# Glossy Snake (*Arizona elegans*) The Glossy Snake is a shiny, smooth snake that loves to hide in the grass and rocks. It has beautiful colors that help it blend in with the desert and is very gentle. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Desert - **Also known as:** Arizona occidentalis, Western Glossy Snake ![Glossy Snake](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Arizona_elegans_occidentalis.jpg&width=800) Photo: Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arizona_elegans_occidentalis.jpg) ## Appearance The Glossy Snake has a slender body with smooth, slightly shiny scales. Its coloration ranges from light tan to pale gray, adorned with distinct darker brown or reddish-brown blotches down its back. Its unmarked creamy-white belly and round pupils distinguish it from venomous lookalikes. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Serpentes - **Family:** Colubridae - **Genus:** Arizona ## Interesting facts - Despite its name, this snake isn't actually shiny; 'glossy' refers to its smooth scales! - Glossy Snakes are nocturnal, meaning they hunt for their meals under the cover of darkness. - It has a special wedge-shaped snout that acts like a shovel, perfect for burrowing underground! - They lay leathery-shelled eggs in burrows, sometimes even sharing nests with other female snakes! ## Special abilities - **Burrow Master:** Glossy Snake can dig into soft soil using its wedge-shaped snout because this helps it hide from predators and find cooler temperatures. - **Desert Disguise:** Glossy Snake has blotchy patterns and glossy scales that help it perfectly blend into sandy and rocky deserts, making it hard to spot. - **Rattle Impersonator:** Glossy Snake can rapidly vibrate its tail when scared, making a rattling sound to trick predators into thinking it's a dangerous rattlesnake. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 70-120 cm - **Weight:** 0.15-0.7 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 5 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-20 - **Incubation:** 65-95 days ## Diet & Feeding This nocturnal hunter enjoys a meal of lizards, small snakes, and tiny rodents it catches in the desert. - **Primary Foods:** lizards, small snakes, rodents, bird eggs - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Desert Horned Lizard (*Phrynosoma platyrhinos*) — A primary prey item in arid environments. - **Hunts:** Desert Deermouse (*Peromyscus eremicus*) — Small mammals are a common food source for this snake. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Nocturnal birds of prey hunt these snakes. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Desert](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/desert): Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a snake, it's best to stay calm and walk away slowly. Snakes are shy and will usually not bother you. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Glossy Snake? Compare the full body pattern, build, head markings and tail. Color can shift with age and lighting. Rules of thumb about triangular heads or round pupils aren't a reliable way to tell whether a snake is venomous. Snake Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Glossy Snake? 70-120 cm ### How much does Glossy Snake weigh? 0.15-0.7 kg ### How long does Glossy Snake live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Glossy Snake move? 5 km/h ### What does Glossy Snake eat? This nocturnal hunter enjoys a meal of lizards, small snakes, and tiny rodents it catches in the desert. ### Where is Glossy Snake usually found? Desert ### How does Glossy Snake hunt? Ambush ## Where to spot - [Jawbone Canyon](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jawbone-canyon) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/organ-mountains-desert-peaks-national-monument) — New Mexico, US · National Park ## More Reptiles - [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*) - [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) - [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*) - [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*) --- Source: [Glossy Snake: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/glossy-snake)