Is the Baird's Patchnose Snake venomous?

No. The Baird's Patchnose Snake (Salvadora bairdi) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.

Is the Baird's Patchnose Snake poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Baird's Patchnose Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.

Is the Baird's Patchnose Snake dangerous?

The Baird's Patchnose Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

Where does the Baird's Patchnose Snake live?

The Baird's Patchnose Snake has verified records in 1 country, including Mexico. See the distribution section below for its full range.

How do I identify the Baird's Patchnose Snake?

Slender with a bold longitudinal stripe and a large scale over the snout.

Patchnose snake

Baird's Patchnose Snake

Harmless

Salvadora bairdi

Baird's Patchnose Snake — Salvadora bairdi, © quirino

6 photographs of the Baird's Patchnose Snake. © quirino.

The Baird's Patchnose Snake (Salvadora bairdi) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 1 country.

Also called: Patchnose snake
Family: Colubridae
Size: Slender, 2–4 ft.
Habitat: Deserts and dry grasslands.
Behavior: Fast and day-active; the enlarged snout scale helps it dig.
Identify: Slender with a bold longitudinal stripe and a large scale over the snout.

About the Baird's Patchnose Snake

Salvadora bairdi, also known commonly as Baird's patchnose snake and la culebra chata de Baird in Mexican Spanish, is a species of snake in the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. The species is native to central Mexico.

Etymology

The specific name, bairdi, is in honor of American zoologist Spencer Fullerton Baird.

Geographic range

S. bairdi is found in the Mexican states of Aguascalientes, southern Chihuahua, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacán, Morelos, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Sinaloa, Sonora, and Veracruz.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of S. bairdi are forest and shrubland, at altitudes of 1,200–2,400 m (3,900–7,900 ft), but it has also been found in agricultural areas.

Description

In S. bairdi the rostral does not have free edges. The pale vertebral stripe is three dorsal scales wide on the neck, and tapers to one dorsal scale wide on the posterior third of the body.

Behavior

S. bairdi is terrestrial.

Diet

S. bairdi preys upon amphibians, small lizards, and small mammals.

Reproduction

S. bairdi is oviparous. An adult female may lay one or two clutches per season.

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Baird's Patchnose Snake

Is the Baird's Patchnose Snake venomous?: No. The Baird's Patchnose Snake (Salvadora bairdi) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.
Is the Baird's Patchnose Snake poisonous?: Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Baird's Patchnose Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
Is the Baird's Patchnose Snake dangerous?: The Baird's Patchnose Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
Where does the Baird's Patchnose Snake live?: The Baird's Patchnose Snake has verified records in 1 country, including Mexico. See the distribution section below for its full range.
How do I identify the Baird's Patchnose Snake?: Slender with a bold longitudinal stripe and a large scale over the snout.
How big does the Baird's Patchnose Snake get?: Slender, 2–4 ft.
What does the Baird's Patchnose Snake eat?: S. bairdi preys upon amphibians, small lizards, and small mammals.
Why is it called the Baird's Patchnose Snake?: The specific name, bairdi, is in honor of American zoologist Spencer Fullerton Baird.

Where it is found

Mexico

More Colubridae snakes

Classification

How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.

OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards: Squamata
FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits: Colubridae
GenusA close-knit group of very similar species: Salvadora
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name: Salvadora bairdi

Keep learning

Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.