Welcome to akronsnakes.com! I am David, a snake enthusiast living in Akron, OH. Many people don't know that Akron is in fact full of snakes! You just need to know where to find them - they can often be shy and elusive. Some Ohio snake species are more common outside of the city limits, in different parts of Summit County OH, but many types of snakes are indeed common in the more urban parts of Akron. This guide is meant to help educate you about the beautiful snakes of Akron, and to help you identify the most common snakes of Akron, as well as the venomous snakes of Akron that you should learn to recognize and avoid. Remember the following:

Common Snake Species in Akron

Eastern water snake: This is a harmless snake that can grow to a maximum length of 53 inches. They come in different colors and can be black, gray, dark brown, or dark red with dark cross-bands around the neck and dark splotches along the rest of the body. This snake is often mistaken for the poisonous cottonmouth or copperhead, but it’s non-venomous and completely harmless to humans although they will bite aggressively when picked up.




Rat snakes: Two types of rat snakes are found in Ohio; the black rat snake and the gray rat snake. Black rat snakes are heavy-bodied with shiny black color and dark brown blotches while gray rat snakes are gray with brown blotches. These snakes are large and will measure from 48 to 72 inches. They can be found in garages and outbuildings in suburban areas.






Eastern hog-nosed snake: The hog-nosed snake got its name from its upturned snout. The eastern hog-nosed snake is a non-venomous medium-sized snake with a total length of about 20 to 30 inches. These snakes can be yellow, gray, brown-black, or green with large brown rectangular blotches along their bodies.






Northern ring-necked snake: This is one of the smallest snakes in Ohio and only grows to be about 11 to 15 inches, it’s easily recognized due to a bright yellowish-orange ring around its neck. This snake can be black, brown, gray, or olive, with a yellowish-orange ringed-neck and a cream, off-white or yellow belly.






Garter snakes: Many garter snakes are found in the state of Ohio, among them are the plains garter snake, eastern garter snake, and the Butler’s garter snake. These snakes are found in a wide range of habitats including wetlands, grasslands, meadows, gardens, etc. they are slender harmless snakes that can measure between 18 to 30 inches with dark striped bodies.






Queen snake: The queen snake is a common snake in Ohio and will grow no longer than 25 inches. This snake is pretty plain and can be dark brown, black, or greenish-brown without spots or blotches. The queen snake is found throughout the state of Ohio, mostly resting within tall grasses as it proves to be the perfect cover.






Northern red-belly snake: This is a common snake in the state of Ohio. This tiny snake has a solid black, gray, olive, or tan color and a bright yellow or orange belly. These snakes measure up to 14 inches long and feed only on slugs and earthworms.

Venomous Snake Species in Akron

Timber rattlesnake: The timber rattler comes in shades of yellow or brown with black or brown blotches across its back. This snake is not very common in the state and it’s currently considered an endangered species. Although venomous, these rattlers are not aggressive and will only bite in self-defense.







Eastern massasauga rattlesnake: This is a small rattlesnake that often grows to a maximum length of 30 inches. With a grayish-brown color and dark bow-shaped blotches, it’s much darker than the timber rattler. These snakes are venomous and will attack when cornered or threatened.







Northern copperhead: The copperhead is a pit viper that measures between 25-36 inches in length. They are the most common venomous snakes in Ohio, many non-venomous snake species are confused with the copperhead due to similar coloration and patterns. The northern copperhead has a light brown or gray base color and dark brown or reddish-brown hourglass-like splotches across their backs.



Some other snake species you may encounter in Ohio include the northern black racer, eastern black kingsnake, eastern ribbon snake, rough green snake, smooth green snake, eastern worm snake, eastern rat snake, blue racer, eastern fox snake, eastern milk snake, etc.

Remember, the term is not poisonous snakes of Akron, it's venomous snakes of Akron. Poison is generally something you eat, and venom is injected into you. That said, dangerous snakes are very rare in Akron. The few venomous snakes of Summit County are rarely seen. But they are commonly misidentified, so learn about all the snake species of Akron in order to correctly identify them. These snakes are usually also found in the surrounding towns of Akron, Cuyahoga Falls, Stow, Barberton, Twinsburg, Hudson, Fairlawn, Macedonia, Green, Northfield, Richfield, Norton, New Franklin, Clinton, Munroe Falls, Portage Lakes, Peninsula, Lakemore, Silver Lake, Boston Heights, Reminderville, Montrose-Ghent, Twinsburg Heights, Pigeon Creek, and the surrounding areas.

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