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Smith's Black-Headed Snake
The Smith's black-headed snake lives primarily underground.
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.