worked out well.

this post was submitted on 02 Sep 2023
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