What Is a Ring Snake?

The ring snake, also known as a ringneck snake, is easily identifiable because of the yellow or orange ring around its neck. Their bodies are grey, black or brown with a bright underbelly. Ringnecks inhabit almost every type of habitat in the U.S., southern Canada and central Mexico

  1. Location

    • Ring snakes are commonly found in North America. Ringnecks inhabit a variety of habitats ranges: forest, grasslands, rocky wooded hillsides, chaparral and riparian areas of upland deserts. The live from Nova Scotia to the Florida Keys and west to the Pacific Ocean.

    Diet

    • A ring snake's diet consists of insects, worms, salamanders, lizards and sometimes fish or small snakes. They catch their prey using a weak venom in their saliva.

    Other Facts

    • Ring snakes can range in size from 10 to 15 inches. The female is larger with a smaller tail. A pregnancy usually produces 2 to 7 eggs. Ring snakes usually stay hidden and are nocturnal. They may coil up defensively when disturbed and emit a foul odor, but they do not bite.