Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus) When alarmed, this snake hides its head and coils its tail upward, revealing its bright reddish to Sharp-tailed Snake (Contia tenuis) orange or yellow underside. It eats salamanders, Sharp-tailed Snakes are secretive in nature and live frogs, small lizards and snakes. underground or hide under logs and rocks. They Lives: In the drier parts of southwest Oregon, the eat small slugs. Willamette Valley, the lower Deschutes River Lives: In southwest Oregon from the Cascades to valley, along the Grande Ronde River and in the coast, in a small area in the north Willamette Hells Canyon. Valley, and along the Columbia River near The Fun Fact: It is named for its bright red-orange Dalles. It is a Protected Species in Oregon. neckband. Fun Fact: All Oregon’s snakes have hinged jaws that can disengage so they can consume food What kids can do to that is wider than their bodies. Snakes help

l Leave snakes where you find them. l Don’t kill snakes—they are beneficial to our environment. l Build a rock pile in a sunny spot for snakes. l Learn about snakes so you can tell the difference between facts and myths. l Never release non-native pet snakes into the wild. Snakes as Pets Some snake species are legal to have as pets in Oregon. Call your local ODFW office for Western Rattlesnake (Croatus oreganus) more information. You will learn why snakes lie in the sun The Western Rattlesnake is Oregon’s only snake Photos: Common Garter Snake, Al St. John; Western Terrestrial Garter Snake, Al St. John; Oregon has 15 species of snakes that whose venom is poisonous to humans. It is Pacific Coast Aquatic Garter Snake, Simon Wray; Northwestern Garter Snake, Al St. John; Gopher Snake, Simon Wray; Night Snake, Al St. John; Common Kingsnake, Alan St. John; slither about the state. People are often and which native snakes are poisonous distinguished from other Oregon snakes by its Racer, Alan St. John; Rubber Boa, Al St. John; California Mountain Kingsnake, Hodo Sondassi, USFWS; Western Ground Snake, Al St. John; Striped Whipsnake, Al St. John; Sharp-tailed to humans (hint, only one). You will also broad, triangular head that is much wider than its Snake, Al St. John; Ring-necked snake, Simon Wray; Western Rattlesnake, Al St. John. afraid of them because they know so neck, vertical pupils and the rattles on the end of its little about them. This fact sheet is full of learn how snakes are an important part tail. It is classified as a Sensitive Species in the Oregon Conservation Strategy of our ecosystem and how to help them. Willamette Valley. ODFW Living with Wildlife, Snakes information about Oregon’s native snakes Lives: In southwest Oregon, the mid-to southern that will help dispel myths Willamette Valley, the Columbia Plateau, and south Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and misunderstandings. central and southeastern Oregon. www.odfw.com the OREGON Fun Fact: Rattlesnakes are born with multiple sets (503) 947-6000 of fangs that are shed and replaced about every CONSERVATION two months. STRATEGY Oregon’s Sensational Snakes

Northern Rubber Boa Western Yellow-bellied Racer (Charina bottae) (Coluber constrictor Mormon) The Northern Rubber Boa eats Common Gartersnake Western Terrestrial Gartersnake The Racer is extremely fast. It can small rodents, mostly mice and (Thamnophis sirtalis) (Thamnophis elegans) Oregon Gartersnake California Kingsnake hold its head and neck above the shrews, and is a good swimmer, Common Gartersnakes are beneficial Despite its name, this snake spends (Thamnophis atratus) (Lampropeltis californae) ground when hunting. It prefers burrower and climber. It measures because they eat slugs, snails and a lot of time near the water. In the warm, dry, open or brushy country 14 to 30 inches. This snake stays close to The California Kingsnake feeds on other yard pests. summer they are most often seen and is often seen crossing roads. Lives: Statewide except along water and eats mostly fish a variety of live prey, particularly Lives: Throughout most of the state. basking in the morning before the Lives: Statewide except along the coast north of Coos Bay, the and amphibians. lizards. It gets quite excited when Fun Fact: All snakes are ectotherms. temperature gets too hot. the north coast and the crest of Cascade crest, a section of the Lives: In Coos, Curry, disturbed and may vibrate its tail, They control their body temperature by Lives: Throughout the state, except the Cascades. Columbia Gorge, and south Douglas, Jackson and hiss or strike. It is classified as a moving in and out of the sunlight. along most of the coast and the crest Fun Fact: It is sometimes seen Harney County. Josephine counties. Protected and Sensitive Species of Cascades. moving in grasslands with its head Fun Fact: Northern Rubber Fun Fact: To escape in Oregon. Fun Fact: It makes its winter den in help up, looking for prey. Boas, Gartersnakes, and Western predators, it dives beneath Lives: In southwest Oregon. rocky areas—often with dozens or Rattlesnakes give birth to live the surface of the water and Fun Fact: These snakes are even hundreds of other snakes. young. The rest of Oregon’s snake hides under rocks. known to eat rattlesnakes species lay eggs. and appear to be immune to their venom.

Northwestern Gartersnake (Thamnophis ordinoides) This snake likes grassy-brushy Western Groundsnake Striped Whipsnake areas and weedy sections of (Sonora semiannulata) (Coluber taeniatus) suburban backyards and city California Mountain Kingsnake This is one of Oregon’s smallest Striped Whipsnakes can grow to five parks. They are most active (Lampropeltis zonata) snakes with adults averaging eight Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer) Northern Desert Nightsnake feet in length. Like Western Yellow- on warm, sunny days. The California Mountain Kingsnake to 12 inches. It eats spiders, The Gopher Snake is a constrictor. (Hypsiglena chlorophaea deserticola) bellied Racers, they sometimes hunt Lives: West of the eats other snakes, lizards, small grasshoppers and insect larvae. It is It tightly coils around its prey to This snake is rarely seen because it hunts with head held above the ground, Cascade Mountains. mammals and the eggs and a Protected Species in Oregon. suffocate it. and moves at night. It eats lizards, which climbing into shrubs to pursue prey or Fun Fact: Gartersnakes nestlings of birds. It is one of Lives: In a small area of Lives: Throughout the state, except it subdues with the help of mildly evade predators. get their names from the Oregon’s most colorful snakes. southeast Oregon. along most of the coast and the poisonous saliva. It is harmless to humans. Lives: In Eastern Oregon. stripes on their body, which It is classified as a Protected and Fun Fact: These snakes are scarce crest of Cascades. Lives: In Eastern Oregon. Fun Fact: All snakes have forked resemble the design on Sensitive Species in Oregon. and hard to catch so biologists Fun Fact: If threatened, a Gopher Fun Fact: Nightsnakes, rattlesnakes tongues that deposit air molecules garters once worn by Lives: In southwest Oregon. don’t know too much about them. Snake vibrates the tip of its tail, and rubber boas have elliptical on receptors in the mouth; thus, men to hold up their socks. Fun Fact: It kills its prey by wrap- flattens its head and hisses, (vertical) pupils. Oregon’s other native snakes “taste” the air, which helps ping around it and suffocating it. resembling a rattlesnake. snakes have round pupils. them locate prey and sense their way in the dark.