Is the Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake venomous?

No. The Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake (Tantilla wilcoxi) 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 Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake poisonous?

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

Is the Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake dangerous?

The Chihuahuan Black-headed 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 Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake?

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

Small burrowing snake

Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake

Harmless

Tantilla wilcoxi

Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake — Tantilla wilcoxi, © quirino

6 photographs of the Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake. © quirino.

The Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake (Tantilla wilcoxi) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family.

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 Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake

Tantilla wilcoxi, also known commonly as the Chihuahuan blackhead snake and la centipedívora de Chihuahua in Mexican Spanish, is a species of snake in the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. The species is Native to the southwestern United States and adjacent northern Mexico.

Etymology

The specific name, wilcoxi, is in honor of United States Army surgeon Timothy Erastus Wilcox (1840–1932), who collected the holotype.

Common names

Additional common names for Tantilla wilcoxi include Arizona black-headed snake, Arizona tantilla, Huachuca black-headed snake, and Wilcox's black-headed snake.

Description

Tantilla wilcoxi may attain a total length (tail included) of 14 in (36 cm). Dorsally, the head is black, followed by a broad white nuchal collar which includes the posterior tips of the parietals, and the body is brown. The smooth dorsal scales are arranged in 15 rows, and the anal plate is divided.

Geographic distribution

In the United States Tantilla wilcoxi is found in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. In Mexico it is found in southeastern Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Coahuila, central Durango, Jalisco, Nuevo León, northeastern Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of Tantilla wilcoxi are forest, shrubland, and desert, at altitudes of 914–2,438 meters (3,000–8,000 feet).

Behavior

Tantilla wilcoxi is terrestrial, and shelters under dead plant material, fallen logs, and rocks.

Reproduction

Tantilla wilcoxi is oviparous.

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake

Is the Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake venomous?: No. The Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake (Tantilla wilcoxi) 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 Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake poisonous?: Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
Is the Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake dangerous?: The Chihuahuan Black-headed 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 Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake?: Tiny and slender, plain brown or tan, often with a darker head cap.
How big does the Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake get?: Tiny, 6–12 in.
Why is it called the Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake?: The specific name, wilcoxi, is in honor of United States Army surgeon Timothy Erastus Wilcox (1840–1932), who collected the holotype.

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 wilcoxi

Keep learning

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