Is the Bocourt's Black-headed Snake venomous?

No. The Bocourt's Black-headed Snake (Tantilla bocourti) 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 Bocourt's Black-headed Snake poisonous?

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

Is the Bocourt's Black-headed Snake dangerous?

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

Where does the Bocourt's Black-headed Snake live?

The Bocourt's Black-headed Snake has verified records in 1 country, including Mexico. See the distribution section below for its full range.

How do I identify the Bocourt's Black-headed Snake?

Tiny and slender, plain brown or tan, often with a darker head cap.

Small burrowing snake

Bocourt's Black-headed Snake

Harmless

Tantilla bocourti

Bocourt's Black-headed Snake — Tantilla bocourti, © Carlos Martínez

6 photographs of the Bocourt's Black-headed Snake. © Carlos Martínez.

The Bocourt's Black-headed Snake (Tantilla bocourti) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 1 country.

Also called: Small burrowing snake
Family: Colubridae
Size: Tiny, 6–12 in.
Habitat: Under rocks, logs, and leaf litter across many habitats.
Behavior: Secretive, burrowing insect- and centipede-eaters; almost never seen above ground.
Identify: Tiny and slender, plain brown or tan, often with a darker head cap.

About the Bocourt's Black-headed Snake

Tantilla bocourti, also known commonly as Bocourt's black-headed snake and la serpiente de cabeza negra de Bocourt in Mexican Spanish, is a species of snake in the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Mexico.

Etymology

The specific name, bocourti, is in honor of French zoologist Marie Firmin Bocourt.

Description

A small snake, the holotype of Tantilla bocourti has a total length of 24.5 cm (9.6 in), which includes a tail 5 cm (2.0 in) long. It has the following coloration in alcohol. Dorsally, it is pale reddish, without spots or markings. The head is black, with a yellowish crossbar on the snout and a yellowish, black-edged occipital crossbar (nuchal collar) just behind the parietals. Ventrally, the body is whitish, as is the upper lip.

Geographic range

Tantilla bocourti is found in central Mexico, in the Mexican states of Aguascalientes, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacán, Morelos, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Veracruz, and Zacatecas.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of Tantilla bocourti is forest.

Reproduction

Tantilla bocourti is oviparous.

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Bocourt's Black-headed Snake

Is the Bocourt's Black-headed Snake venomous?: No. The Bocourt's Black-headed Snake (Tantilla bocourti) 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 Bocourt's Black-headed Snake poisonous?: Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Bocourt's Black-headed Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
Is the Bocourt's Black-headed Snake dangerous?: The Bocourt's Black-headed Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
Where does the Bocourt's Black-headed Snake live?: The Bocourt's Black-headed Snake has verified records in 1 country, including Mexico. See the distribution section below for its full range.
How do I identify the Bocourt's Black-headed Snake?: Tiny and slender, plain brown or tan, often with a darker head cap.
How big does the Bocourt's Black-headed Snake get?: Tiny, 6–12 in.
Why is it called the Bocourt's Black-headed Snake?: The specific name, bocourti, is in honor of French zoologist Marie Firmin Bocourt.

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: Tantilla
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name: Tantilla bocourti

Keep learning

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