Colubridae
Green Rat Snake
HarmlessSenticolis triaspis
6 photographs of the Green Rat Snake. © Madison Harman.
The Green Rat Snake (Senticolis triaspis) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 10 countries.
- Family
- Colubridae
About the Green Rat Snake
The Green Rat Snake belongs to the Colubridae family, colubrids. The largest snake family, and the one most snakes you meet belong to.
Colubridae is by far the biggest family of snakes, with roughly two thousand species worldwide. It is a catch-all of mostly slender, agile, day-active snakes: ratsnakes, kingsnakes, gartersnakes, watersnakes, racers, whipsnakes, and hundreds more. The vast majority are harmless to people and kill prey by grabbing or constricting rather than with venom.
Its genus, Senticolis, covers Green rat snakes. A single slender, climbing rat snake of the southwestern United States and Mexico, harmless to people and often green or olive as an adult.
The Green Rat Snake is non-venomous and harmless to people. Like most snakes it is a quiet predator that helps keep rodents and other small prey in check.
It has been recorded across 10 countries, including Mexico, the United States of America, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras. In the United States it turns up in Arizona and New Mexico.
Field-guide summary compiled from taxonomy and verified occurrence records. Detailed natural-history notes for this species are still being added.
Frequently asked: Green Rat Snake
- Is the Green Rat Snake venomous?
- No. The Green Rat Snake (Senticolis triaspis) 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 Green Rat Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Green Rat Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Green Rat Snake dangerous?
- The Green Rat Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Green Rat Snake live?
- The Green Rat Snake has verified records in 10 countries, including Mexico, United States of America, Costa Rica. See the distribution section below for its full range.
Where it is found
By U.S. state
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
- Senticolis
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Senticolis triaspis
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.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.