Are there rattlesnakes in Missouri?
Timber rattlesnake: Yes. The timber rattlesnake lives in Missouri. Open records come from 13 counties.
Prairie rattlesnake: Only as rare records. GBIF holds 1 open record of the prairie rattlesnake from Missouri, but there is no known population.
Pygmy rattlesnake: Yes. The pygmy rattlesnake lives in Missouri. Open records come from 7 counties.
Western massasauga: Yes. The western massasauga lives in Missouri. Open records come from 3 counties.
Where in Missouri
- None recorded
- 1 species
- 2
- 3 to 4
- 5 or more
Rattlesnakes across the US
- Lives here
- Rare records
- Gone
- Not here
How to recognize them
Timber rattlesnake Crotalus horridus
- Dark V- or chevron-shaped bands across the back
- Black tail ending in a rattle
- Yellow, tan or dark phases; some are almost black
Dangerous. Usually calm and slow to strike, but a bite is a medical emergency.
Pygmy rattlesnake Sistrurus miliarius
- Small with a thin tail and a tiny rattle that sounds like a buzzing insect
- Gray or tan with dark round blotches
- Often a reddish stripe down the spine
Medically significant. Small venom yield, and deaths are extremely rare, but bites are painful and need medical care.
Western massasauga Sistrurus tergeminus
- Pale gray with dark brown blotches down the back
- Small rattle
- Nine large plates on top of the head
Medically significant. Bites are rare and need medical care.
Often mistaken for rattlesnakes
- Rattlesnake vs Gopher Snake Gopher snake: harmless
- Eastern Diamondback vs Timber Rattlesnake Timber rattlesnake: dangerous, lives in Missouri
- Timber Rattlesnake vs Copperhead Copperhead: medically significant, lives in Missouri
- Western Diamondback vs Mojave Rattlesnake Mojave rattlesnake: dangerous
- Pygmy Rattlesnake vs Hognose Snake Eastern hognose snake: harmless, lives in Missouri
Questions
Are there rattlesnakes in Missouri?
Yes. 3 species live in Missouri: Timber rattlesnake, Pygmy rattlesnake and Western massasauga.
What do rattlesnakes look like?
Dark diamonds with pale yellow edges down the back. Two pale diagonal stripes on each side of the face. Thick body and a rattle on the tail.