Is the eastern milk snake venomous?

The eastern milk snake is harmless. Harmless and non-venomous. Beneficial around buildings, where it hunts mice and other snakes.

How do you identify a eastern milk snake?

Saddles are outlined in sharp black; copperhead bands have no black outline. Black-and-white chequerboard belly.

Where do eastern milk snakes live?

They are found in 29 US states, in habitats including woods, farmland, suburban, indoors and rocky.

Eastern Milk Snake

Harmless

Lampropeltis triangulum · also called milk snake, checkered adder, house snake

The milk snake earned its name from the old belief that it drank milk from cows — it was actually in the barn for the mice. It is secretive, mostly nocturnal, and frequently found under boards, in basements and in old foundations. Its bold red-and-black pattern gets it mistaken for both a copperhead and a coral snake, and it is neither.

Venom: Harmless and non-venomous. Beneficial around buildings, where it hunts mice and other snakes.
Adult length: 24–42 inches (61–107 cm)
Markings: Red-brown saddles with crisp black outlines on a pale grey or tan ground. A pale Y or V marking sits on the back of the head. The belly is a black-and-white chequerboard.
Habitat: woods, farmland, suburban, indoors, rocky
Family: colubrid
Range: 29 US states

How to identify a eastern milk snake

Saddles are outlined in sharp black; copperhead bands have no black outline.
Black-and-white chequerboard belly.
Pale Y or V-shaped mark on the back of the head.
Smooth, glossy scales — milk snakes look polished, copperheads look matte.

What it does when it sees you

Shy and usually hides. If cornered it vibrates its tail and may strike, but the bite is trivial.

What the eastern milk snake is confused with

One test settles each of these.

Copperhead →

Copperhead bands are copper without black outlines and pinch narrow over the spine. Milk snake saddles are black-edged and sit on the back.

Eastern coral snake →

Coral snake rings go right around the body and red touches yellow. Milk snake saddles stop at a chequered belly.

Before anything else

Back away and leave it alone. A snake that can see you leaving has no reason to bite. Most bites in the United States happen to people who picked up, cornered, or tried to kill a snake.
Never handle a snake to identify it. Every identification on this site can be made from a photo or from several feet away.
If someone is bitten, call emergency services now. Keep the limb still and below the heart, remove rings and watches, and go to hospital. Do not cut, suck, apply ice, or use a tourniquet — all of these make outcomes worse.
Do not try to catch the snake for identification. A photo from a distance is enough, and hospitals treat symptoms rather than species.

In the US, the Poison Help line is 1-800-222-1222. This site is a reference, not medical advice.

Not sure it was a eastern milk snake? Identify it step by step →