Hatchling Northern Water snake?

I agree with dbd, although it is a newborn and not a hatchling. Watersnakes have live young.

Yeh, that's what I meant. Let him go in a pond or lake. Or if you want to raise him, get some feeder fish from the pet shop and put them in his water bowl. They don't make good pets though.

watersnake? really? it was not found near water. not showing any aggressive posture. every waternake I have ever seen was really quite nasty in disposition. My daughter is only 7 so I doubt we'll be keeping it. I was leaning toward a Eastern milksnake I have seen adults near the area where it was found earlier this Summer. there is a v or Y shaped marking on the head. here's another image.

Definitely Northern Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon). The young ones, as this one is, often wander away from water and sometimes hang out around cattle ponds and other things. You are right, that most are aggressive, but some really tiny ones don't try to bite. Like the others said, let it go at the nearest creek or lake.

Not a milksnake, definitely a watersnake.

ah, yes! such amazing things happen when you have the Latin genus!
Nerodia sipedon brought up the movement and much clearer decriptions. dead on. thanks so much.