‹ Compare two snakes
Common Gartersnake vs DeKay's Brownsnake
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Matt Kenne, no rights reserved
Common Gartersnake
Thamnophis sirtalis
Mildly venomous(c) Michael J. Papay, some rights reserved (CC BY)
DeKay's Brownsnake
Storeria dekayi
Non-venomousThe quick way to tell
Look low on the sides. The Common Gartersnake has a pale stripe along each side as well as one down the back. DeKay's Brownsnake has just a faint pale back stripe, edged by two rows of small dark dots.
Pattern ★ This settles it
Three pale stripes - spine and low on each side - often with red flecks between.
Pale stripe down a brown back between two rows of small dark spots.
Head
Small head barely wider than the neck; often with pale jaw markings.
Small head, often with a dark mark behind the jaw.
Eyes
Round pupil, fairly large dark eye; no heat-sensing pit.
Round pupil, small dark eye; no heat-sensing pit.
Pits
None. There is no pit between the eye and the nostril.
None. There is no pit between the eye and the nostril.
Tail
Fairly short, about a quarter of its length; no rattle.
Short; no rattle.
What it does
Flees for cover; musks and may give a scratchy bite if held.
Slow and inoffensive; hides under boards and bricks.
Where it lives
Nearly all of the United States and southern Canada, except the driest Southwest.
Eastern and central US: southern Maine and southern Canada south through Florida, west to Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas and Texas.