Found snake on train from Canada...

suzi · #1 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 02:00 AM

Here's the situation: my boyfriend is a builder, and yesterday they got a train load of wood in from Qubec, Canada. Inside a knothole of a 2x4, buried in the pile, was this lil tiny snake. I mean, only 3" long. Being little and not from around here, he brought said baby home. Little brown guy, but I don't think it's a garter. Sooo, any sites that might have pics. of Canadian natives? I don't know how to post pics. or I would... it's set up in a temp. tank, but I don't know how accurate it is, or if I can even safely set it free here in Ohio. Help?

faze · #2 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 02:05 AM

picture?? im pretty sure somebody will know... i'll also point some canadian herpers i know to this post so they can try to id

suzi · #3 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 02:13 AM

Thanks faze, I'll be waiting... and trying to figure out how to post pictures. It sucks that I'm not smarter than a computer.

faze · #4 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 02:19 AM

email it to me fazed1@earthlink.net and pm me when its sent

thomasito · #5 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 02:26 AM

A friend of mine i chat with lives in Canada .. he said it's a earth worm snake

suzi · #6 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 02:29 AM

thomasito-?????? it does kinda look like a worm... I'll search that, thanks

Faze- I don't even know how to do that! I'm a failure.

thomasito · #7 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 02:42 AM

No prob

suzi · #8 (**permalink**) 10-23-2003, 03:36 PM

Another site, sporting Canada in its banner, gave me some pics. Turns out the lil one is a Dekay's snake. ? Looks like what we call a Garter snake here, but this guy is so small, no obvious markings yet. So I guess at this point my options are slim, I don't feel right releasing him into our ecosystem, just in case. A quick search said worms, slugs, snails as food. Anything else? Do I really have any other options?

John_White · #9 (**permalink**) 10-23-2003, 04:02 PM

No longer called the Dekay snake, the northern brown snake (Storeria dekayi dekayi) probably crawled in to the wood pile to hibernate. If possible I suggest that you place the snake in a cool place, like a unheated garage or basement and let it hibernate. No need to feed it until spring but do make sure that it has access to fresh water.

suzi · #10 (**permalink**) 10-24-2003, 02:43 PM

Yep, that's him. I spoke with a local Naturalist yesterdayand was told that when we get a little warmer day I could release it. To be honest, I'm a little nervous of that. However, I also spoke to a Biologist from the Wildlife Rehab Center in Akron, Oh., and was told the same thing. I don't have a garage or basement soooo... he's still here until I'm sure of what's best for him. Waiting on a call from my Vet for advice. I don't want to keep him to long, if release is an option, but I also don't want to jump the gun. UGH, I hate Drama.

John_White · #11 (**permalink**) 10-24-2003, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suzi

Yep, that's him. I spoke with a local Naturalist yesterdayand was told that when we get a little warmer day I could release it. To be honest, I'm a little nervous of that. However, I also spoke to a Biologist from the Wildlife Rehab Center in Akron, Oh., and was told the same thing. I don't have a garage or basement soooo... he's still here until I'm sure of what's best for him. Waiting on a call from my Vet for advice. I don't want to keep him to long, if release is an option, but I also don't want to jump the gun. UGH, I hate Drama.

Actually, the snake should not be released in your area if it's from a different region and in most states it's illegal to do so. Here's why:
1) The snake could be carrying a bug or virus that it's own population has evolved/grown to resists. This "new" bug could decimate your local nonresistant population of animals.

2) Each species has it's own local race usually defined by geographic location / habitat. Each race develops or evolves peculiar traits that improve it's chances of survival. Releasing a snake from a different geographic location could potentially impact the local race and pollute the genetics of the local population in a negative manner.

The best thing to do is to: Return the snake to where it originated or keep the snake in captivity.

suzi · #12 (**permalink**) 10-25-2003, 05:58 PM

You know, not one person said anything about localcality specific bugs or viruses. It was all just, " They're native here, too, so set him free." I knew someone would bring up a point nobody else thought of! Good looking out John!
I'm sure as heck not going to Canada in the near future, so step two is to find someone that loves me and has a garage...hmmm.

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