Definitely not a moccasin. The head is all wrong. I might be willing to agree on the black racer, but the young ones I've seen about this size (basing size on the rubble and debris) usually have more grey and more defined blotches in the pattern. Still, it could very well be one that has started darkening early... Yeah, I'll go with Juvie Racer that needs to lay off of the tanning booth. It's the only thing that really comes to mind looking at him.

Well he should get busy eating rats then! This is the first year we have had a problem with rats. We have horses, goats and chickens (actually the chickens belong to my neighbors, they just spend most of their time at our place) and even with all the grain we use, never had a problem with rats until recently. My neighbor thinks it may have something to do with the large amount of rain we had earlier in the year and over the winter. Anyway, it would be nice after taking ten years off my life this snake would take a bite out of the rat population.

Garters can vary quite a bit in coloration and patterning. Some have a checkerboard pattern, others have those stripes, and still others have a combination of both patterns. Color can range from gold to greenish to tan to electric blue in some FL populations and fire-engine red in some coastal SC populations. This one is a checkerboard phase that seems to have a rather bluish cast.

Could be: http://www.calgaryarea.com/calgary_parks/mountainparkmckenzie_fishcreek_park/Garter%20Snake%20Baby.jpg The shade of tan varies among snakes. It might also be a baby rat snake or other non-venomous species.