What is the most common snake in Oregon?

Harmless species vastly outnumber venomous ones. In Oregon 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 Oregon?

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 Oregon

Q: How many venomous snakes are in Oregon?

Oregon has 1 venomous species: Western Rattlesnake. The western rattlesnake is Oregon's only venomous snake, and it is absent from the wet coastal northwest.

1 venomous species · 5 species covered

The western rattlesnake is Oregon's only venomous snake, and it is absent from the wet coastal northwest.

Venomous snakes in Oregon

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

Western RattlesnakeVenomous

Blotches with pale edges, becoming bands towards the tail.

Harmless snakes in Oregon

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.

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.

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 Oregon

Already filtered to Oregon. 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.

5 possibilities

from 1 of 6 answered

1 venomous species is 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.