Smith's Black-Headed Snake
The Smith's black-headed snake lives primarily underground.
![Smiths Black-headed Snake, Hobart Smith, NPS](https://cpw.widen.net/content/54947b87-cb30-4039-ab26-312baaaa6f84/web/Smiths%20Black-headed%20Snake%20Hobart%20Smith%20NPS%20Profile.jpg?w=750&itok=gPu3dkhJ)
About This Species
Also called the southwestern blackhead snake. It is a rear-fanged, venomous snake, but is considered harmless to humans due to its small size and venom being specialized to arthropods.
More Information:
Physical Characteristics
Upper scales smooth (unkeeled), uniformly brownish; dark cap on head usually extending three or fewer scale lengths beyond the rearmost large scales on top of the head; rear edge of dark cap typically straight or rounded; belly orange; anal scale divided; maximum total length about 12.2 inches (31 cm).
Range
West-central Colorado at elevations of about 4,500-6,500 feet. Secretive, usually difficult to find, but locally common.
Habitat
Mouths of large canyons in areas dominated by sandy, rock-laden soils and xerophytic shrubs (greasewood, sagebrush, saltbush); narrow bottoms of deep, rocky canyons near streamside cottonwood trees; rocky, shrubby slopes above creeks; under rocks in piñon-juniper woodland; under trash in dumps.
Diet
The diet includes centipedes, millipedes, beetle larvae, caterpillars, and likely spiders and other small invertebrates.
Reproduction
Females lay eggs, probably in late June or July.