Sharp-tailed Snake

(Contia tenuis)

Color Photograph: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Sharp-tailed Snake (Contia tenuis)

Identification: Snake 8 to 18 inches in length. A small snake, gray to red-brown above. Tail short, tipped with a sharp spine. Belly with alternating bands of black and white. Back sometimes with an indistinct line on each side of the dorsum. Scales smooth and anal plate undivided.

Geographical Variation: None

Range (see map below left): The primary distribution of this species ranges from east-central Oregon southward to California with one extension running down the northern and central coastal ranges and another down the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Isolated populations occurs in Washington and southern British Columbia.

Habitat: The Sharp-tailed Snake is most commonly found in pastures or meadows along the margins of coniferous forest. However it is also found in oak woodlands and along streams.

Food: Slugs.

Behavior: This snake is a secretive species of moist habitats and is most commonly seen when the environment is wet. However it spends most of its time hidden under logs or the bark of dead trees.

Reproduction:  The clutch consists of 2 to 9 eggs laid in June and July.

Sharp-tailed Snake (Contia tenuis)

Similar Species

The Sharp-tailed Snake is easily recognized by the sharp spine on the tail, the black and white barred belly, and its relatively small size.

Similar Species:

No Similar Species