Is the north american racer venomous?

The north american racer is harmless. Harmless and non-venomous, despite the scientific name. Racers do not constrict; they pin prey and swallow it.

How do you identify a north american racer?

Uniform colour with a matte satin finish and no pattern. Extremely fast, and usually seen departing.

Where do north american racers live?

They are found in 47 US states, in habitats including grassland, woods, farmland and suburban.

North American Racer

Harmless

Coluber constrictor · also called black racer, blue racer, yellow-bellied racer

The racer is exactly what its name suggests: a fast, slender, alert, day-active snake that will be gone before you finish registering that it was there. It hunts with its head raised above the grass, which is a distinctive silhouette, and it is one of the few North American snakes that genuinely relies on speed rather than camouflage.

Venom: Harmless and non-venomous, despite the scientific name. Racers do not constrict; they pin prey and swallow it.
Adult length: 36–60 inches (91–152 cm)
Markings: Uniform satin black, slate blue, olive or brown above with a plain pale belly and usually a white chin. Juveniles are strongly blotched and look nothing like the adults.
Habitat: grassland, woods, farmland, suburban
Family: colubrid
Range: 47 US states

How to identify a north american racer

Uniform colour with a matte satin finish and no pattern.
Extremely fast, and usually seen departing.
Large eyes and an alert posture, often with the head raised above vegetation.
Juveniles are blotched, which fools people into calling them young copperheads.

What it does when it sees you

Flees at speed. If cornered it will strike repeatedly and thrash, and it bites more readily than most harmless snakes — but the bite is a set of pinpricks, nothing more.

What the north american racer is confused with

One test settles each of these.

Eastern ratsnake →

Ratsnakes are glossier, heavier, slower, and show faint blotching in strong light. Racers are matte and quick.

Eastern indigo snake →

Indigos are far heavier bodied with an iridescent blue-black sheen and a red or cream chin.

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 north american racer? Identify it step by step →