Prairie Rattlesnake
This widely-distributed rattlesnake species can strike up to half their body length.
About This Species
Prairie Rattlesnakes are the most widely-distributed rattlesnakes in the US. They are thermosensitive, and have a heat-sensitive pit on each side of their head between their nose and eye. They rattle the tip of their tails in order to alert predators to their presence.
Rattlesnakes
Rattlesnakes are usually very forgiving — they give us every opportunity to stay away before they resort to a venomous bite in self-defense. They don’t chase people; on the contrary, they use their camouflage to avoid being seen and, if unable to hide or slither away, use their rattle as a warning signal. But unfortunately, some people get too close without knowing; some accidentally step on a snake or, worse, choose to provoke the snake, resulting in a bite.
To prevent snakebites, knowing what to do is equally important as knowing what not to do.
- Snakes are often heard before they’re seen. If you hear a rattlesnake, freeze in place until you or a friend can locate it. Trying to get away from a snake before you see it may lead you closer to it! Even if the snake is in plain view, freezing will make you less threatening to the snake and help you calmly assess the situation.
- Get to a safe distance away from the snake. Rattlesnakes can strike at a distance of half their body length; a good rule of thumb is to put at least five feet between you and the snake. If possible, move slowly back the way you came.
- Leave the snake alone. NEVER, under any circumstances, try to catch, kill, provoke or move a rattlesnake. Move around the rattlesnake at a safe distance and out of its way. Be aware that other snakes could be in the area.
- If you are bitten by a snake, call 911 immediately.
Understanding the biology and behavior of rattlesnakes can go a long way toward reducing unwanted encounters. Rattlesnakes are creatures of habit and often bask, hunt, migrate and den in the same areas year after year. Here are some ways to prepare for hiking in rattlesnake country:
- Sturdy footwear and long pants should be the first line of defense. These afford good protection for the feet and ankles, which are usually in the closest proximity to rattlesnakes.
- Hikers should watch where they place feet and hands at all times, being careful to avoid stepping over rocks and logs or reaching into holes that could shelter a resting rattlesnake.
- Do not hike with headphones or earbuds; be aware of your surroundings.
- Limit early morning and evening activity.
- Exercise extra caution around dawn and dusk when the snakes become active and human visibility drops.
- If early or late activity is unavoidable, use a light and be sure to wear boots — even in camp!
Though usually not fatal, a rattlesnake bite can nevertheless be very painful, and it should always be considered a medical emergency.
Rattlesnake venom can be cytotoxic, meaning it destroys the muscle and soft tissues around the bite. Occasionally, the venom can also be hemotoxic, meaning it increases the chance of bleeding. In prey animals, the venom not only subdues the animal but starts digesting it, even before the snake begins swallowing. The same thing happens when a snake bites a person — the tissues around the bite are digested, and the damage can be extensive.
If you are bitten by a snake, call 911 immediately.
More Information:
Physical Characteristics
Horny rattle or button on end of tail; numerous small scales on top of head; head much broader than neck; pit on each side of face between (but lower than) eye and nostril; upper side usually blotched; upper scales keeled; pupil vertically elongate (like a cat’s) in bright light; rarely greater than 100 cm total length (39 inches) in Colorado.
Unlike many of their relatives, rattlesnakes are not built for speed. They’re lie-in-wait predators and may spend hours or even days in the same location waiting for a prey animal to pass by. Their large bodies are designed to help them conserve and store energy for what could be a very long wait for their next meal. Many nonvenomous snakes flee from danger and usually have the speed and agility to do so; rattlesnakes, because of how they’re built, often have no choice but to stand their ground when threatened.
Rattlesnakes are cryptic, using camouflage as their first line of defense. They’d rather hide than interact with humans or other animals. Because of their coloration, most rattlesnakes blend in with their surroundings exceptionally well. In most cases, they’ll simply ignore you, thinking that you can’t see them. However, if the snake coils up and rattles, you’re too close and should move away slowly. Stepping back just a few feet can be enough to convince the snake you’re not a threat. Most rattlesnakes will not strike at people unless they feel threatened or are deliberately provoked.
Rattlesnakes have a fairly predictable pattern of activity. During the coldest months of the year, they shelter in winter dens and usually resume activity in late March or early April. Once active, adult snakes may migrate several kilometers from their dens in search of food. In the spring and fall, cool temperatures require rattlesnakes to bask in the sun or on warm surfaces for much of the day. They often use pavement and other hard surfaces such as trails for basking — this often leads to unfortunate encounters with people and automobiles. They usually hunt in the late afternoon and evening once they’ve warmed up enough. When temperatures allow, rattlesnakes may also prowl for food in the early afternoon or at night.
Range
Found throughout most of Colorado, except the high mountains, reaching an upper elevational limit of 7,500–9,500 feet in different areas of the state. Fairly common in many areas.
Habitat
Virtually every terrestrial habitat within the broad geographic and elevational range; plains grassland, sandhills, semidesert shrubland, mountain shrubland, riparian zones, piñon-juniper woodland, and montane woodland; soils may be sandy to rocky; absent from perennially wet areas and high mountains; basically terrestrial, but sometimes climbs into vegetation or onto rocks or logs. Takes shelter in crevices, woodpiles, brushy vegetation, or mammal burrows. Hibernates in rodent burrows or in crevices in rock outcrops.
Diet
Typical food items include small mammals, lizards, occasional birds and spadefoot toads, and sometimes carrion.
Prey are ambushed or obtained by active foraging.
Reproduction
Females give birth to their young between late August and early October.