SUMMARY: A total of 87 wild snakes of 6 species in 2 families collected in Japan were examined for the presence of Salmonella. The prevalence of Salmonella was 58.6z, and that of Salmonella enterica subspecies I, which includes most human pathogenic serotypes, accounted for 12.6z. S. enterica subspecies I was isolated from Japanese grass snakes and Japanese four-striped snakes, and the isolates belonged to 6 serotypes: S. enterica subspecies enterica serotypes Eastbourne, Mikawashima, Narashino, Newport, Saintpaul, and Thompson. The prevalence of S. enterica subspecies IIIb was higher (41.4z) than that of S. enterica subspecies I, and it was isolated from 4 snake species. The prevalence of Salmonella enterica subspecies and isolation of serotypes that are commonly detected in reptiles and human salmonellosis suggest that wild snakes may become a source of Salmonella infection.