snake found in basement

Chicken snake maybe. Shovel shaped head? If so be VERY careful.....

it's the dreaded african black mamba!!!! immediately commence beating it with sticks!!! python....call animal control, dont touch its mouth.....

stripes dont go from head to tail they go round the body

Is the head shaped like a shovel?

yes but it a baby its hard to really see it the head is so small but it looks kind of like a shovel

[link to signalplusnoise.com]

?

yes kind of

its not that snake

[link to www.rbnc.org]

common brown snake of north carolina

Maybe a corn snake. Look here-many different colors have been selectively bred. They like to climb and explore buildings and the such in search of rats and mice. This one is purple.
[link to www.moreptiles.com]

Its a Rat snake. They are non-venomous and sometimes shake the end of their tail to warn you. Sometimes confused with rattle snake because they do that. Get a 5ft stick and make yourself a choker and catch it and let it go aways from your house. Google "rat snake" ..

This website has a lot of pics of snakes (non-venomous). If you scroll to the bottom of their page, there is a link for pics of venomous snakies:

[link to www.herpadventures.com]

The key sentence here is: "They like to climb and explore buildings and the such in search of rats and mice."

If you can assert he's/she's not a bad one...coexist.

[link to i83.photobucket.com]

lulz
this person has a poisonous serpent in their house, and is posting on GLP for identification...

IF the head even remotely resembles a shovel, smash the snakes fucking face in before it bites you or one of your children.

Dispose of the snake in a hole somewhere, kill it with fire!

you don't have to kill it, just relocate it

be free wittle snakey, be freeeeee!

Oh yea, that ones a keeper...

lol

Does your snake look like this one, (head shape) ????

If so... see my 1st reply.

Very true...

But we are obviously dealing with someone who may get bit.
If it was ME, I would relocate the snake.

But anyone who is not... mentally capable of handling a fucking copperhead should go ahead and kill it.
Just sayin'...