Plains black-headed snake
Tantilla nigriceps
Tantilla nigriceps
HARMLESS
Description:
This small snake is either brown or gray in color, and has an obvious black head and neck. Its belly is a light color and usually has a pink line that runs down its center. It has smooth scales and the anal plate is divided.
Size:
Adults 7 - 12 inches (18 - 31 cm)
Prey:
Centipedes and insect larvae
Reproduction:
Typically lays 1 - 3 eggs in early summer
Habitat:
Rocky and grassy hillsides, where the soil stays moist
Other Information:
This snake is rear-fanged, but uses its mildly toxic saliva to subdue its prey. It poses absolutely no threat to humans. It spends a lot of time under rocks and in the burrows of other animals.
Why doesn't the range map show this species in my county?
This small snake is either brown or gray in color, and has an obvious black head and neck. Its belly is a light color and usually has a pink line that runs down its center. It has smooth scales and the anal plate is divided.
Size:
Adults 7 - 12 inches (18 - 31 cm)
Prey:
Centipedes and insect larvae
Reproduction:
Typically lays 1 - 3 eggs in early summer
Habitat:
Rocky and grassy hillsides, where the soil stays moist
Other Information:
This snake is rear-fanged, but uses its mildly toxic saliva to subdue its prey. It poses absolutely no threat to humans. It spends a lot of time under rocks and in the burrows of other animals.
Why doesn't the range map show this species in my county?
