Snakes in New Mexico

At a glance

22 of the 63 snakes on Learn2ID live in New Mexico, part of the Mountain West. 8 are venomous: Arizona Black Rattlesnake, Black-tailed Rattlesnake, Mohave Rattlesnake, Prairie Rattlesnake, Rock Rattlesnake, Sonoran Coralsnake, Western Diamondback Rattlesnake and Western Massasauga. Common Gartersnake, Ring-necked Snake, Terrestrial Gartersnake and Western Hog-nosed Snake have only a mild venom. The biggest group here is rattlesnakes: 7 of the 22. The Arizona Black Rattlesnake is found in only 2 states, and New Mexico is one of them. The Sonoran Coralsnake is found in only 2 states, and New Mexico is one of them. The Black-tailed Rattlesnake is found in only 3 states, and New Mexico is one of them. 15 look-alike pairs here involve a venomous snake — see “Commonly confused” below.