Oklahoma snakes: ID chart

48 snakes, 8 venomous (listed first). Last checked November 3, 2026.

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The 8 venomous snakes come first: Broad-banded Copperhead, Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Massasauga, Prairie rattlesnake, Pygmy rattlesnake, Timber rattlesnake, Western diamondback 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 Oklahoma. The chart prints on letter or A4 paper; on screen, open any name on the Oklahoma snakes page for photos, range and sources.

Broad-banded Copperhead

Venomous

Copperhead

Agkistrodon contortrix

Venomous

Forty-six species of snakes are native to Oklahoma.

Cottonmouth

Agkistrodon piscivorus

Venomous

Massasauga

Sistrurus catenatus

Venomous

Prairie rattlesnake

Crotalus viridis

Venomous

Pygmy rattlesnake

Sistrurus miliarius

Venomous

They are largely absent from patches of prairie in the eastern part of the state.

Timber rattlesnake

Crotalus horridus

Venomous

Western diamondback rattlesnake

Crotalus atrox

Venomous

Black ratsnake

Pantherophis obsoletus

Non-venomous

Black-necked gartersnake

Thamnophis cyrtopsis

Non-venomous

Blindsnake

Leptotyphlops dulcis

Non-venomous

No confirmed photo of Broad-banded watersnake

Broad-banded watersnake

Nerodia fasciata

Non-venomous

Broad-banded watersnakes occur in aquatic habitats across southeastern Oklahoma reaching the central-southern …

Brownsnake

Storeria dekayi

Non-venomous

The Dekay's brownsnake can be found throughout most of Oklahoma, with the exception of the panhandle and the …

Bullsnake

Pituophis catenifer

Non-venomous

Checkered gartersnake

Thamnophis marcianus

Non-venomous

Coachwhip

Masticophis flagellum

Non-venomous

The eastern and western coachwhips in Oklahoma occur—with respect to their names—east or west of I-35.

Common gartersnake

Thamnophis sirtalis

Non-venomous

Diamond-backed watersnake

Nerodia rhombifer

Non-venomous

Eastern hognose snake

Heterodon platirhinos

Non-venomous

Eastern hog-nosed snakes can be found in woodlands, farmlands and sandy areas across all of Oklahoma except …

Flat-headed snake

Tantilla gracilis

Non-venomous

Glossy crayfish snake

Regina rigida

Non-venomous

The Oklahoma distribution is restricted to the southeastern part of the state, largely the upper coastal …

Glossy snake

Arizona elegans

Non-venomous

Graham’s crayfish snake

Regina grahamii

Non-venomous

Graham’s crayfish snakes can be found throughout Central Oklahoma and in the Red River drainage.

Great Plains ratsnake

Pantherophis emoryi

Non-venomous

Groundsnake

Sonora semiannulata

Non-venomous

Lined snake

Tropidoclonion lineatum

Non-venomous

Long-nosed snake

Rhinocheilus lecontei

Non-venomous

Milksnake

Lampropeltis triangulum

Non-venomous

The milksnake complex can be found in eastern Oklahoma, areas of southwestern Oklahoma and in part of the …

Mudsnake

Farancia abacura

Non-venomous

Northern watersnake

Nerodia sipedon

Non-venomous

Plainbelly watersnake

Nerodia erythrogaster

Non-venomous

In western Oklahoma, they are called blotched watersnakes because their adult coloration is considerably …

No confirmed photo of Plains black-headed snake

Plains black-headed snake

Tantilla nigriceps

Non-venomous

Plains gartersnake

Thamnophis radix

Non-venomous

Prairie kingsnake

Lampropeltis calligaster

Non-venomous

Queen snake

Regina septemvittata

Non-venomous

Racer

Coluber constrictor

Non-venomous

Background color of the body of adults is black in eastern Oklahoma.

Red-bellied snake

Storeria occipitomaculata

Non-venomous

Ring-necked snake

Diadophis punctatus

Non-venomous

Rough earthsnake

Virginia striatula

Non-venomous

Rough greensnake

Opheodrys aestivus

Non-venomous

Rough greensnakes occur throughout most of central and eastern Oklahoma but not in the panhandle or the …

Scarletsnake

Cemophora coccinea

Non-venomous

Smooth earthsnake

Virginia valeriae

Non-venomous

Speckled kingsnake

Lampropeltis getula

Non-venomous

The distribution in Oklahoma is nearly statewide.

Terrestrial gartersnake

Thamnophis elegans

Non-venomous

No confirmed photo of Texas nightsnake

Texas nightsnake

Hypsiglena torquata

Non-venomous

Western hognose snake

Heterodon nasicus

Non-venomous

Western ribbonsnake

Thamnophis proximus

Non-venomous

In Oklahoma, orange-striped ribbonsnakes occur throughout most of the state, with the exception of the far …

Western worm snake

Carphophis vermis

Non-venomous

A picture cannot confirm what an animal is or that it is safe. Never handle a wild animal. Sources: Checklist of Oklahoma Amphibians and Reptiles (Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (SNOMNH) Herpetology, hosted by the Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma); How to Avoid Unwanted Snake Encounters (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation); Prairie Kingsnake (ODWC Field Guide) (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation); Speckled Kingsnake (ODWC Field Guide) (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation); Milksnake (ODWC Field Guide) (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation); Coachwhip (ODWC Field Guide) (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation); and others listed on the web page. stateswildlife.com/oklahoma/snakes/