The Mysterious Night Snake

The Night Snake is a non-poisonous reptile which lives in the hot, dry Western States, Mexico, and in British Columbia, Canada. It can grow up to 20 inches in length(The California species} and subsists largely on lizards and their eggs. Larger sizes have been reported outside of California. Note the shape of the head: it is distinct from Gopher Snakes and is often mistaken for a pit viper. It is "rear-fanged" which means the snake secretes a small amount of venom when handling its prey.It does not have actual fangs at the rear of its jaw, but teeth which secrete toxic saliva. Since we are not small enough to be sucked into its "rear fang" mechanism, it qualifies as a harmless snake, and is therefore not venomous to humans.

The female night snake lays her eggs in rocky places and crevices between June and July. Little is known about this secretive reptile as it tends to keep a low profile--even for a snake! It prefers wetlands, wilderness places and cliffs.