Texas Long-Nosed Snake

(R. l. tessellatus)

Size: Up to 41" most commonly 2-3 feet

Range in Texas: Throughout West and Central Texas northward through the Texas Panhandle

Comments: The Texas Long-Nosed Snake is a tri-colored snake found in all parts of Hudspeth County. I usually find these snakes on dark nights on the roadways. The largest that I have found was around three feet. During the day it burrows into loose sand. When first encountered, they have the odd defense of expelling and smearing blood and musk over their body while hiding their head.

     When I have kept these snakes, they do well in a substrate of sand. Unfortunately most remain lizard eaters. I have never had one attempt to bite. Click on the first thumbnail for a closer look at a color variation found in Arizona, click on the second for a close-up of a regular adult.