Snakes & Lizards of TN - Natural History

Range: Statewide but very uncommon

Habitat: Pine forests with sandy soils, under logs/debris;

Behavior: not aggressive, only found in the open at night, not aggressive, rarely climbs

Diet: Prefers other reptile eggs, swallows other prey alive

Range: Statewide, common

Habitat: Generalists, but espsecially forests, fields, wetlands

Behavior: Usually diurnal, hyperactive, will react aggressively if cornered, will climb to flee

Diet: Pretty much any vertebrate smaller than it, eats prey alive

Range: Statewide, common

Habitat: Fields, pastures, farmland, open woods

Behavior: Emits a foul smelling musk, flattens out, and vibrates tail when threatened; moderately hyperactive but not aggressive. Rarely climbs.

Diet: Pretty much any vertebrate smaller than it, except birds; constricts prey

Range: almost statewide e/c NE corner, common but declining in some areas

Habitat: Variety, incl: grasslands, forests, around abandoned buildings; found in the open or under debris

Behavior: non-aggressive unless severely provoked; shakes tail when disturbed. Rarely climbs.

Diet: Mostly snakes, including pit vipers (immune to venom), but will eat most small vertebrates as well, and also eggs. Constricts prey.

Range: Statewide, most common in east, elsewhere rare-uncommon

Habitat: Rocky slopes (forests) most common, also near agricultural areas, esp. barns

Behavior: non-aggressive, secretive and primarily nocturnal. Seldom climbs.

Diet: Most small vertebrates excluding birds; constricts prey.

Eastern Milksnake - Lampropeltis

Range: Only Lookout Mountain in TN where it is very uncommon; moderately common in Coastal Plains

Habitat: Rocky areas, mostly in sandy, woody habitats (esp. pine stands); mostly found under rocks or debris, inside rotting logs, or under bark of dead pine trees

Behavior: Reluctant to bite but thrashes if handled

Diet: Almost exclusively lizards, occasionally snakes & small mice; constricts prey

Range: Only in SW TN, and rare; rare-uncommon elsewhere

Habitat: Dry sandy flatwoods & pine forests; often found in the open but rarely seen due to scarcity.

Behavior: Prowls w/ head above ground, very fast; if harassed coils up & shakes tail like rattler. Excellent climber.

Diet: Most small vertebrates incl birds & eggs, occasionally other snakes, not amphibs. Sometimes pins prey to ground, swallows alive.

Range: Statewide except  far NE; common but rarely seen

Habitat: Abundant green vegetation, mostly edge habitats

Behavior: Arboreal. Remains motionless when threatened; thrashes about if captured/hyperactive but rarely bites.

Diet: Insects and other invertebrates; swallows prey alive.

Range: Eastern & southern TN, common

Habitat: Upland, esp. sandy soils & pine forests, common around barns & houses

Behavior: Shake their tails and rear up when threatened but rarely bite in captivity. Climb well and young hide under tree bark of standing dead trees.

Diet: Adults: mostly rodents; juveniles: mostly lizards. Constrictors.

Range: Scattered, v. uncommon

Habitat: Pine flatwoods, sandy pine-oak woodlands

Behavior: When threatened, emits a very loud rattling, hissing noise and shakes
tail, mostly bluff-strikes rather than actually biting. Climbs occasionally, but most often burrows.

Diet: Mainly rodents & other small mammals, bird eggs. Constrictors.

Range: Statewide, common

Habitat: Widespread in forested, also around & in buildings; often seen in open & on roads.

Behavior: Shake their tails and rear up when threatened. Climbs very well. ·        
Bite readily, especially when first captured.

Diet: Rodents, birds, and bird eggs (primary
egg-eating snake in TN) Constrictors.

Range: Throughout but moderately uncommon (missing from ex. west & north)

Habitat: Mostly sandy soils dominated by pines; most often found under rocks & dead logs

Behavior: Nocturnal and spends most of its time burrowing. Rarely climbs if at all. Non-aggressive.

Diet: Insect larvae, snails, spiders, and especially centipedes

Range: Statewide, common

Habitat: Prefers wooded, rocky hillsides; occasionally found in open, esp. dawn & dusk

Behavior: Frequently bites when
handled; usually “high strung. Rarely climbs.

Diet: Prefers mice for food, but
will eat other reptiles and amphibians; kills with venom

Range: Mostly western TN, common

Habitat: Almost always near ponded
or slow moving water (swamps, lakes, and rivers) except when denning (on
hillsides above the water). Commonly basks, swims on surface of water.


Behavior: Often considered
erroneously to be aggressive; usually does not flee as readily as most other
snakes when threatened; coils in a circle andgapes, exposing the white inner lining of the mouth. Vibrates tail to produce rattling sound when provoked and produces a strong musk.


Diet: Fish (primarily); also frogs, salamanders, snakes, lizards, small turtles, baby alligators, birds, and small mammals. Kills prey w/ venom.

Range: Statewide but uncommon and declining.

Habitat: Variety of wooded habitats, but most common in wooded areas with rocky ledges.

Behavior: When threatened rattles tail (actually behavior is rare). Rarely climbs. V. docile but will bite if handled.

Diet: Mostly small mammals, kills w/ venom.

Timber Rattlesnake - Crotalus horridus

Range: Only western TN and rarely, but fairly common in coastal plains of deep south.

Habitat: Variety but mostly sandy soils; often found near water. Occasionally climbs into low shrubs & palmetto fronds. Most often encountered on trails & roads, esp. dusk & dawn, or hides in leaf litter.

Behavior: Remains motionless & camouflaged most of time, but will rattle & bite if threatened. Very snappy if handled & readily bites.

Diet: Small mice, lizards, frogs, & insects. Kills w/ venom.

Range: Statewide, common but not often encountered (secretive)

Habitat: Mostly deciduous woodlands w/ abundant cover, lives underground. Very rarely seen in open; found under rocks, boards, other debris.

Behavior: Essentially never bites (could not break skin anyway), but will use pointed tails as defense mechanism.

Diet: Almost exclusively earthworms; subdue with very weak venom but swallows alive.

Range: Statewide, very common & abundant

Habitat: Generalists - forests, grassy areas, near streams, or near homes.

Behavior: When threatened, coil their tail and expose the bright underside of their bellies, while releasing foul-smelling musk. Usually will not bite (can't break human skin anyway).

Diet: primarily invertebrates incl. earthworms. Subdue prey w/ weak venom but swallows live.

Range: Western TN only (uncommon), mostly along Mississippi River; common-abundant elsewhere

Habitat: Mostly @ edges of lakes & ponds, swamps, rice fields (standing water environments)

Behavior: Often regurgitates last meal and musks when harassed; flattens body and strikes
readily. Climbs on branches just above water to bask; drops into water when
approached. Bites if handled, but not as frequently as other water snakes.

Diet: Mostly fish/amphibians, swallows prey alive

Range: Western TN only (uncommon); common-abundant elsewhere

Habitat: Mostly @ edges of lakes & ponds, temporary wetlands. Occurs on land more often than other water snakes.

Behavior: Often regurgitates last meal and musks when harassed; flattens body and strikes readily. Climbs on branches just above water to bask; drops into water when approached. Bites if handled.

Diet: Mostly amphibians & fish, prefers amphibians more than most water snakes. Swallows prey alive

Range: Statewide except missing from SW corner; abundant.

Habitat: Wide variety of aquatic habitats

Behavior: Often regurgitates last meal and musks when harassed; flattens body and strikes readily. Climbs on branches just above water to bask; drops into water when approached. Bites if handled.

Diet: Mostly fish/amphibians. Swallows prey alive

Range: Areas immediately adjacent to Mississippi River; abundant.

Habitat: Wide variety of aquatic habitats

Behavior: Often regurgitates last meal and musks when harassed; flattens body and strikes readily. Climbs on branches just above water to bask; drops into water when approached. Bites if handled.

Diet: Mostly fish/amphibians. Swallows prey alive

Range: Western TN only, mostly along Mississippi River (common); common-abundant elsewhere

Habitat: Rivers, streams, ponds; usually avoids clear gravelly streams

Behavior: Often regurgitates last meal and musks when harassed; flattens body and strikes readily. Climbs on branches just above water to bask; drops into water when approached. Bites if handled.

Diet: Mostly fish & amphibians; swallows prey alive

Range: Central & E TN (east of Tennessee River), common

Habitat: mostly in and around fast-moving streams

Behavior: Basks commonly in small shrubs over hanging streams. Takes refuge in the water or vegetation when threatened. Rarely bite, even when first captured.

Diet: Specialize in soft-bodied (recently-molted) crayfish; swallows prey alive

Range: Statewide except in NE corner, common (one of most freq. encountered small ground snakes)

Habitat: Wide variety, often around homes; mostly found underground or under objects

Behavior: When threatened will flatten body to appear larger and release musky fluid from cloaca. Rarely, if ever, climbs. Not aggressive but will excrete on captors and strike.

.Diet: Mostly earthworms/slugs, also small salamanders & insects; swallows prey alive

Range: Statewide, uncommon (but common elsewhere)

Habitat: Mixed woodlands & deciduous forests; most common around wetland margins, seldom around homes; usually hides under logs, rocks, & debris piles

Behavior: Curls lip and exposes teeth when threatened (v. unusual). Will occasionally climb in low shrubs, but mostly found on the ground. Rarely bites when handled.

Diet: Mostly slugs, earthworms, & soft-bodied insects; swallows prey alive

Range: Statewide, common

Habitat: Variety incl. suburbs, often found near water, in the open or under debris, seldom in trees or shrubs.

Behavior: Will puff up the body and make thrashing aggressive movements if threatened; also produces copious amounts of foul-smelling musky
liquid that is released readily. Not aggressive, but will bite if handled.

Diet: amphibians, invertebrates; swallows prey alive

Range: W. TN only, uncommon-locally common, more common elsewhere.

Habitat: Semi-aquatic, prefer wetlands & edges of ponds/streams. Almost always found on ground or under logs/rocks/boards

Behavior: Often seen swimming, able to climb. Non-aggressive, unlikely to bite even when handled.

Diet: Primarily salamander, frogs, earthworms, & small fish; eats prey alive.

Range: E & W TN only (NOT middle), uncommon.

Habitat: variety of forest habitats w/ abundant ground cover; mostly found uder rocks/logs/debris

Behavior: burrowers, rarely climb

Diet: Earthworms & insects; eats prey alive.

Range: SW corner only, uncommon.

Habitat: variety of forest habitats w/ abundant ground cover; mostly found uder rocks/logs/debris

Behavior: burrowers, rarely climb

Diet: Almost exclusively earthworms; eats prey alive.

Range: W TN only, moderately common.

Habitat: Variety of wetland habitats, sometimes slow-moving streams. Usually remains hidden in aquatic vegetation, so seldom seen in the open; sometimes encountered crossing roads, especially on rainy nights during summer.

Behavior: Use sharply pointed tails to prod both prey and hands if handled but seldom, if ever, bites. When threatened, will curl into a loose ball with the head protected by the coils; curls tail when doing so.

Diet: Adults - almost exclusively sirens & amphiumas; young also eat small amphibians (usually tadpoles). Swallows prey alive.

Range: Statewide but uncommon.

Habitat: Variety, most commonly woodland w/ sandy soils & open grassy areas near woods

Behavior: ·        
If threatened, they will puff out their neck and thrash about; if this fails, they will convulse, flip over, hang their tongue out, and play dead.

Diet: almost exclusively toads; subdues w/ very weak venom, but usually swallows prey while alive

Range: Occurs statewide except for far
NE; moderately uncommon, more common elsewhere.

Habitat: Mainly in dry, open areas; most common in sandy habitats. Rarely climbs.

Behavior: Takes refuge in burrows or darts short distances when threatened; one of the fastest lizards in the eastern U.S. Less
likely to lose their tails than most other lizards, but will regenerate.

Diet: invertebrates

Range: Small, isolated pops in E & N TN, uncommon

Habitat: wooded eareas, most often near streams; under rocks & logs

Behavior: Will dive into water when attacked, readily detaches tail. Tends eggs. Typically does not climb.

Diet: invertebrates incl. spiders

Range: Occurs statewide, very common

Habitat: Widespread; most common wooded areas w/ fallen cover (rotting stumps & logs, rock piles, decaying debris, boards)

Behavior: Will climb dead or decaying tree for prey or to escape predators; will readily lose their tail if threatened. Females tend eggs.

Diet: invertebrates

Range: Thought to occur throughout central TN, very common

Habitat: Widespread; most common wooded areas w/ fallen cover (rotting stumps & logs, rock piles, decaying debris, boards)

Behavior: Will climb dead or decaying tree for prey or to escape predators; will readily lose their tail if threatened. Females tend eggs.

Diet: invertebrates

Range: Statewide, common; abundant elsewhere

Habitat: Widespread; most common wooded areas w/ loose soil & abundant leaf litter. Often found under logs, boards, etc.)

Behavior: Almost exclusively ground dwellers; dart about on the forest floor, looking for prey (extremely fast!). Readily loses tail if threatened

Diet: tiny insects & other invertebrates

Range: Statewide except NE corner, very uncommon; locally common elsewhere

Habitat: Mainly dry, open areas, esp. sandy habitats. 

Behavior: Loses tail moderately easily (but slightly less than skinks), it shatters into multiple pieces. Rarely, if ever, climbs.

Diet: wide variety of invertebrates, also small reptiles & rodents