Alternate Name(s):

Venom Status:

Non Venomous

Characteristics:

Ground color of this long (to 5+ feet), slender, alert, and agile brushland snake is gray to blue-gray. Several rows of dorsal scales have an almost hidden cream spot on the anterior (attached) edge. Faded stripes can be seen on anterior sides. The throat is white with orange spotting. The belly is multicolored—yellowish anteriorly, blue-gray at midbody, orange posteriorly, and red on the underside of the tail. This snake is an agile climber and may often be seen basking while elevated in the branches of a shrub. Scales smooth in 15 rows.

Unique Features:

Faded stripes; dorsal scales having light edges will help with identification.

Habitat and Diet:

Prefers sandy, dry, open lots, fields, and woodlands. Often seen along grassy, shrub-edged roadsides.

Geographic Range:

TX