Hello, all.

I'm new here and hope that someone can help me out.

I was out walking today in a wooded area where the town has residents dump their garden scraps. Saturdays (today) are a busy day. I was walking on the gravel heading through the woods when I nearly stepped on a dead snake at the side of the road. I looked again and realized that the snake, a Garter was very much alive, but not moving much. I figured out that its back end, perhaps half of its body seemed to be slightly squished and paralyzed. It was undulating its front end, trying to crawl away, but couldn't. It's tongue was flicking too. The very tip of its tail looked like it was dry and about to fall off. I guessed it might have been run over by a car, but no - it would have been totally squished. Perhaps someone stepped on it?

I left it alone and went on my way, but my conscience got the best of me, and a couple of hours later I went back to look for it and make sure it was ok - what I mean is that I was hoping it would be gone, and that I was wrong about it's injuries. Well, when I returned, the snake was in the same place, still undulating now and then, but less than before, and no flicking tongue. It was much colder, so I figured it was just a bit slow because of that.

I brought the snake home and put it in a plastic tub with a little bit of water and some wet leaves. It barely moved, and a few times I thought it might be dead.

I just checked on it again, and it's paralyzed part is stiff, though the rest of it's body is supple. It's tongue isn't flicking any more, and it's mouth is a little off - like it's sucking on a big wad of dirt on one side.

Oh, forgot to mention it's eyes are cloudy, and it looks like it's shedding skin around it's head. I researched enough to know that this can make a snake lethargic, but it's the paralyzed, stiff lower half of the body that has me concerned. That and the funny mouth.

Any thoughts? Broken back? Squished insides and in the process of dying? I don't plan to keep this guy as a pet, I just want to see him through the weekend until animal rescue can or will take him in.
Thanks in advance, and please let me know if there's any important information I've left out!

~ E