Are there rattlesnakes in Wyoming?
Short answer
Yes2 species
Prairie rattlesnake: Yes. The prairie rattlesnake lives in Wyoming. Open records come from 17 counties.
Western rattlesnake: Yes. The western rattlesnake lives in Wyoming. Open records come from 3 counties.
Where in Wyoming
- 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
Prairie rattlesnake Crotalus viridis
- Greenish gray to brown with dark blotches down the back
- Blotches narrow into bands near the tail
- Two pale lines on the side of the face
Dangerous. The only rattlesnake across most of the northern plains. A bite is a medical emergency.
Western rattlesnake Crotalus oreganus
- Brown, gray or olive with darker blotches down the back
- Blotches turn to bands toward the rattle
- Pale line from behind the eye to the jaw
Dangerous. The rattlesnake most people meet in California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. A bite is a medical emergency.
Often mistaken for rattlesnakes
- Rattlesnake vs Gopher Snake Gopher snake: harmless, lives in Wyoming
- Eastern Diamondback vs Timber Rattlesnake Timber rattlesnake: dangerous
- Timber Rattlesnake vs Copperhead Copperhead: medically significant
- Western Diamondback vs Mojave Rattlesnake Mojave rattlesnake: dangerous
- Pygmy Rattlesnake vs Hognose Snake Eastern hognose snake: harmless
Questions
Are there rattlesnakes in Wyoming?
Yes. 2 species live in Wyoming: Prairie rattlesnake and Western rattlesnake.
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.