A small, vertically pupilled North American colubrid often mistaken for a baby rattlesnake but armed only with mildly toxic rear-fang saliva.
Description
Night snakes are slim grey or tan colubrids rarely exceeding 65 cm, with small dark brown blotches down the back and a pair of large dark blotches just behind the head. The eye has a vertical pupil, an unusual feature among small North American colubrids that aids night vision.
Behavior
Strictly nocturnal, night snakes emerge after dark to hunt sleeping lizards and small reptiles. Mild rear-fanged venom helps subdue cold-blooded prey but causes only minor swelling and irritation in humans. The species is gentle and rarely attempts to bite when handled.
Range
Widely distributed in dry habitats of western North America from southern British Columbia south through Mexico. The species was recently split into several with mostly local ranges, though all share similar habits.