Sharp-Tailed Snake

The sharp-tailed snake is a small, secretive colubrid restricted to the Pacific coastal region of North America, found from southern British Columbia through Washington, Oregon, and into California. It is named for the distinctive sharp, spine-like scale at the tip of its tail.

It is a habitat specialist closely tied to moist woodland with abundant cover, and its patchy distribution and secretive habits have made it a species of conservation interest in parts of its range, particularly in Canada.

The species is non-venomous and completely harmless to humans.

• Small, slender, cylindrical body with smooth scales
• Reddish-brown, brownish-gray, or orange coloration on the back, often with a series of dark crossbands or blotches on the belly
• Distinctive sharp, hardened spine at the very tip of the tail
• Small head barely wider than the neck
• Adults typically 20-40 cm (8-16 in)
• The checkered black-and-white or black-and-cream belly pattern is a useful identifying feature

Found in a narrow coastal strip from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon into California, favoring moist woodland, grassland edges, and rocky slopes with ample surface cover. Frequently found under rocks, logs, and bark in areas with decomposing organic material.

Highly secretive and largely fossorial, spending nearly all of its time underground or beneath surface cover, rarely seen in the open even at night. It feeds almost exclusively on slugs, using its unusual tooth structure and sharp tail tip to help anchor and manipulate prey during feeding. It is entirely harmless and non-defensive, and if disturbed may press its sharp tail tip against a surface rather than biting. Reproduction is egg-laying, with very small clutches of just a few eggs.