Snakes in Québec

Quebec has 8 recorded snake species and none of them are venomous. Snake diversity here is among the lowest in North America, which is what you would expect this far north. Canada's cold climate sets a hard limit on how many snake species can survive, and Quebec sits well within that constraint.

The long northern winters are the main reason the count stays low. Snakes are cold-blooded and cannot stay active in deep cold, so the species that live here spend much of the year in hibernation, often gathering in communal dens below the frost line to wait out the winter together. Only the hardiest, most cold-tolerant species manage to establish populations this far north, which keeps the total small.

Every snake in Quebec is harmless. The common species are garter snakes, which are the most cold-tolerant snakes in the Americas, along with redbelly snakes, ringneck snakes, and watersnakes near lakes and streams. None of these pose a danger to people. Even so, you should never handle a wild snake. Leave it alone and give it space, and if a bite or a medical concern ever arises, contact your local emergency services or, in the United States, Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.