There are different snakes that call the state of Washington home. The diverse ecosystem coupled with the unique climatic conditions in the state play a key role in the kind of creatures that you are going to find in the state. Here are some of the snakes that you are going to find in the state of Washington.
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Terrestrial Garter Snake
The terrestrial garter snake is one of the unique snakes that you can find in Washington. These snakes are known to grow up to 41 inches long. They come in a wide array of colors such as light orange, black, and tan. They have a white stripe that flows from the head to the tail of the organism.
In some cases, you might find that the coloration might differ changing from greenish to brownish among other unique colors. There are other snakes that can have black and red spots between the stripes.
Learn more: Dangerous animals in Washington State
They occupy a wide array of habitats such as forests, grasslands, and even on the mountainous areas of the state. They are great swimmers and it is essential to note that there are cases where you will find them in the ocean or rivers.
The garter snake is known to use different techniques to deal with their prey because the common method is through constriction. They grab their prey quickly, press against the ground if necessary and swallow them.
While they are not very aggressive, you should not interfere with their habitat because they are likely to become defensive and eventually release the venom. That would otherwise cause tissue damage and failure of the vital organs in the body.
Gopher Snake
The gopher snake is the most common species that you are going to find in the eastern part of the state of Washington. This snake is one of the biggest in the region and they are known to grow up to six feet long. They usually come in different colors depending on the region that you are going to find them and this may be black, grey, or tan, and with square blotches on their back.
While these snakes are bigger in size, they are not venomous. However, their saliva is known to have anticoagulant properties and therefore whenever they bite then it is likely to cause difficulty clotting. When this happens it is going to cause excessive bleeding.
Ring-necked Snake
The ringneck snakes are found in the state of Washington in different parts and they come in different colors such as smokey colored, bluish-gray, brown, and olive. Some of them will come with a red or yellow neckband. The color of the snake head is slightly darker as they age.
You can encounter some of these snakes in the local environment around the state. The adult snakes can grow up to 15 inches long and since they are very reclusive there is a high chance that you might not encounter them. These snakes usually spend most of their time hiding undercover in different parts of the state.
They are nocturnal creatures and you will rarely see them during the day. When you encounter these snakes, they are likely to be in their defense posture and they will curl their tails whenever they are threatened. The bright red bellies are meant to scare their predators away.
These snakes are known to consume a wide array of species such as slugs, earthworms, salamanders, newts, and frogs.
Valley Garter Snake
The valley garter snake is a unique species that are known to grow up to 55 inches in length and they come in different colors from brown, tan, grey, and black. They usually have three pronounced stripes on their bodies and they have a yellowish belly, chin, and jaw.
In some cases, you will find that these snakes have pronounced red bars and long yellow stripes. These snakes are found in various habitats such as scrublands, wetlands, forests, rocky areas, shorelines, and even fields. They have adapted even to human settlement areas therefore you can find them in urban centers.
In the state of Washington, you are going to find these snakes under logs, rocks, and other objects as they try to cover themselves to help in thermoregulation.
They usually consume different species such as toads, frogs, newts, and salamanders. They are known to be excellent swimmers as well and whenever they are cornered, they might bite. You must stay far away from these creatures because they are very dangerous in nature.
Puget Sound Garter Snake
The Puget Sound garter snake is another species that is popular in the state of Washington and you are going to find them near Puget Sound.
They can grow up to 40 inches in length and they come in dark colors such as black or dark grey. These snakes are more common in the different parts of the state as well as the Puget Sound region.
They are characterized by their bluish or yellow stripes that move down the back. These snakes are a subspecies of the common garter snakes and they are found in areas such as shorelines, wetlands, forests, fields, rocky areas, and scrublands.
They usually like to hide under vegetation because they are poor at thermoregulation hence, they need somewhere where they can bask easily and get sunlight whenever they can. Some of the places that they can hide in are cisterns, foundations, mounts, and crayfish burrows.
These snakes are very adaptive in nature hence you can find them in a wide array of settlements. While these snakes are nonvenomous, it is always important that you stay away from them especially when they are angry or feel cornered and they are likely to attack back.
North American Racer
The northern American racer is one of the most common species in the state of Washington and they are known to grow up to 60 inches long. These snakes come in different textures and patterns.
They are some of the fastest snakes that you are going to find in the state of Washington. These snakes can run at speeds of up to 3.5 miles per hour. They are very active at night and they have an impeccable vision.
While many people tend to assume that these are constrictors, they are not, because they often hold their prey and consume them immediately once they have attacked them. They can fight incredibly hard to protect their territory. Urbanization has affected how different species in the region operate and you will find them in the urban areas.
Northwestern Garter Snake
The northwestern garter snake is yet another one of the snakes that you are going to find in the state of Washington. These creatures are known to inhabit the different regions of the state and they can grow up to 24 inches in length.
These snakes usually come in different colors such as bluish, brownish, olive, and gray with even some reddish tint. Typically, you are going to find these snakes in different habitats and they have three stripes one on each side and one at the back. The colors of the stripes usually vary depending on the habitats in which you are going to find these creatures, such as the woodlands, forests, scrublands, and prairies.
These snakes are usually known to consume creatures such as toads, frogs, lizards, snails, and slugs. While they are known to flee whenever they see humans, they can be defensive whenever they are cornered. Their saliva has anticoagulant effects. When this happens the blood will fail to clot and this will result in excessive bleeding.
Western Rattlesnake
The western rattlesnake is the largest snake species that you are going to encounter in the state of Washington. This snake can grow up to 6 feet long and their colors vary depending on the region that you are going to find them. Some of the common colors include dark grey, yellowish, dark brown, and olive-brown.
They have a triangular head with heat-sensing pits. In some cases, you will find that they are referred to as the northern Pacific rattle snake. It is a venomous species and you should be careful of them.
In most cases when they are just hunting, they are less likely to attack you. However, if you interfere with their habitat or they feel threatened then they are going to attack you.
Some of the places where you are likely to find this snake include grasslands, woodlands, and mountainous areas. In some cases, they can live in close proximity to humans.
The unique color variations help them to settle effectively in different areas of the state. They can be active during the day or at night and they usually use ambush techniques to attack their prey. They consume creatures such as reptiles, amphibians, small mammals such as mice and rats, and birds.
Northern Rubber Boa
The northern rubber boa has become a more common snake in the western United States. The state of Washington is not left behind either.
These snakes have some of the most noticeable features that you can find in any snake species in the Pacific Northwest. That includes short blunt tails and wrinkled skin that resembles rubber, hence the name.
This snake is known to inhabit a wide array of habitats such as coniferous forests, deciduous forests, meadows, grasslands, and alpine environments. This snake cannot tolerate high temperatures.
They are likely to attack whenever they are cornered. Some of the common places that you can find this snake include burrows, logs, and under shelters.
