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Connecticut snakes: ID chart

14 snakes, 2 venomous (listed first). Last checked November 3, 2026.

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The 2 venomous snakes come first: Northern Copperhead, Timber Rattlesnake. The rest follow from A to Z, each with a photo where we have one and a short note on where it lives in Connecticut. The chart prints on letter or A4 paper; on screen, open any name on the Connecticut snakes page for photos, range and sources.

Northern Copperhead
Photo: USFWSmidwest · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Northern Copperhead

Agkistrodon contortrix

Venomous

Populations are spread out in Connecticut, but the greatest abundance of copperheads is found in the Central …

Timber Rattlesnake
Photo: NPS Photo · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Timber Rattlesnake

Crotalus horridus

Venomous

Once documented in over 20 towns in Connecticut, this snake is now limited to isolated populations in about …

Common Gartersnake
Photo: kclarksdnhmorg · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Common Gartersnake

Thamnophis sirtalis

Non-venomous

Common Ribbonsnake
Photo: Rstanton13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized

Common Ribbonsnake

Thamnophis sauritus

Non-venomous

Dekay's Brownsnake
Photo: Judy Gallagher · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Dekay's Brownsnake

Storeria dekayi

Non-venomous

Eastern Hog-nosed Snake
Photo: Joshua Liverman · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Eastern Hog-nosed Snake

Heterodon platirhinos

Non-venomous

Eastern Milksnake
Photo: Tom Norton · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Eastern Milksnake

Lampropeltis triangulum

Non-venomous

Eastern Ratsnake
Photo: Whitney Mattila · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Eastern Ratsnake

Pantherophis alleghaniensis

Non-venomous

Eastern Wormsnake
Photo: Judy Gallagher · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Eastern Wormsnake

Carphophis amoenus

Non-venomous

It has been found throughout Connecticut, except for the extreme northwestern corner.

Northern Black Racer
Photo: Everglades NPS from Homestead, Florida, United States · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Northern Black Racer

Coluber constrictor

Non-venomous

Northern Redbelly Snake
Photo: Rstanton13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized

Northern Redbelly Snake

Storeria occipitomaculata

Non-venomous

Northern Ring-necked Snake
Photo: Peter Paplanus from St. Louis, Missouri · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Northern Ring-necked Snake

Diadophis punctatus

Non-venomous

Northern Watersnake
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Northern Watersnake

Nerodia sipedon

Non-venomous

Smooth Greensnake
Photo: User:Rstanton13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized

Smooth Greensnake

Opheodrys vernalis

Non-venomous

A picture cannot confirm what an animal is or that it is safe. Never handle a wild animal. Sources: Snakes of Connecticut (Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Wildlife Division); Common Gartersnake (Wildlife Fact Sheet) (Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Wildlife Division); Common Ribbonsnake (Wildlife Fact Sheet) (Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Wildlife Division); Dekay's Brownsnake (Wildlife Fact Sheet) (Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Wildlife Division); Eastern Hog-nosed Snake (Wildlife Fact Sheet) (Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Wildlife Division); Eastern Milksnake (Wildlife Fact Sheet) (Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Wildlife Division); and others listed on the web page. stateswildlife.com/connecticut/snakes/