Types of patch-nosed snakes

Salvadora is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae, the largest and most diverse snake family. The common name patch-nosed snake comes from the single large, free-edged rostral scale that sits over the tip of the snout, a distinctive feature thought to help these snakes dig in loose soil and root out buried prey and eggs. With 9 species in our database, Salvadora is a modest, well-defined group centered on the dry country of the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America.

The genus is a creature of warm, open, arid and semi-arid land. Its range runs from the desert Southwest of the United States down through Mexico and into parts of Central America, across deserts, scrublands, grasslands, rocky slopes, chaparral, and dry brushy flats. These are terrestrial, sun-loving snakes built for speed across open ground, and they are most often seen moving quickly through the day rather than hiding from the heat.

Patch-nosed snakes are recognizable as a group by a slim, lightly built body, a fairly distinct head, large eyes suited to daytime hunting, and the namesake enlarged rostral scale over the snout. Most members are patterned with clean longitudinal stripes, typically a pale stripe down the back bordered by darker stripes on the sides, in shades of tan, yellow, cream, and brown that blend with dry soil. This striped, racer-like look together with the patch over the nose is the easiest way to place a snake in this genus in general terms.

On venom and safety, patch-nosed snakes are non-venomous to humans and are considered harmless. They are not front-fanged and pose no medical venom threat to people. Like many fast, nervous colubrids they may bite if grabbed and can release musk, but they have no venom that endangers a person. Even so, it is good practice never to handle a wild snake you cannot positively identify, since lookalikes exist and a frightened snake will defend itself. If anyone is ever bitten by a snake they cannot identify, treat it as a medical matter and call US Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or your local emergency services.

Ecologically, patch-nosed snakes are fast, visually oriented daytime hunters. They feed on small lizards and their eggs, along with small mammals, snakes, and reptile eggs, using speed and the shovel-like rostral scale to chase down and dig out prey. Like the great majority of colubrids, Salvadora species are egg-layers, producing clutches of eggs that hatch into independent young. They are alert and quick to flee, relying on speed and camouflage in open terrain rather than confrontation.