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?
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?
