On this page, you can find an overview of the 15 snakes of Connecticut. The list is separated into non-venomous and venomous snakes in Connecticut.
Of the 15 snake species in Connecticut, only two are venomous: the timber rattlesnake and the copperhead. The other 13 non-venomous snakes are harmless for humans and larger pets. Just click on any of the images or links below to learn more about the snake.
If you have encountered a snake in Connecticut that you cannot identify yourself, we’ll be happy to identify it for you. Simply take a picture of it and upload your picture, a quick description and the U.S. state where it was found here on our snake identification page.
Venomous snakes in Connecticut
The two venomous snakes in Connecticut are extremely rare to encounter. The timber rattlesnake is listed as threatened by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection in Connecticut. In the unlikely event that you encounter one of the venomous snakes in Connecticut, stay calm and slowly move away from the snake. The snake is more afraid of you than you are of the snake. There are no recorded fatalities from snake bites in Connecticut.
Crotalus Horridus – Timber Rattlesnake
Agkistrodon Contortrix – Copperhead Snake
List of non-venomous snakes in Connecticut
Of the 13 non-venomous snakes in Connecticut, the eastern garter snake (a subspecies of the common garter snake) and the (eastern) milk snake are the most common snakes. The black rat snake and the eastern worm snake are both rare to encounter and as listed as endangered and threatened respectively. The common watersnake and the eastern hognose snake are both often mistaken for venomous rattlesnakes and thus killed.
Many other online sources state that there is a total of only 14 snake species in Connecticut. However, they are forgetting to mention the introduced Brahminy blind snake (or flowerpot snake) that was introduced from Southeast Asia and has established a viable population in Connecticut over the last decades.
Thamnophis Sauritus – Ribbon Snake
Heterodon Platirhinos – Eastern Hognose Snake
Indotyphlops Braminus – Brahminy Blind Snake
Lampropeltis Triangulum – Milk Snake
Opheodrys Vernalis – Smooth Green Snake
Pantherophis Alleghaniensis – Eastern Rat Snake
Nerodia Sipedon – Common Watersnake
Storeria Occipitomaculata – Redbelly Snake
Diadophis Punctatus – Ring-Necked Snake
Carphophis Amoenus – Worm Snake
Storeria Dekayi – Brown Snake
Thamnophis Sirtalis – Common Garter Snake
