What is the most common snake in Alaska?

Harmless species vastly outnumber venomous ones. In Alaska the snakes people most often report are — none of which are dangerous.

What should I do if I see a snake in Alaska?

Back away and give it room to leave. Do not attempt to catch, move or kill it. If someone is bitten, call emergency services immediately and keep the limb still.

Snakes in Alaska

Q: How many venomous snakes are in Alaska?

Alaska has no venomous snakes. Alaska has no established native snakes of any kind. Occasional reports are escaped pets or misidentified animals.

Alaska has no venomous snakes

Alaska has no established native snakes of any kind. Occasional reports are escaped pets or misidentified animals.

Harmless snakes in Alaska

Far more common than the venomous species, and the source of nearly every alarming snake report. Several are actively useful to have around.

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.

Identify what you saw in Alaska

Already filtered to Alaska. Add the markings, size and behaviour to narrow it further.

1.Which state are you in?

The most powerful question here. Most states have only one or two venomous species, and several have none at all.

2.What were the markings like?

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Judge this from the back of the snake. Whether the pattern continues onto the belly is the single most useful thing to notice with a ringed snake.

3.How big was it?

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People consistently overestimate snake length, so this only narrows things roughly — neighbouring sizes stay on the list.

4.Where did you see it?

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Habitat rules out a surprising amount. A snake several feet up a tree is very unlikely to be a pit viper.

5.Did it do any of these?

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Behaviour is often more reliable than colour. Pick everything you actually saw — not what you think it might have done.

6.What colour was it?

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Deliberately last, and it never removes anything from the list. Snakes look completely different when wet, shedding, or seen in shade.

0 possibilities

from 1 of 6 answered

Nothing matches all of that.

The answer causing the conflict is the state. Clear it and the list comes back.

Stuck? A photo may be quicker.

Describing something you are looking at is harder than photographing it. Reptile Identifier AI reads the image directly, works offline, and does not need you to put the thing into words first.

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