Prairie Rattlesnake

This widely-distributed rattlesnake species can strike up to half their body length.

Prairie rattlesnake, Wayne D. Lewis

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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.

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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.​​

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 crevice​​s 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.

Reptile
Crotalus viridis