re: Herpetology advice

Update. Snake was caught when moving some materials in back yard. It was also injured at that time as its tail was accidentally crushed up to but not past the chloaca. It is about 2.5 ft long and SUPER docile. We are only wanting to keep it for a for months as it heals then release back into yard. We have a 50 gal aquarium to put it in, a hollowed out piece of oak bark for a hiding place, and can use cypress mulch for bedding. No petco or pet store here.

Food, water, heat. Throw in a couple of hiding spots. That's about it with snakes. The heat really isn't even critical for native colubrids, if you're keeping them in a heated home. I'd still use an under tank heater though, especially since the snake is injured.

There are tons of care sheets, forums, and facebook pages dedicated to the care of snakes. You can probably find food on craigslist, if you don't have a box store near you. You can also order frozen rodents online, but it's not really cost effective unless you're ordering in bulk.