Two kingsnakes live in Nevada's deserts, the California kingsnake and Sonoran Mountain kingsnake. The larger of the two snakes, the California kingsnake, lives in the Mojave Desert region in the southern area of Nevada. These snakes grow up to 3 or 4 feet as adults. California kingsnakes spend most of their time in the Mojave Desert's underbrush. Sonoran Mountain kingsnakes live at high elevations in the southern tip of Nevada, near the Nevada-Arizona border; the snake lives at elevations of up to 9,000 feet. This snake is a mimic of the venomous coral snake, which is not native to Nevada. Both kingsnakes are known for eating other snakes, including kingsnake species.
The Great Basin gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer deserticola) is a subspecies of the California gopher snake. This snake grows up to 7 feet as adults. In Nevada, this non-venomous snake dwells in the eastern region of the state -- at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains -- and the southern Nevada region of the Mojave Desert. Physical characteristics of the Great Basin gopher snake are its round-shaped nose and keeled, or ridged, scales. Aside from deserts, these snakes are able to live in mountainous areas and grasslands.
Nevada's desert terrain is home to six species of venomous snakes. North and Central Nevada's desert is home to the Great Basin rattlesnake and panamint rattlesnake; the larger of these two snakes is the Great Basin, which grows up to 3 or 4 feet. The Mojave Desert rattlesnake, horned rattlesnake and Mojave desert sidewinder live in the southern region of Nevada in the Mojave Desert. Another southern Nevada rattlesnake is the southwestern speckled rattlesnake; this snake's scale gray and orangish colors help it blend in with its desert surroundings. All seven of these snakes produce venom from their fangs; snake bite victims require immediate medical attention.
Found in southeast Nevada, the southwestern black-headed snake (Tantilla hobartsmithi) is a native of the Mojave Desert region. As its name suggests, this snake's head has black scales; the remainder of the snake's body features cream-colored and light brown scales. The southwestern black-headed snake grows up to 1 foot when it is an adult. Southwestern black-headed snakes are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night. During the day, southwestern black-headed snakes lie underneath desert brush and rocks.