Warmer-than-normal temps bringing out unwanted guests

[JCox]

I'm watching TV in the basement and something catches my attention out of the corner of my eye. I look to see a snake making his way across the floor. It was only about 1.5 feet, pretty small. This isn't the first snake that we've had in the house but I would have never expected one in the winter. It has been unseasonably warm here this winter, we've been close to 60 the past few days. Still, makes me wonder if it's been in the basement for sometime now or if it made its way from outside. Anyway, I finally cornered it in the bathroom and got it into a rubbermaid container, man was it mad. It was striking the broom like crazy. Took it down to the stream and let it go, hope it makes it. Here's a pic of him right before I got it in the rubbermaid.

[Casey]

Very pretty little fellow huh.

[JCox]

Yeah, he was definitely cool looking. I actually like snakes, I believe they are beautiful creatures. My wife thinks just the opposite, she freaks out each time I've had to 'rubbermaid' a snake. This is the 5th one in the past 4 yrs. She actually avoided the basement for over a month after we found the first one. This past summer I found one in our laundry room in the basket as I was loading the washer. It was the exact same kind as this one but a baby. That's what makes me think that this one may have been from the same litter and has been down there all winter.

[Twitterbait]

What kind is that, just a standard garter?

[JCox]

It's not a garter, I think it's a banded water snake. It's definitely a water snake of some kind and not venomous. The only venomous ones around here are the copperheads. Our next door neighbor has found 2 of those in his basement. Luckily, we have yet to run across any inside the house. I've ran across a few outside, though. Smell of cucumbers, tell tale sign one is near.

[Casey]

Well good thing hes not venomous,I dont really care for snakes to much but he is a cool one.