Snakes Near Me › New Jersey

Snakes in New Jersey

The quickest way to know which snakes live in New Jersey is to see what people are actually finding. The map below shows recent, verified snakes sightings across New Jersey, and the list beneath it is the snakes recorded most often there lately. Most are harmless, and each species page flags whether it is venomous, so you can learn the few worth treating with care. Identify a snake from a distance and from a photo, and never handle one.

Recent research-grade sightings from the iNaturalist community, filtered to snakes across New Jersey.

Snakes seen most often in New Jersey

Ranked by recent research-grade observations. Tap any species Huck has catalogued for how to identify it, its habitat, and its safety notes.

Common Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis
9,205 observations
Common Watersnake
Nerodia sipedon
5,183 observations
DeKay's Brownsnake
Storeria dekayi
2,843 observations
Central Ratsnake
Pantherophis alleghaniensis
2,698 observations
North American Racer
Coluber constrictor
1,136 observations
Eastern Milksnake
Lampropeltis triangulum
1,135 observations
Ring-necked Snake
Diadophis punctatus
915 observations
Timber Rattlesnake
Crotalus horridus
582 observations
Common Wormsnake
Carphophis amoenus
421 observations
Rough Greensnake
Opheodrys aestivus
349 observations
Red-bellied Snake
Storeria occipitomaculata
327 observations
Common Ribbon Snake
Thamnophis saurita
296 observations
Pine Snake
Pituophis melanoleucus
245 observations
Eastern Hognose Snake
Heterodon platirhinos
234 observations
Eastern Copperhead
Agkistrodon contortrix
204 observations
Eastern Kingsnake
Lampropeltis getula
170 observations
Red Cornsnake
Pantherophis guttatus
63 observations
Smooth Greensnake
Opheodrys vernalis
31 observations
Scarletsnake
Cemophora coccinea
25 observations
Queensnake
Regina septemvittata
9 observations

Built from recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. Identifications are community-sourced and the ranking reflects where people record wildlife, so a species seen often here is not necessarily common everywhere in New Jersey. Treat this as a live snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

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More wildlife in New Jersey

All wildlife in New JerseyFrogs in New JerseyTurtles in New JerseyLizards in New JerseySalamanders in New JerseyOwls in New JerseyButterflies in New JerseySpiders in New JerseyWildflowers in New Jersey

Looking more widely? See snakes near you anywhere in the country.

Common questions

What snakes live in New Jersey?

Commonly recorded snakes in New Jersey include Common Garter Snake, Common Watersnake, DeKay's Brownsnake, Central Ratsnake, North American Racer, based on recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. The full list below is ranked by how often each has been seen lately.

Which snakes in New Jersey are venomous?

Identify the species rather than relying on folk rules about head or pupil shape. Across the United States the venomous snakes are the rattlesnakes, copperhead, cottonmouth and coral snakes; which of those occur in New Jersey varies, and each species page carries a safety note. If someone is bitten, seek medical help immediately.

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