Welcome to wacosnakes.com! I am David, a snake enthusiast living in Waco, TX. Many people don't know that Waco is in fact full of snakes! You just need to know where to find them - they can often be shy and elusive. Some Texas snake species are more common outside of the city limits, in different parts of McLennan County TX, but many types of snakes are indeed common in the more urban parts of Waco. This guide is meant to help educate you about the beautiful snakes of Waco, and to help you identify the most common snakes of Waco, as well as the venomous snakes of Waco that you should learn to recognize and avoid. If you want more detail, click here for my complete list of ALL snake species in Waco. Remember the following:

Common Snake Species in Waco

Rat snake: Rat snakes are one of the many harmless snakes found in Waco. They are average-sized and are no sort of threat to human beings. They have slender bodies and heads shaped like a wedge. It got its name from the snake's huge appetite for consuming rats. When it comes to discussing the description of rat snakes' appearance, it is not fixed and varies largely. Their bodies can consist of stripes, blotches, or both. Rat snakes can be of very different colors ranging from black to red and yellow to gray. These snakes have keeled scales and round pupils.


Garter snake: Garter snakes are one of the most commonly spotted snakes in parts of North America such as Waco. They are nonvenomous snakes and are also kept as pets by a lot of people. They are usually harmless and do not pose a threat, however, some species of garter snakes do possess a slight neurotoxic venom but fortunately, it is not dangerous to humans. The color of the garter snake varies according to the species but it is very common for the majority of the garter snakes to feature 3 longitudinal strips, 2 on the underneath of the snake's body and 1 on the middle of its back. These strips are usually green or yellow but it can vary according to the species the snake belongs to along with the region of origin.

Rough earth snake: The rough earth snake is not huge, rather it is only between 7-10 inches long. It has a slender body that varies from grey to brown color. Like most snakes, it has keeled scales. The younger snakes have a much darker body color as opposed to the adult garter snakes and can also have a band-like pattern around their neck; as the snake matures the color is lightened. The majority of their diet consists of earthworms. Rough earth snakes live under ground and hide under logs and debris.

Venomous Snake Species in Waco

Rattlesnakes: These snakes are like no other as they are incredibly specialized and poisonous. Rattlesnakes have large bodies ranging anywhere from 0.3 meters to 2.5 meters and their heads are in the shape of a triangle. They are most commonly found in North American regions. As the name suggests, rattlesnakes have a rattle at the tip of their long tail. The famous rattle is a continuous series consisting of interlocking scales and the molting of the snakes ultimately adds to the scales. When the muscles of the scales contract, the scales click with one another that causes the snake's body to make a rattling sound.

Coral snakes: Coral snakes have slick and thin bodies of only 45-50 centimeters long, however, some variants of the snake can reach up to 1 meter. Coral snakes may not have very big bodies and their colorful skin may seem attractive and vibrant but in reality, their colorful bodies that attract the eyes do not diminish the fact regarding how dangerous and highly venomous they are. Their venom is the second strongest and deadliest venom following behind the famous black mamba; the venom of coral snakes is less efficient as compared to black mambas, hence, the reason for falling behind at number 2.

If you're unsure, you can email me a photo of the snake at info@wacosnakes.com and I will email you back with the snake's species. If you found a snake skin, read my Found a Skin? page, and you can email me a photo of the skin, and I'll identify the snake for you. If you need professional Waco snake removal help, click my Get Help page, or see the below website sponsor I found, who provides that service.



Remember, the term is not poisonous snakes of Waco, it's venomous snakes of Waco. Poison is generally something you eat, and venom is injected into you. That said, dangerous snakes are very rare in Waco. The few venomous snakes of McLennan County are rarely seen. But they are commonly misidentified, so learn about all the snake species of Waco in order to correctly identify them. These snakes are usually also found in the surrounding towns of West, Hewitt, Robinson, Bellmead, Moody, Woodway, Lorena, Lacy Lakeview, Riesel, Crawford, Gholson, Beverly Hills, Hallsburg, Leroy, Ross, and the surrounding areas.

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