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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! (:
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.
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.
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.
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.
My bad, I guess I failed reading comprehension today.
Glad it got identified and worked out well.