Night Snake

The Night Snake is a small, slender colubrid found throughout much of the western United States and adjacent Mexico. Despite its snake-like resemblance to a young rattlesnake, it is unrelated and lacks a rattle.

It belongs to a group of mildly venomous, rear-fanged snakes that use a weak venom to subdue small prey; the venom is not medically significant to people and the species is considered harmless to humans.

• Pale gray, tan, or light brown ground color with dark brown or gray blotches down the back
• Vertically elliptical (cat-like) pupils, unusual among North American colubrids
• Smooth scales and a slightly flattened head
• A pair of dark blotches on the neck often resembling a collar
• Small size, rarely exceeding 46 cm (18 in)

It can be distinguished from young rattlesnakes by its lack of a rattle and narrower head, requiring attention to overall body shape and blotch pattern.

Night Snakes occupy a wide range of arid and semi-arid habitats, including rocky hillsides, desert scrub, grasslands, and open woodland, from near sea level up to about 2,700 m (9,000 ft) in some areas. They are found from the western United States south into Mexico, sheltering by day under rocks, logs, and surface debris.

This species is nocturnal, becoming active after dusk to hunt. It feeds primarily on lizards and their eggs, as well as small amphibians and occasionally invertebrates, using mild venom delivered through enlarged rear teeth to subdue prey. Night Snakes are docile and rarely attempt to bite when encountered. They are egg-laying, with females depositing small clutches of a few eggs in summer.