Poisonous Snakes In New Brunswick?

There are four types of snakes that live in New Brunswick, Canada. These include the Smooth Greensnake, the Maritime Garter Snake, the Red-bellied Snake, and the Ring-necked Snake. While some species are venomous, they are not considered dangerous to humans. There are no poisonous snakes in Fundy National Park, New Brunswick.

The only venomous snakes in Canada are found in British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta

Canada is home to 26 native snake species, four of which are venomous. These snakes are not poisonous, as they inject venom into their prey rather than "poisoning" them. Most venomous snakes prefer warmer climates, making Canada unfriendly to all but the hardiest species.

The only venomous snakes in Canada are found in British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.

British Columbia

The Northern Pacific Rattlesnake, also known as the Western Rattlesnake, is the only venomous snake found in British Columbia. It is considered the most dangerous snake in the province. It is identifiable by its broad, triangular head, large eyes, and long, dark patch on its cheek. It is found in the Thompson-Okanagan region.

Ontario

The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake is the only venomous snake found in Ontario. It is a pit viper and is considered potentially harmful to humans. It is found in the Georgian Bay area.

Saskatchewan

The Prairie Rattlesnake is Saskatchewan's only venomous snake. It is found in southwestern Saskatchewan, southeastern Alberta, and south-central British Columbia.

Alberta

The Prairie Rattlesnake is also Alberta's only venomous snake. It is rarely fatal to humans. It is found in southeastern Alberta, southwestern Saskatchewan, and south-central British Columbia.

Garter snakes are common in New Brunswick but are harmless to humans

Garter snakes are common in New Brunswick, Canada, but they are harmless to humans.

The Maritime Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis pallidulus) is a subspecies of the Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis). It is one of the four types of snakes found in New Brunswick. The other three are the Smooth Green Snake, the Red-bellied Snake, and the Ring-necked Snake.

The Maritime Garter Snake is highly variable in colour and pattern but tends to be brown, dark green, or black with three yellow stripes: one down the back and one on each side. The lateral stripes are confined to the second and third scale rows. Many individuals have white, brown, or black chequered or speckled patterning along their backs. They have a yellowish chin, upper jaw, and belly. They can grow to just under a metre in length, making them the largest of the four species in New Brunswick.

The Maritime Garter Snake is a habitat generalist and can be found in a wide variety of habitats, including forests, wetlands, shrublands, shorelines, fields, and rocky areas. This species also inhabits many urban and human-dominated landscapes. They are commonly found under cover objects, such as rocks and logs, which provide important microhabitats for shelter and thermoregulation. They hibernate below the frost line in mammal burrows, rock crevices, crayfish burrows, and even man-made structures.

The Maritime Garter Snake is not considered threatened and can live for more than twenty years. They are relatively common and can tolerate moderately disturbed human habitats well. However, populations near roads frequently have high mortality rates due to vehicle collisions.

While the Maritime Garter Snake does bite defensively, it is not considered dangerous to humans. They can deliver a weak venom used in prey handling from the back of the mouth, but it is not medically significant to humans. Their bites are not often cause for concern and can be treated with basic first aid.

Smooth Green Snakes are slender and light green with a yellow or white underside

There are no poisonous snakes in Fundy National Park, Canada. However, some snakes in Canada do produce venom, but they are not considered dangerous to humans.

One of the snake species in New Brunswick, Canada, is the Smooth Green Snake. These snakes are slender and light green with a yellow or white underside and a red tongue with a black tip. They are also called Grass Snakes and can be found in marshes, meadows, pastures, savannas, open woods, and along stream and lake edges. Smooth Green Snakes prey almost exclusively on insects and spiders and do not use constriction; instead, they quickly strike and swallow their prey alive. They rely on their excellent camouflage to avoid predators and are also agile, fleeing quickly if they need to.

Smooth Green Snakes are small, typically ranging from 35 to 50 centimetres in length. They hibernate during the winter in New Brunswick, seeking shelter in old mammal burrows and abandoned anthills. They often hibernate communally with other small snakes and emerge in the spring, usually in April, remaining active until October.

Juvenile Smooth Green Snakes may be olive-green, blue-grey, or brown until they shed their skin for the first time. They are considered fairly common in Nova Scotia, where they are also found.

Red-bellied snakes are small, docile, and have bright red bellies

Red-bellied snakes, or *Storeria occipitomaculata*, are small, docile, and have bright red bellies. They are a woodland species, typically growing to between 10 and 25 cm long, though some can reach up to 40 cm. Their colouring varies from orange, grey, black, and brown, but their bright red or orange bellies make them stand out from other snake species. They are probably the "cutest" snake species in New Brunswick!

Red-bellied snakes are generally found in forest clearings, fields, meadows, and old fields, and around rock piles. They are most commonly found under logs and leaf litter, and they are also frequently found burrowed inside abandoned ant mounds. They are typically diurnal, but their secretive nature makes them hard to find. They breed in the spring or sometimes in the autumn, and females give birth to 4–14 live young in late summer.

Red-bellied snakes have a unique behaviour called "lip-curling", where they curl their lips upward and flick their tongue when eating or feeling threatened. This behaviour helps them catch their prey and also scares off potential predators. When feeling threatened, they will also expose their bright red bellies or flatten themselves and curl the edges of their mouths outward.

Red-bellied snakes are non-venomous and harmless to humans. They are an important part of the ecosystem, feeding on invertebrates such as slugs, earthworms, snails, grubs, and insects, and helping to control garden pest populations.

Ring-necked snakes are secretive and nocturnal

Ring-necked snakes are small, slender, and fossorial. They are rarely seen during the daytime due to their secretive and nocturnal nature. They are found in a variety of habitats, including open woodlands, rocky hillsides, wet environments, riparian areas, and forests. They prefer areas with abundant cover and denning locations, such as under rocks, logs, or other surface debris. They are also known to inhabit human-made structures, such as basements and abandoned burrows.

Ring-necked snakes are non-aggressive and pose little threat to humans. They are best known for their unique defensive posture, curling their tails and exposing their bright red-orange underside when threatened. This "false warning" coloration is a survival adaptation, mimicking the appearance of venomous species. They are also known to release a pungent musk as a defensive behaviour.

The dorsal coloration of ring-necked snakes is typically olive, brown, bluish-gray, or smoky black, with a distinct yellow, red, or orange neckband. Their bellies are yellow to red, with crescent-shaped black spots along the margins. Adults range from 25-38 cm in length.

Ring-necked snakes are primarily nocturnal but some diurnal activity has been observed, especially on cloudy days when they may sun themselves to gain heat. They are polygynandrous, meaning both males and females have multiple partners during the breeding season. They usually mate in the spring, although some subspecies mate in the fall. Females attract males by secreting pheromones, and 3-10 eggs are typically laid in early summer.

The diet of ring-necked snakes consists mainly of small salamanders, earthworms, and slugs, although they also eat lizards, frogs, and juvenile snakes of other species. They are not true constrictors but use a combination of constriction and envenomation to secure their prey. Their venom is weak and primarily used as a feeding strategy rather than a defence mechanism.

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