Brown Snake (Storeria dekayi)
By Lynn, on March 5th, 2008
I was outside in the garden today when I noted the cutest little brown snake crossing the garden path.
I picked him (her?) up and introduced him (her?) to the children presently at home.
These particular brown snakes are not poisonous (I’m not in Australia, mate), and I know that, which is why we held it. Don’t pick a snake up in the wild unless you know what you are doing!
Brown Snakes
- Are often confused with the Eastern garter snake
- Are found frequently in flower gardens where they eat snails, earthworms and slugs
- In the summer bear 4-25 live young
- Can be found from southern Canada to northern Mexico
We did as we should and let the brown snake go, although in the past we have entertained one for a few days in an aquarium. It was very cool at the time to watch the brown snake eat an earthworm right in my son’s hand.
Happy gardening. More to come,
Lynn
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About Lynn
I am the mother of four delightful children: a 23-year-old son, a 20-year-old son, a 17-year-old son, and a bright and bubbly 13-year-old daughter. I share an apartment home with my 17-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter. My little home on the internet is called Rose Cottage because of my love for gardening, roses, and all things romantic and Victorian. Welcome.
I'm a North Carolina girl and I love sharing North Carolina links and information. I do medical transcription from home. My hobbies include making sweet little dolls from clay who are named and have their own stories to tell. I also make old-fashioned brooches. These are for sale in my Etsy shop.
For 13 years continuously, I homeschooled some or all of our four children, but the time came that our homeschool had to be closed. It was the end of a beautiful chapter in my life. I will always be a strong supporter of homeschooling and I will continue to review books and maintain my homeschool website, The Healthy Homeschool. The Players
Lil Ol' Me
Son Daniel, 23
Son, Big Joe, 20
Son, John, 17
Daughter, Michaela, 13
Annie Fatso Beagle
My Symphony
To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never. In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony.
William Henry Channing
1810-1884
What You Do Sow a thought, reap an action.
Sow an action, reap a habit.
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, reap a destiny.
Contact Me 
I would  for you to leave a comment, but you can also e-mail me at lynn AT thehealthyhomeschool.com
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That is an adorable snake.
I just found one in my gardening debris in the garbage can. He must have been swept up with the litter and was just sitting happily in the sun. I’ll show him to my daughter when she gets home.
Maria, I’m not sure how I missed this, but I never said thanks for coming by. He is a cute snake, no?
Sharon, my kids loving seeing things like this!
Lynn
Hi and thanks for that great enlarged picture because it helped me identify the same baby snake today at the bottom of the steps in my apartment complex in Greensboro!!Although I didnt pick it up, lol…(scare-dy cat)!!!
I would like to buy some of these garden snakes to keep pest down.
Any suggestions?
(Cant find any at reptile store)
M.
Houston,Tx.
Teneasha, I am glad the picture helped you. We have neighbors who kills these snakes because they think they are copperheads.
Melwood, I don’t know what to tell you. I wish my cats wouldn’t kill them! Grrr. I think the snakes are usually pretty good at getting away, but our cats have killed a few too this year. Good luck in finding some.
Lynn
We live in a wooded area of South Louisiana and have many brown snakes just like this. They are easy to catch and will spray musk, but have never tried to bite. I do not usually pick up snakes, but I checked it out first. I love that they eat snales. I caught one yesterday that looked exactly like the image above. Thanks for the picture. My dogs like to look for them and follow them, but keep their distance — they are more curious than anything.
yo i found one of those today im so happy i found this site
well if you ask me you dont pick any snake up unless its your pet, even if you are certain it is not poisenous then it could carry diseases from the animals it eats. and you can become infected if it bites you and also the second picture looks like a black headed python? and the first looks like a baby eastern brown, its confusing me??? haha
but melwood if you are looking for a pet snake try the herp trader http://www.herptrader.com.au/TraderMain.html hope it helps
oh and also the snakes are very cute
if i got bit should i go to the hospital or will i be okay???? :/
NOTE: These snakes are really small. I’ve never seen one over about 8 inches long. You can tell by the pictures above of my daughter’s wrist and the plant leaves that these are small snakes.
As I have noted above from the very beginning, DO NOT pick up a snake in the wild unless you KNOW what you are doing — this includes proper ID before you ever even get close enough to hold it.
Claire and Devin, thank you for your comments!
Christine, very good point. I have a cottage garden and these little snakes are all around and we know EXACTLY what they are when we see them and we don’t always pick them up. We just enjoy what they do for the balance of our garden. Again, very good point.
Ty, I have no idea what bit you and I am not a doctor so I cannot give medical advice. If a snake bit me, I would get it checked. I have lived here and have been seeing these Storeria snakes for 20 years and have never seen one that was aggressive or that would bite. I’m sorry to hear you were bitten. I hope you are okay!
Finally – Thanks to you I have identified this exact snake(s) that my cat keeps bringing into the house ALIVE! I’m not one to be scared of non-poisonous snakes as long as I’m prepared for it. But try walking into the room expecting to see your cat playing with a chipmunk, and instead seeing this…not pleasant! We always manage to catch them (actually, they gratefully go into the cup to get away from the cats) and release them under some rocks to be caught again another day…thanks!
Stephanie, yay!
Well, not “yay” that snakes are coming into your house with the cats, but that you found out what kind they are!
have eco system almost in place in my back yard have seen this kind of brown snake 2 years ago as a small snake
this year about 2 feet long and about inch or two in diameter is this a normal size for these brown snakes live in windsor ontario
Oh, without seeing the snake, and since I’m not an expert by any means, I’m not sure at all about the size they may reach in your area or if that is the same snake. Be careful.
I’ve never seen one that big here.
hey it’s not cute by the way!!
It is true that cuteness is in the eye of the beholder.