Prairie rattlesnake
Venomous · Crotalus viridis
DangerousA bite is a medical emergency
The only rattlesnake across most of the northern plains. A bite is a medical emergency.
- Lives in
- 12 states
- Size
- 24–48 in
- Open US records
- 8,177
- Group
- Snake
How to identify it
- 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
- Rattle on the tail
Size: 24–48 in (total length). Habitat: Short-grass prairie, sagebrush and badlands of the Great Plains.
Also called Hopi rattlesnake.
Where it lives
- Lives here
- Rare records
- Gone
- Not here
When it is out
Look-alikes
State by state
| State | Status | Open records | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Lives here | 1,948 | 43 |
| South Dakota | Lives here | 1,512 | 27 |
| New Mexico | Lives here | 1,360 | 32 |
| Texas | Lives here | 677 | 81 |
| Montana | Lives here | 652 | 33 |
| Arizona | Lives here | 638 | 13 |
| Kansas | Lives here | 606 | 43 |
| Wyoming | Lives here | 300 | 17 |
| Nebraska | Lives here | 287 | 25 |
| Oklahoma | Lives here | 132 | 15 |
| North Dakota | Lives here | 31 | 5 |
| Iowa | Lives here | 27 | 2 |
| Ohio | Rare records | 5 | 2 |
| Missouri | Rare records | 1 | 0 |
| Connecticut | Not here | 1 | 0 |
States not listed have no open records and are outside the range.
Questions
Where does the prairie rattlesnake live?
In 12 states: Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming. Rare records also come from Missouri and Ohio.
Is the prairie rattlesnake dangerous?
Dangerous. The only rattlesnake across most of the northern plains. A bite is a medical emergency.
How do you identify a prairie rattlesnake?
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.
When is the prairie rattlesnake most active?
Most open US records fall in May to September.