How many venomous snakes are in Arizona?

Arizona has 8 venomous species: Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Prairie Rattlesnake, Mojave Rattlesnake, Sidewinder, Western Rattlesnake, Massasauga, Black-tailed Rattlesnake, Sonoran Coral Snake. Arizona has more rattlesnake species than any other state. Most encounters are at dusk or after dark between April and October.

What is the most common snake in Arizona?

Harmless species vastly outnumber venomous ones. In Arizona the snakes people most often report are gopher snake / bullsnake, common garter snake, north american racer — none of which are dangerous.

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

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 Arizona

8 venomous species · 14 species covered

Arizona has more rattlesnake species than any other state. Most encounters are at dusk or after dark between April and October.

Venomous snakes in Arizona

These are the species worth being able to recognise. Every one of them would rather avoid you than bite.

Western Diamondback RattlesnakeVenomous

Black and white tail rings of roughly equal width just before the rattle.

Prairie RattlesnakeVenomous

Oval blotches with light borders, not sharp diamonds.

Mojave RattlesnakeVenomous

White tail rings clearly wider than the black rings — the reverse of a western diamondback.

SidewinderVenomous

Raised horn-like scale above each eye.

Western RattlesnakeVenomous

Blotches with pale edges, becoming bands towards the tail.

MassasaugaVenomous

Nine large plates on the crown of the head, like the pygmy rattlesnake and unlike the larger rattlesnakes.

Black-tailed RattlesnakeVenomous

Entirely black tail, with no banding, ahead of the rattle.

Sonoran Coral SnakeVenomous

Small and glossy, usually under 18 inches.

Harmless snakes in Arizona

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

Gopher Snake / BullsnakeHarmless

Large dark brown or black squarish blotches on a cream, tan or yellowish ground, becoming crossbands on the tail.

Common Garter SnakeHarmless

Three pale lengthwise stripes — one down the spine and one along each side — on a dark ground, often with a checkerboard of dark spots between them.

North American RacerHarmless

Uniform satin black, slate blue, olive or brown above with a plain pale belly and usually a white chin.

CoachwhipHarmless

Typically dark at the head and fading to tan or pink towards the tail, where the scale pattern resembles a braided whip.

Ring-necked SnakeHarmless

Smooth slate-grey or blue-black above with a bright yellow or orange ring around the neck and a matching yellow, orange or red belly, sometimes spotted with black.

Brahminy BlindsnakeHarmless

Shiny dark grey to purplish-black, the same thickness from end to end, with no visible neck.

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 Arizona

Already filtered to Arizona. 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.

14 possibilities

from 1 of 6 answered

8 venomous species are still on this list

Venomous species are listed first regardless of how likely they are, because that is the one you need to rule out.