There are A LOT of snakes in Rhode Island!

And what’s interesting is that they are all incredibly unique and have adapted to fill many habitats and niches.

You’ll see that the snakes that live in Rhode Island are very different from each other.

For example, some species prefer living in or near water, while others spend most of their time climbing trees. Or the fact that certain snakes are rarely seen because they spend most of their time underground, but others are comfortable living EXTREMELY close to humans.

11 types of snakes in Rhode Island!

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#1. Northern Watersnake

• Nerodia sipedon sipedon

Identifying Characteristics:

• Adults range from 24 to 55 inches in length.
• Coloration is pale grey to dark brown with reddish-brown to black bands.
• Large adults become darker with age and appear almost plain black or dark brown.
• Females tend to be larger than males, and coloration is most vivid in juvenile and wet individuals.

This species is the most common watersnake in Rhode Island!

Northern Watersnakes prefer slow-moving or standing water like ponds, lakes, vernal pools, marshes, and slow-moving rivers and streams. They’re most often seen basking on rocks or logs in or near the water.

Northern Watersnake Range Map (Yellow area below)

Credit: Virginia Herpetological Society

These snakes primarily feed on fish and amphibians by hunting along the water’s edge and shallow water during the day. They grab their prey and quickly swallow while it’s still alive!

When disturbed, Northern Watersnakes flee into the water to escape. However, if grabbed or captured, they’re quick to defend themselves. They will release a foul-smelling musk from glands near the base of their tale, flatten their body, and strike the attacker.

While non-venomous, they can deliver a painful bite!

Their saliva contains a mild anticoagulant that can cause bites to bleed, making the injury appear worse. These important defense mechanisms help water snakes survive predators such as raccoons, snapping turtles, foxes, opossums, other snakes, and birds of prey.

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#2. Eastern Garter Snake

• Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

Identifying Characteristics:

• Adults typically range from 18 to 26 inches in length.
• Coloration varies and can be mixtures of green, brown, or black. Look for a distinct yellow or whitish stripe down the center of their back.
• Some individuals may exhibit a checkered body pattern.
• Subspecies of the Common Garter Snake.

Eastern Garter Snakes are common and easy to locate in Rhode Island!

In fact, they are typically the snake species that people come across the most. They’re well-adapted to living around people and can often be found in city parks, farmland, cemeteries, and suburban lawns and gardens. Though not required, they prefer grassy environments near freshwater sources such as ponds, lakes, ditches, and streams.

Look for these snakes in Rhode Island basking in the sun in grassy areas near cover.

Eastern Garter Snakes protect themselves when they are cornered or feel threatened. For example, if you capture or continually disturb one, it will defecate and release a foul-smelling musk from its glands. It’s also common for them to bite as a last resort!

The Eastern Garter Snake most commonly preys on toads, frogs, slugs, salamanders, fish, and worms. However, they are very opportunistic and will eat other insects and small animals they can overpower. They’re active during both the day and night, depending on the temperature.

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#3. Eastern Ribbon Snake

• Thamnophis saurita

Identifying Characteristics:

• Adults typically range from 18 to 26 inches in length. A slender snake with a long tail!
• Coloration is brown to nearly black with three bright yellow to cream stripes; one down the back and one down each side.
• Snout and entire head are brownish, lips and underneath head are white.

Did you see a slender snake in Rhode Island with a long tail?

If so, it was probably an Eastern Ribbon Snake!

This species is semi-aquatic and RARELY found far from a source of water. Look for them in a wide variety of habitats, including marshes, grassy floodplains, streams, ditches with grass, wet areas in meadows, and woodlands adjacent to wetlands. Ribbon snakes are even found in suburban areas that match these conditions.

You might spot these snakes basking on branches of trees, bushes, or grasses overhanging the water. They typically hunt in the water and prey on amphibians, fish, and invertebrates.

When disturbed, these snakes quickly flee into grass or brushy areas. If caught, they are not aggressive and rarely bite. But you can expect them to defecate and spray musk onto your hands. In the wild, Eastern Ribbon Snakes rely on blending into their surroundings to escape predators.

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#4. Eastern Milksnake

• Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum

Identifying Characteristics:

• Adults typically range from 24 to 36 inches in length.
• Coloration is tan or gray with 3 to 5 rows of reddish-brown, black-edged blotches.
• Look for a gray or tan Y- or V-shaped mark near the rear of the head.

Eastern Milksnakes get their unique name from an old myth that they milked cows since they’re commonly found in barns! Obviously, this isn’t true. Instead, their presence inside barns is likely due to the high number of mice, some of their favorite prey.

Eastern Milksnake Range Map

A member of the kingsnake family, Eastern Milksnakes occupy a wide variety of habitats in Rhode Island, including fields, woodlands, agricultural areas, and rocky outcrops. These beautiful snakes are somewhat secretive and spend much of their time beneath the ground. You may be able to find one underneath rocks, logs, boards, and other debris.

The Eastern Milksnake prefers to feed on small mammals such as mice and shrews. However, they’ll also consume various types of prey, including birds and bird eggs, lizards, snakes, amphibians, fish, earthworms, slugs, insects, and carrion.

Like other individuals in the kingsnake family, they will prey on venomous pit vipers. So how do they combat the venom? Interestingly, their blood contains venom-neutralizing properties!

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#5. Eastern Ratsnake

• Pantherophis alleghaniensis

Identifying Characteristics:

• Adults range from 42 to 72 inches in length though individuals up to 101 inches have been recorded.
• Coloration varies. In Rhode Island, Eastern Ratsnakes are typically completely black.
• There may be red, white, or yellow flecking on the scales.

These snakes are found in many habitats in Rhode Island.

Look for them in agricultural areas, forests, and swampy woodlands. Make sure you look UP, as Eastern Ratsnakes are arboreal and are often found in trees!

They’re also often seen in and around barns and old buildings because of the abundance of rodents, which they kill using constriction. Birds and eggs are also on the menu, with the latter being swallowed whole and broken once in their throat!

Eastern Ratsnakes are active during the day and night, especially just after sunset. They travel considerable distances and are often killed on roadways.

If disturbed, Eastern Ratsnakes will first try to slither away. When they feel cornered, the next step is they’ll flatten their heads and lift the front of their bodies off the ground in an S-shape to appear more threatening and increase their striking range. They may also hiss from this position and bite if grabbed.

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#6. Smooth Greensnake

• Opheodrys vernalis

Identifying Characteristics:

• Adults are SLENDER and typically range from 14 to 20 inches in length.
• Coloration is uniformly light green with a yellow or white underside and a red tongue with a black tip.
• Juveniles may be olive-green, blue-gray, or even brown until they shed their skin for the first time.

Also called Grass Snakes, these bright green snakes can be found in marshes, meadows, pastures, savannas, open woods, and along stream and lake edges. They prefer moist areas near permanent water sources.

They prey almost exclusively on insects and spiders and don’t use constriction; instead quickly striking and swallowing their prey alive.

Smooth Greensnakes hibernate during the winter in Rhode Island, seeking shelter in old mammal burrows and abandoned anthills. They often hibernate communally with other small snakes. They emerge in the spring, typically in April, and are active until October.

Smooth Greensnakes rely on their EXCELLENT camouflage to avoid predators. They’re also agile and can flee quickly if they must.

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#7. Eastern Hog-nosed Snake

• Heterodon platirhinos

Identifying Characteristics:

• Adults typically range from 20 to 30 inches in length.
• Coloration can be yellow, gray, brown, black, olive, or orange, often with darker blotches or spots down its side and back, though solid gray and black individuals are fairly common.
• Thick-bodied, broad, triangle-shaped heads, and an upturned snout.

Eastern Hog-nosed Snakes prefer areas in Rhode Island with sandy soil.

Here’s why:

Eastern Hog-nosed Snakes primarily prey on toads and use their upturned snout to dig for them in their burrows. They also have enlarged teeth at the rear of the upper jaw that they use to puncture and deflate toads that puff up when threatened. These snakes also have large adrenal glands, which secrete large amounts of hormones to counteract the toad’s potent skin poison!

When disturbed, Eastern Hog-nosed Snakes lift their head off the ground and flatten their neck like a cobra! They may also hiss and false strike with a closed mouth.

If this display fails to scare off a predator, then the snake will play dead. They’ll roll onto their back, let their tongue hang out, and emit musk from glands near the base of their tail. Interestingly, when the threat has left, the snake will right itself and continue as normal. 🙂

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#8. Dekay’s Brownsnake

• Storeria dekayi

Identifying Characteristics:

• Adults typically range from 6 to 13 inches in length.
• Coloration is light brown or gray to dark brown or black with two rows of dark spots down the back, which are sometimes linked.
• A dark streak down the head and may have a light stripe down the center of the back.

Dekay’s Brownsnakes occupy various terrestrial habitats as long as there’s plenty of cover available such as rocks, logs, boards, and all sorts of trash and organic debris. They’re often found in backyards and gardens under objects.

These secretive, nocturnal snakes hunt during the evening and night, feeding primarily on slugs and earthworms. However, they’ve also been known to consume snails, insects, insect larvae, small tree frogs, tadpoles, frog eggs, spiders, and fish. Prey is typically grabbed and quickly swallowed alive.

These docile snakes usually don’t bite in defense. Instead, if captured, they often squirm vigorously or flatten their bodies and may release foul-smelling musk from glands near the base of their tail.

This species is considered common in most of its range and is not a major conservation concern. It adapts well to human development and has a reputation as a “city snake.” However, pesticide usage and clean-up of cover objects may reduce their populations in urban areas by reducing their habitat and food source.

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#9. Red-bellied Snake

• Storeria occipitomaculata

Identifying Characteristics:  

• A small woodland species that grows between 10 to 25 cm (4-10 in) long.
• Colors vary from orange, gray, black, and brown.
• Their bright red or orange belly stands out from other species.   

This species is probably the “cutest” snake in Rhode Island!

Red-bellied Snakes are small, docile, and have a bright red belly, which makes them VERY easy to identify.

Look for them under logs and leaf litter. They are also commonly found burrowed inside abandoned ant mounds. They are typically diurnal but can be hard to find due to their secretive nature.

Red-belled Snake Range Map

The colors represent the different subspecies of Storeria occipitomaculata.

Red-bellied Snakes have a unique behavior called “lip-curling,” where they curl their lips upward and flick their tongue when eating or feeling threatened. This behavior helps them catch their prey and also scares off potential predators.  

Unfortunately, people often kill this species out of fear. This is incredibly sad because these snakes are harmless and valuable to the ecosystem. In addition to this senseless slaughter, many are killed while crossing roads.   

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#10. North American Racer

• Coluber constrictor

Identifying Characteristics:  

• Adults typically range from 50 to 152 cm (20 to 60 in) in total length  

• The patterns and texture of their skin vary widely among subspecies. However, most are solid-colored and have a lighter-colored underbelly.

True to their name, North American Racers are one of the FASTEST snakes in Rhode Island!

When they get moving, they can speed away at up to 3.5 miles per hour (5.6 kph). These active snakes are curious and have excellent vision. In fact, they are known to raise their heads above the height of the grass to view their surroundings.  

Despite their scientific name (constrictor), North American Racers do not squeeze their prey to death. Instead, they subdue their victim by holding it down with their body. Smaller prey is simply swallowed alive.

North American Racer Range Map

These nonvenomous snakes fight back incredibly hard if they feel threatened or become trapped. You can expect them to bite, thrash, defecate, and release a foul-smelling musk, especially if you try holding one. In addition, racers will try to impersonate rattlesnakes by shaking their tails in dry leaves.  

North American Racers are still abundant in many places. But they face threats as they are losing habitat to urbanization and development. Unfortunately, many people also kill them out of fear, even though they are completely harmless, especially if you leave them alone. 

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#11. Ring-necked Snake

• Diadophis punctatus  

Identifying Characteristics:  

• These snakes are usually solid olive, brown, bluish-gray, or smoky colored. Look for a distinctive yellow or red neckband.   
• The snake’s head color is usually slightly darker than the rest of the body, tending towards black rather than gray or olive.  
• Adults are usually between 25-38 cm (10-15 in) long.  

It can be hard to find these snakes in Rhode Island!

That’s because Ring-necked Snakes are VERY secretive and spend most of their time hiding in areas with lots of cover. In addition, they are nocturnal and rarely seen during the day.

Ring-necked Snake Range Map

The colors represent the different subspecies of Diadophis punctatus.

If you come across one, you may see its unique defense posture. Red-bellied Snakes will curl their tails and expose their bright red-orange bellies when they feel threatened in hopes of scaring you away.

Ring-necked Snakes mostly eat small salamanders, earthworms, and slugs. Not much is known about their population status because they are so hard to find!

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Do you need additional help identifying snakes in Rhode Island?

Try this field guide!

• Peterson Field Guides to Reptiles and Amphibians

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Which of these SNAKES have you seen before in Rhode Island?

Leave a comment below!

Also, if you enjoy this article, make sure to check out these other Rhode Island guides!

• 7 FROGS Found in Rhode Island! (ID Guide)

• 3 TOADS That Live in Rhode Island!

• 12 Types of TURTLES in Rhode Island! (Both aquatic and land)