Revised June 2003

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Contents

• Biology and habits
• Habitat
• Poisonous snakes of Missouri
• Identification of poisonous snakes
• Other features may help you identify a poisonous snake at a distance
• Snake bites
• Beneficial aspects of snakes
• Controlling snake problems
• Removal from inside buildings
• Other sources of information
• Outdoor prevention and control tips
• Indoor prevention and control tips

Poisonous snakes of Missouri

• Copperhead
• Massasauga rattlesnake
• Timber rattlesnake
• Western cottonmouth
• Western pygmy rattlesnake

Related pages

• G9442 Controlling House Mice
• Owner may protect property, Missouri Wildlife Code, Section 3CSR10-4.130

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Snakes: Information for Missouri Homeowners

Western pygmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius streckeri)

Poisonous snakes of Missouri

Western pygmy rattlesnake photo by Tom R. Johnson, herpetologist, Missouri Department of Conservation.

The western pygmy rattlesnake often is called the ground rattler. It is one of the smallest species of rattlesnakes in North America (15 to 20 inches long). It lives under rocks in cedar glades or partially wooded hillsides. You could encounter this snake when it crosses gravel roads in the evening. Its range is restricted to the southern counties bordering Arkansas and the eastern Missouri Ozarks. Normally, the snake is active from mid-April to mid-October. The sound of its rattle is a faint buzz and sounds like a grasshopper. Although there are no known human deaths caused by this species, a bite victim should seek immediate attention.

G9450, revised June 2003