Know Your Snakes

Non-Venomous Snakes

Banded King Snake - These guys are great to have around. They eat Rattlesnakes! Consider yourself lucky if you find one in your yard. These snakes also are very common pet.

Striped King Snake - These guys are great to have around. They eat Rattlesnakes! Consider yourself lucky if you find one in your yard. These snakes also are very common pet.

Gopher Snake - NOT DANGEROUS - This snake is often confused with rattlesnakes because it has blotches on its back that resemble the rattlesnake’s diamond back. They will eat the rodents around your house which reduces the food supply for rattlesnakes, discouraging them from being around.

Longnose Snake - NOT DANGEROUS - One of three snakes in San Diego that have a ring pattern. They feed on small reptiles and mice.

Red Racer - NOT DANGEROUS - These snakes get their name from both their color and their speed.

Ringneck Snake - NOT DANGEROUS - These snakes are tiny. Their defensive mechanisms to expose their brightly colored underbelly on their tail to distract predators from their head.

Coexist

Snakes in general, and especially Rattlesnake are instinctually terrifying. Years of human evolution has taught us the perils of rattlesnake. That’s why hearing a rattle sends shivers down the spine. This fear, while warranted and should be respected, does not equate these creatures as bad or evil.

Even worse, this fear and misunderstanding results in the unnecessary death of rattlesnakes causing in imbalance in the ecosystem. Additionally, a number or other, non-venomous snakes are also unnecessary killed when they are mistaken for rattlesnake.

Often, rattlesnakes are eradicated "for safety" because they are dangerous. While they have the potential to be dangerous, rattlesnake bites are incredibly rare. The bites that due occur are generally from inattention, or plain stupidity. Looking before you step, and not "acting tough" by messing around with a rattlesnake can prevent virtually all bites.

While these creatures are terrifying and dangerous, they are also a magnificent and beautiful creature that play an important role in the ecosystem. In fact, a rattlesnake’s presence indicates a thriving ecosystem. Snakes are both a predator and a prey in the ecosystem.

Rattlesnakes feed on rodents and vermin. This reduces the amount of rodent borne diseases in the area (and your home). They are an effective, all-natural form of pest control. They don’t have capacity to damage your garden or home-grown fruits and veggies. What they will do, however, is eat the animals that do.

Rattlesnakes are a food source for a number of predators in Poway. Large raptors, such as the red-tailed hawk eat them. Coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats, and roadrunners are among a number of animals that use rattlesnakes as a food source.

Still not sold on rattlesnakes? Learn to love other species of snakes. Kingsnakes and racers (non-venomous) will EAT rattlesnakes! These snakes, along with other San Diego snakes will also compete with rattlesnakes for food, encourage rattlesnakes to seek other locations for food sources.