Identify The Most Dangerous Snakes In New Mexico (With Images)

View endemic snakes in other US states

Common snakes found in the state of New Mexico


Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Crotalus atrox

High Risk

Venomous

120 cm (4 ft)

  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • Kansas
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Oklahoma
  • Texas
  • Utah


Rock Rattlesnake

Crotalus lepidus

High Risk

Venomous

 60 – 70 cm (23 – 27 in)

  • Arizona
  • New Mexico
  • Texas


Blacktail Rattlesnake

Crotalus molossus

High Risk

Venomous

76 -107 cm (30 -42 in) 

  • Arizona
  • New Mexico
  • Texas


Mojave Rattlesnake

Crotalus scutulatus

High Risk

Venomous

 100-137 cm (39-54 in)

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Texas
  • Utah


Western Rattlesnake

Crotalus viridis

High Risk

Venomous

50–95 cm (20–37 in)

  • Arizona
  • Colorado
  • Idaho
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • New Mexico
  • North Dakota
  • Oklahoma
  • South Dakota
  • Texas
  • Wyoming

Glossy Snake

Arizona elegans

Zero Risk

Nonvenomous 

 75–130 cm (30-50 in) 

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Kansas
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Oklahoma
  • Texas
  • Utah


Trans-Pecos Rat Snake

Bogertophis subocularis

Low Risk

nonvenomous

90–137 cm (36-54 in)

  • New Mexico
  • Texas


Racer

Coluber constrictor

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

50 -152 cm (20 -60 in)

  • All States except Alaska & Hawaii


Ringneck Snake

Diadophis punctatus

Zero Risk

Nonvenomous

25–38 cm (10–15 in)

  • All States except Alaska & Hawaii


Western Hooknose Snake

Gyalopion canum

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

18-28 cm (7-11 in)

  • Arizona
  • New Mexico
  • Texas


Desert Hooknose Snake

Gyalopion quadrangulare

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

18-28 cm (7-11 in)

  • Arizona
  • New Mexico
  • Texas


Western Hognose Snake

Heterodon nasicus

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

40–50 cm (15–20 in)

  • All States except Alaska & Hawaii


Night Snake

Hypsiglena torquata

Low Risk

Venomous

30–66 cm (12–26  in)

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Montana
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Oregon
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Wyoming


Gray-banded Kingsnake

Lampropeltis alterna

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

91 – 120 cm (3-4 ft)

  • Arkansas
  • Colorado
  • Louisiana
  • Montana
  • New Mexico
  • North Dakota
  • Oklahoma
  • South Dakota
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Wyoming


Sonoran Whipsnake

Masticophis bilineatus

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

60 – 150 cm (24–59 in)

  • Arizona
  • New Mexico


Coachwhip

Masticophis flagellum

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

42-60 in (107-152 cm)

  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Louisiana
  • Mississippi
  • New Mexico
  • North Carolina
  • Oklahoma
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas


Striped Whipsnake

Masticophis taeniatus

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

76–183 cm (30-72 in)

  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Montana
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Oregon
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Wyoming


Northwestern Garter Snake

Thamnophis ordinoides

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

33–97cm (13–38 in)

  • California
  • Oregon


Smooth Green Snake

Opheodrys vernalis

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

36–51 cm (14–20 in)

  • Colorado
  • Illinois
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kentucky
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Missouri
  • New Mexico
  • Ohio
  • Texas
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming


Gopher Snake

Pituophis catenifer

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

91–213 cm (36-84 in)

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • South Dakota
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming


Longnose Snake

Rhinocheilus lecontei

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

56–81 cm (22–32 in)

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Idaho
  • Kansas
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Oklahoma
  • Texas
  • Utah


Big Bend Patchnose Snake

Salvadora deserticola

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

50–101 cm (20–40 in)

  • Arizona
  • New Mexico
  • Texas


Mountain Patchnose Snake

Salvadora grahamiae

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

55–119 cm (22–47 in)

  • New Mexico
  • Texas


Western Patchnose Snake

Salvadora hexalepis

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

51–117 cm (20–46 in)

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Texas


Ground Snake

Sonora semiannulata

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

20–48 cm (8–19 in)

  • Arizona
  • Nevada
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Kansas
  • Missouri
  • New Mexico
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Texas
  • Utah


Redbelly Snake

Storeria occipitomaculata

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

4–10 cm (10–25 in)

  • All States except Alaska & Hawaii


Southwestern Blackhead Snake

Tantilla hobartsmithi

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

20–38 cm (8–15 in)

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Texas
  • Utah


Plains Blackhead Snake

Tantilla nigriceps

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

18–38 cm (7–15 in)

  • Arizona
  • Colorado
  • Kansas
  • Nebraska
  • New Mexico
  • Oklahoma
  • Texas


Big Bend Blackhead Snake

Tantilla rubra

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

30 cm (11 in)

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Texas


Yaqui Blackhead Snake

Tantilla yaquia

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

18–38 cm (7–15 in)

  • Arizona
  • Colorado
  • Kansas
  • Nebraska
  • New Mexico
  • Oklahoma
  • Texas


Black neck Garter Snake

Thamnophis cyrtopsis

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

107 cm (42 in)

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Utah


Western Terrestrial Garter Snake

Thamnophis elegans

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

46–104 cm (18–41 in)

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Idaho
  • Kansas
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Wyoming


Mexican Garter Snake

Thamnophis eques

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

46–101 cm (18 -40 in)

  • Arizona
  • New Mexico


Checkered Garter Snake

Thamnophis marcianus

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

46–61 cm (8–24 in)

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Oklahoma
  • Texas
  • Utah


Western Ribbon Snake

Thamnophis proximus

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

43–127 cm (17–50 in)

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Idaho
  • Montana
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Oregon
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Wyoming


Narrowhead Garter Snake

Thamnophis rufipunctatus

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

81-112 cm (32–44 in)

  • Arizona
  • New Mexico


Common Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis

Low Risk

Nonvenomous

55–137 cm (22–54 in)

  • All States except Alaska & Hawaii


Western Blind Snake

Leptotyphlops humilis

Zero risk

nonvenomous 

30 cm (12 in)

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Oklahoma
  • Texas
  • Utah

For a full list of every venomous and nonvenomous snake found in the USA, check out my full article: Identity 130+ Snake Species From The USA (With Images)