Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake

About the Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake

Is the Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake venomous?

No. The Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake (Salvadora deserticola) 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 Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.

Is the Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake dangerous?

The Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

How do I identify the Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake?

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

How big does the Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake get?

Slender, 2–4 ft.

More Colubridae snakes

• 
  Western Patch-nosed Snake
  Salvadora hexalepis
• 
  Texas Patch-nosed Snake
  Salvadora lineata
• 
  Mountain Patch-nosed Snake
  Salvadora grahamiae
• 
  Baird's Patchnose Snake
  Salvadora bairdi
• 
  Mexican Patchnose Snake
  Salvadora mexicana
• 
  Pacific Patchnose Snake
  Salvadora lemniscata
• 
  Oaxacan Patchnose Snake
  Salvadora intermedia
• 
  Salvadora gymnorhachis
  Salvadora gymnorhachis

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 deserticola

Keep learning

• What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
• Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
• What Is a Snake? Anatomy and the BasicsA clear overview of what makes a snake a snake: limbless body plan, anatomy, evolution from lizards, species diversity, and why they are ectothermic.
• How to Keep Snakes Out of Your Yard and HomeA practical guide to keeping snakes out of your yard and home using habitat changes that work, plus what to skip and what to do if one shows up.