Venomous snakes in Texas
Venomous snakes living in Texas
11species, plus 3 with rare records
Western diamondback rattlesnake, Cottonmouth, Prairie rattlesnake, Timber rattlesnake, Mojave rattlesnake, Black-tailed rattlesnake, Rock rattlesnake, Texas coral snake, Copperhead, Pygmy rattlesnake, Western massasauga. A bite from any of these is a medical emergency.
How to recognize them
Western diamondback rattlesnakeDangerous4,500 records, 167 counties
CottonmouthDangerous1,790 records, 116 counties
Prairie rattlesnakeDangerous677 records, 81 counties
Timber rattlesnakeDangerous278 records, 50 counties
Mojave rattlesnakeDangerous579 records, 9 counties
Black-tailed rattlesnakeDangerous768 records, 25 counties
Rock rattlesnakeDangerous614 records, 15 counties
Texas coral snakeDangerous896 records, 97 counties
CopperheadMedically significant3,139 records, 138 counties
Pygmy rattlesnakeMedically significant271 records, 34 counties
Western massasaugaMedically significant228 records, 32 counties
Western diamondback rattlesnake Crotalus atrox
- Gray to tan with dusty diamond blotches
- Black and white bands of equal width just before the rattle
- Two pale stripes on the face
Cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus
- Heavy, dark olive to black body; bands fade with age
- Broad flat head with a dark stripe through the eye
- Swims with the whole body high on the water
Prairie rattlesnake Crotalus viridis
- Greenish gray to brown with dark blotches down the back
- Blotches narrow into bands near the tail
- Two pale lines on the side of the face
Timber rattlesnake Crotalus horridus
- Dark V- or chevron-shaped bands across the back
- Black tail ending in a rattle
- Yellow, tan or dark phases; some are almost black
Mojave rattlesnake Crotalus scutulatus
- Greenish to tan with diamonds that have clean pale edges
- White tail bands wider than the black ones
- Pale stripe behind the eye ends above the corner of the mouth
Black-tailed rattlesnake Crotalus molossus
- Solid black tail before the rattle
- Olive, yellow or greenish body with dark diamond patches
- Black mask across the snout
Rock rattlesnake Crotalus lepidus
- Small rattlesnake with crisp dark crossbands
- Gray, bluish or pinkish body that matches limestone or granite
- Rattle on the tail
Texas coral snake Micrurus tener
- Red, yellow and black rings; red touches yellow
- Black snout
- Red rings often have black speckles
Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix
- Copper to tan body with dark hourglass bands: wide on the sides, narrow on the spine
- Plain coppery head with no pattern
- Young snakes have a bright yellow-green tail tip
Pygmy rattlesnake Sistrurus miliarius
- Small with a thin tail and a tiny rattle that sounds like a buzzing insect
- Gray or tan with dark round blotches
- Often a reddish stripe down the spine
Western massasauga Sistrurus tergeminus
- Pale gray with dark brown blotches down the back
- Small rattle
- Nine large plates on top of the head
Every venomous snake species known from the US is on this site.
Counties with records
- None recorded
- 1 species
- 2
- 3 to 4
- 5 or more
Active months
Rare records
- Rare records Eastern diamondback rattlesnake 4 open records
- Rare records Ridge-nosed rattlesnake 1 open record
- Rare records Sonoran coral snake 1 open record
Harmless snakes people mistake for them
- Cottonmouth vs Water Snake Water snake: harmless
- Copperhead vs Northern Water Snake Northern water snake: harmless
- Cottonmouth vs Banded Water Snake Banded water snake: harmless
- Copperhead vs Corn Snake Corn snake: harmless
- Copperhead vs Rat Snake Rat snake: harmless
- Copperhead vs Milk Snake Milk snake: harmless
- Cottonmouth vs Diamondback Water Snake Diamondback water snake: harmless
- Pygmy Rattlesnake vs Hognose Snake Eastern hognose snake: harmless
- Copperhead vs Hognose Snake Eastern hognose snake: harmless
Water snakeHarmlessHarmless
Northern water snakeHarmlessHarmless
Banded water snakeHarmlessHarmless
Diamondback water snakeHarmlessHarmless
Eastern hognose snakeHarmlessHarmless
Corn snakeHarmlessHarmless
Rat snakeHarmlessHarmless
Milk snakeHarmlessHarmless
Scarlet snakeHarmlessHarmless
Gopher snakeHarmlessHarmless
Quick answers
- Lives here Are there rattlesnakes in Texas?
- Lives here Are there copperheads in Texas?
- Lives here Are there cottonmouths in Texas?
- Lives here Are there coral snakes in Texas?
Questions
How many venomous snakes are in Texas?
11 species live in the state: Western diamondback rattlesnake, Cottonmouth, Prairie rattlesnake, Timber rattlesnake, Mojave rattlesnake, Black-tailed rattlesnake, Rock rattlesnake, Texas coral snake, Copperhead, Pygmy rattlesnake and Western massasauga.
Which venomous snakes in Texas are dangerous?
Western diamondback rattlesnake, Cottonmouth, Prairie rattlesnake, Timber rattlesnake, Mojave rattlesnake, Black-tailed rattlesnake, Rock rattlesnake, Texas coral snake, Copperhead, Pygmy rattlesnake and Western massasauga: a bite is a medical emergency.
When are venomous snakes most active in Texas?
Most open records fall in April to June, August to September.
Which harmless snakes get mistaken for venomous ones in Texas?
Water snake, Northern water snake, Banded water snake and Corn snake. See the side-by-side comparisons below.