Oklahoma Snakes Ultimate Species & Safety Guide (With Pictures)

There are many different Oklahoma snakes with widely ranging forms and sizes. Big, small, brown, black, orange, dangerous, harmless, Oklahoma has it all.

We’ll take a look at everything from the harmless water snakes in Oklahoma to the enormous, and highly venomous, timber rattlesnakes.

In Short

In this guide, I’ll teach you about:

• Oklahoma snake identification
• Common snakes native to Oklahoma
• How to deal with snakes when you find them
• Identifying venomous (often called poisonous) snakes in Oklahoma

I’ll also share pictures of many Oklahoman snake species, and useful resources for educating yourself about and dealing with snakes.

Oklahoma Snake Identification Basics

When you’re learning to identify snakes, amphibians, or other animals, there are a few characteristics to bear in mind. These are the snake’s

• Size
• Color and Pattern
• Head and Pupil Shape
• Locality and Habitat Type

Below, I’ll explain how each of these works, and why it’s important.

Length

Most snakes only reach a certain length, which is the average length for the species.

In exceptional cases, a snake species might reach larger sizes than it usually would – this is known as the maximum length.

By knowing both the average and maximum length for a species, you can easily rule out many species.

For example, the small brown snakes are impossible to confuse for the large garter snakes or timber rattlesnakes.

Locality and Habitat Type

As with a snake’s size, most snakes have an average or preferred habitat type. You won’t find water snakes in dry, sandy areas, but you won’t find hog-nosed snakes outside of them.

Taking note of the habitat type might be the key to identifying a species when two possibilities reach similar sizes and have similar distribution ranges.

Speaking of distribution ranges, the geographical location where you discover a snake also plays a part in identifying them.

Most animal species have a well-defined distribution range. By looking at the distribution maps for any particular species, you can easily discern if it occurs in the area where you found a snake.

Head and Pupil Shape

Different groups of snake species have different head shapes. By taking note of the shape, you can easily discern whether a snake belongs to a certain group.

For instance, pit vipers have diamond-shaped or triangular heads. Harmless snakes like the black rat snake and black-necked garter snake have heads that are shaped much like the rest of their bodies.

Snakes also have various pupil shapes, specifically:

• Round
• Vertical
• Horizontal

In Oklahoma, you’re only likely to encounter round and vertical pupils.

All the venomous snakes found in Oklahoma have vertical, slit-shaped pupils. All other species have round pupils.

Color and Patterning

While the coloration and patterning of a species can vary significantly, these visual cues are still essential for positive identification.

For example, if you see black snakes in Oklahoma they definitely won’t be rough green snakes or ring-necked snakes. However, they can easily be black rat snakes.

Brown snakes with blotches or bands are impossible to confuse for the plain black of worm snakes.

While trying to identify a snake using a single identification characteristic can quickly lead you astray, noting multiple characteristics leads to accurate identification.

Quickly Identifying Venomous Snake Species

Since there are only seven or eight venomous species in Oklahoma, they’re fairly easy to identify.

All of these potentially dangerous species are pit vipers, which makes telling them apart even easier. They all share the following characteristics:

• Slit-shaped pupils
• A rattle-like tail adaption (in rattlesnakes)
• Heat sensing pits between the eyes and nostrils
• Large, wide heads with a diamond-like or triangular shape
• Neutral coloration that will blend well with leaf litter or rocky areas
• A thick, robust body shape – irrespective of the snake’s overall length

Which Snakes Live in Oklahoma?

The snakes of Oklahoma include several venomous species, most of which belong to the pit viper group. No substantiated claims exist of the coral snake occurring in the region.

• The Pit Viper Family
  • Eastern Copperhead – Agkistrodon contortrix
  • Northern Cottonmouth – Agkistrodon piscivorus
  • Broad-banded Copperhead – Agkistrodon laticinctus
  • Pygmy Rattlesnake – Sistrurus miliarius
  • Western Massasauga – Sistrurus tergeminus
  • Prairie Rattlesnake – Crotalus viridis
  • Timber Rattlesnake – Crotalus horridus
  • Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake – Crotalus atrox

Most of the non-venomous snakes fit into one of the following main groupings:

• Hog-nosed Snakes
  • Plains Hog-nosed Snake – Heterodon nasicus
  • Eastern Hog-nosed Snake – Heterodon platirhinos
• Kingsnakes and Milksnakes
  • Prairie Kingsnake – Lampropeltis calligaster
  • Western Milksnake – Lampropeltis gentilis
  • Speckled Kingsnake – Lampropeltis holbrooki
• Watersnakes
  • Broad-Banded Watersnake – Nerodia fasciata
  • Common Watersnake – Nerodia sipedon
  • Plain-bellied Watersnake – Nerodia erythrogaster
  • Diamondback Watersnake – Nerodia rhombifer
• Rat snakes and Cornsnakes
  • Black Rat Snake – Pantherophis obsoletus
  • Slowinski’s Cornsnake – Pantherophis slowinskii
  • Great Plains Rat Snake – Pantherophis emoryi
• Blind Snakes
  • Texas Blind Snake – Rena dulcis
  • New Mexico Blind Snake – Rena dissecta
• Brownsnakes
  • Red-bellied Snake – Storeria occipitomaculata
  • Dekay’s Brownsnake – Storeria dekayi
• Crowned Snakes
  • Flat-headed Snake – Tantilla gracilis
  • Plains Black-headed Snake – Tantilla nigriceps
• Garter Snakes
  • Plains Garter Snake – Thamnophis radix
  • Western Ribbon Snake – Thamnophis proximus
  • Common Garter Snake – Thamnophis sirtalis
  • Checkered Garter Snake – Thamnophis marcianus
  • Black-necked Garter Snake – Thamnophis cyrtopsis

The rest of the non-venomous species are singular representatives of their genera. They include the following:

• Mudsnake – Farancia abacura
• Coachwhip – Masticophis flagellum
• Lined Snake – Tropidoclonion lineatum
• Scarletsnake – Cemophora coccinea
• Glossy Snake – Arizona elegans
• Ground Snake – Sonora semiannulata
• Gopher Snake – Pituophis catenifer
• Rough Earth Snake – Haldea striatula
• Long-nosed Snake – Rhinocheilus lecontei
• Ring-necked Snake – Diadophis punctatus
• Rough Green Snake – Opheodrys aestivus
• Smooth Earth Snake – Virginia valeriae
• Glossy Swampsnake – Liodytes rigida
• Western Worm Snake – Carphophis vermis
• North American Racer – Coluber constrictor
• Chihuahuan Nightsnake – Hypsiglena jani
• Graham’s Crayfish Snake – Regina grahamii

Most Common Snakes in Oklahoma

According to iNaturalist, the most common snakes in Oklahoma include the following species:

1. Western Rat Snake – Pantherophis obsoletus
2. Plain-bellied Watersnake – Nerodia erythrogaster
3. Dekay’s Brownsnake – Storeria dekayi
4. Ring-necked Snake – Diadophis punctatus
5. Western Ribbon Snake – Thamnophis proximus
6. Rough Earthsnake – Haldea striatula
7. Diamondback Watersnake – Nerodia rhombifer
8. Rough Green Snake – Opheodrys aestivus
9. Northern Cottonmouth – Agkistrodon piscivorus
10. North American Racer – Coluber constrictor

Rat Snakes

The rat snake in Oklahoma is a common species, and rat snakes are common inhabitants of most of the United States.

These non-venomous snakes are useful controllers of the rodent population.

Brownsnakes

The Brownsnake, or brown snake, in Oklahoma is a common resident of forested areas with moist soils. The red-bellied snake is a close relative with similar habits.

Water Snakes in Oklahoma

Water snakes are common animals around water sources like rivers and marshes. They feed mainly on fish and amphibian prey.

Garter Snakes

Unlike many other snakes, the garter snakes and ribbon snakes are habitat generalists. They live anywhere where the small mammals they feed on are abundant.

Ring-Necked Snake

The ring-necked or ringneck snake is a striking species with a bright orange belly that serves to warn off predators.

North American Racer

The North American Racer, Black Racer, or Blue Racer, is one of the longest snakes on the North American continent.

Rough Green Snake

The Rough Green Snake, sometimes known as a grass snake, is vibrant green and blends well into any form of green vegetation.

Rough Earth Snake

The rough earth snake gets its name from its slightly raised scales and earthy coloration.

Venomous Snakes in Oklahoma

Of the 44 snake species in Oklahoma, only seven species with venom are common. However, there are eight venomous types in all. They are the:

• Eastern Copperhead – Agkistrodon contortrix
• Northern Cottonmouth – Agkistrodon piscivorus
• Broad-banded Copperhead – Agkistrodon laticinctus
• Pygmy Rattlesnake – Sistrurus miliarius
• Western Massasauga – Sistrurus tergeminus
• Prairie Rattlesnake – Crotalus viridis
• Timber Rattlesnake – Crotalus horridus
• Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake – Crotalus atrox

Eastern Copperhead

Broad-banded Copperhead

Northern Cottonmouth

Pygmy Rattlesnake

Western Massasauga

Prairie Rattlesnake

Timber Rattlesnake

Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes

The Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes deserve a special mention as they’re the largest venomous snakes in the region.

Non-Venomous Snakes in Oklahoma

Oklahoma has so many harmless species that it would be impossible to highlight them all. However, let’s take a look at some of the most intriguing species in the area.

Glossy Snake

Western Worm Snake

Plains Black-Headed Snake

What You Need to Know

There are several things you should know about snakes to help you deal with them appropriately:

1. Snakes consider humans to be predators, not prey.
2. Most snakes are as eager to get away from you, as you are to escape from them.
3. Snake bites aren’t common, with only around 7,000 recorded for the entire United States every year.
4. Of the venomous bites recorded every year, only around five related fatalities occur in the US annually.
5. Most snake attacks are the result of someone interfering with a snake, rather than because a snake was simply aggressive.

Snake Safety 101

If you follow some basic precautions, it’s easy to protect yourself from snake bites. We recommend following these simple guidelines:

• Avoid entering overgrown areas with limited visibility.
• Keep your pets on leashes and your children close to you.
• Wear sturdy shoes whenever you enter the potential habitat for a venomous species.
• Stick to well-defined hiking and jogging trails so you don’t stray into the home of a pygmy rattlesnake or other snake species.
• Stay alert and keep a close eye on the places where you’re walking – allowing your mind to wander can be fatal when you’re in pit viper territory.

Above all, never bother a snake in any way. Most of the reported snake bites each year happen when someone tries to catch, kill, or otherwise bother a snake species.

About Venomous Snakes

Most venomous snakes in this region rely on camouflage to protect themselves. This is standard defensive behavior for pit vipers like the prairie rattlesnakes.

Unfortunately, unlike most harmless species, this reliance on camouflage means that pit vipers don’t try to escape, they just stay put. This behavior makes it easy to step on them.

It’s important to remember that even bites from venomous species like timber rattlesnakes are rarely fatal.

Medical advances have brought us to the point where we can counteract most venoms.

However, whenever you’re entering the habitat of a venomous species, try to protect yourself using the tips given above.

Snakes don’t want to hurt you, they’re just hard to see and easy to step on. If you pay careful attention to where you’re walking and don’t bother a snake if you find it, you’ll be fine.

If You Encounter a Snake

When you encounter a snake, you don’t need to do anything.

If you’re too close to the snake, back away slowly and observe it from a safe distance. You can take photos and make observations if you’d like.

Never taunt or bother snakes in any way, and you’re unlikely to have any problems. In the next section, we’ll discuss when to call for help.

When to Call for Help

Very rarely will you need to do anything if you come across a snake. The two situations when you might need to call for reinforcements are:

1. When the snake is in danger or poses a danger to someone else.
2. When the snake has bitten you, someone else, or someone’s pet.

If you face either of these situations, call for help using the details in the resource section below.

Useful Resources

I’ve constructed a list of useful resources for you to use if you encounter a snake, or want to learn more about these animals.

Emergency Poisoning Advice

Poison Control Center’s national hotline: 1-800-222-1222

ASPCA Poisoning Hotline: 1-888-426-4435

Snake Relocation Services

If you need to relocate a snake, consider using the following resources:

• The Game Warden Directory of Oklahoma will help you track down a warden in your area.
• The Free Snake Relocation Directory group on Facebook can also help you get in touch with freelance snake wranglers.

Educational Resources

There are several excellent educational resources out there to help you learn about snakes in your region:

iNaturalist is a brilliant website that helps you learn about animals and how to identify them. It also offers opportunities for connecting with other wildlife enthusiasts.

The Oklahoma Center for Poison and Drug Information also has a useful guide to venomous snakes.

Related Articles to Oklahoma Snakes Identification Guide

If you’re a traveler, and interested in identification guides for other states, have a look at the following:

• Alabama Snakes Identification Guide
• North Carolina Identification Guide
• Missouri Snakes Identification Guide

You can also check out my other articles about snakes – we have vital guides that you can learn from!