He is a gorgeous rat snake. That will take care of any rodents around your house, although I hope the owls don't eat him.
I don't mind snakes, but usually put socks on my hands if I pick one up. With the black snakes (Southern Black Racers) which are what I usually see, they will strike at you if you grab or corner them, and their little stubby teeth can break the skin. But if you wear loose socks on your hands the teeth get stuck in the sock material, then the snake truly can't hurt you and you both can relax.
I did a stupid thing a few years ago and put bird netting over my lychee tree to try to protect the fruit from the birds and squirrels. Didn't work at all except I had three black snakes get stuck trying to slither through the netting (their heads are smaller than their bodies and they can't back up). Hence the snake rescue operation c/w socks. I even had one get caught up in a mounted orchid that I had tied to the mount using that wicked bird netting (after I removed it from the tree). He was slithering along the ground with a large hunk of cork and an orchid attached to him. I made my (terrified) DH hold the cork/snake while I grabbed his head with my socky hands and cut the netting off him.
Only use that bird netting on orchids hanging up high and inside the cage now.
