We asked Daviess County Conservation Agent to help us understand the amazing snake a bit better. This is what we learned...Missouri has a total of 46 species and subspecies of snakes. There are only five species of venomous snakes in all of Missouri. (For more detail and pictures, go to the MDC website at http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/herpetol/snake/index.htm). The copperhead, timber rattler and eastern massasauga rattler are found in Daviess County.
All of Missouri’s venomous snakes are pit vipers, which means they have an opening on each side of the head, called a sensory pit. A pair of hollow fangs are located on the front of the upper jaw.
Osage Copperhead — is our most common venomous snake. The head may have some pink or orange color, hence the name “copperhead.” Copperheads will vibrate their tail when alarmed. There is no record of a human death caused by a copperhead bite in this state, but medical treatment for such bites is necessary. The Osage copperhead is found over the northern two-thirds of the state.
Timber Rattlesnake — This is Missouri’s largest venomous snake. Generally tan or yellowish-tan, the timber rattlesnake has markings along the back which are dark brown and change from blotches on the neck to bands near the tail. It is dangerously venomous, but there are few cases of rattlesnake bites in this state. Distribution is statewide.
Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake — This snake is gray to dark gray with numerous brown or gray-brown blotches. Massasaugas have become rare in Missouri because of habitat destruction and are on the state’s Rare and Endangered Species list. Human deaths caused by its bite are rare, but tests show that the massasauga’s venom is highly toxic, so it must be respected and classified as dangerous. Distribution: This species is found in scattered populations in the northern half of Missouri.
Western Cottonmouth — The name “cottonmouth” is derived from the white-colored lining of this snake’s mouth. When alarmed, it opens its mouth widely, showing the cotton-white lining. The cottonmouth is a dangerously venomous species that can deliver a fatal bite. These snakes are distributed over the southeastern corner and a spotty distribution throughout the Ozark Region.
Western Pygmy Rattlesnake — This is one of the smallest species of rattlesnakes in North America. General color is light grayish-brown, with a row of small, dark brown spots on the back and similar spots on each side. Although the bite of this species is not fatal, a bite victim should seek immediate medical attention. Distribution is in counties bordering Arkansas and the eastern Missouri Ozarks.
The ‘eyes’ have it
Is it possible to tell the difference between a venomous and non-venomous snake? Well, yes, if you want to get close enough to check it out.
In daylight venomous snakes have eyes with vertical pupils—like a cat—while all harmless snakes have round pupils. This characteristic is not reliable for identification at night.
The underside of the tail is helpful in distinguishing the two types of snakes: Missouri’s venomous species have a single row of scales, while harmless snakes have two rows of scales.
It’s true that venomous snakes have triangular heads. But so do a great number of the non-venomous. Most snakes have a triangular looking head. So this is not a good way to determine between venomous and non-venomous.
Not even that tell tale rattle is for sure. Most snakes (both venomous and non-venomous) rattle their tails when startled and when hitting leaves, brush or anything it’s touching can resemble the sound of a rattlesnake.
The poor, misunderstood snake — myths and facts
If you kill a snake’s mate, will the one left come to get you? Ever been chased by a “blue racer?” Ever been warned that a dead venomous snake was just as dangerous as a live one?
If you grew up in the rolling hills of northwest Missouri, you grew up with a long tradition of snake lore. Not all the stories you’ve heard were false ... a dead venomous snake is just as dangerous as a live one.
Here are a few myths and truths about snakes.
Snakes always travel in pairs. There is no evidence to prove that snakes travel in pairs. If there is good habitat for a particular snake a person may see more than one individual in a small area. Also, males follow females closely during mating season. And finally, there is no evidence to show social bonding in snakes.
Cottonmouths cannot bite underwater. Yes, they can. They catch water prey, such as fish, underwater.
Snakes won’t cross a hemp rope. Another variation of this myth is that snakes will not cross a railroad track. They will cross anything they can get over.
Rattlesnakes add one rattle every year. A rattlesnake adds one rattle every time it sheds its skin. Snakes may shed several times a year, each time adding a new rattle; in addition rattles may break off. For these reasons, counting rattles is not usually an accurate method of determining a rattlesnake’s age.
Baby rattlers are more poisonous than adults. Baby rattlers can actually be more dangerous than adults because they have less control over the amount of venom they inject. Adult rattlesnakes can control the amount of venom they inject. Approximately 20% of all adult rattlesnake bites are “dry” (no venom). The remaining 80 percent range from minimal to lethal injections. You cannot tell immediately whether you have been envenomated, but if you have, tingling and swelling develop within five to 10 minutes with a “wet” bite. The simplest and best first aid is to rush to a hospital.
Rattlers always rattle before they bite. No, not always.
Snakes can only strike when coiled. In reality, snakes can bite or strike from any position. Coiling does however, increase the distance that a snake can strike.
Snakes won’t die until sundown. A mortally wounded snake will die like any other animal. The origin of this myth may be related to the fact that nerve reflexes may cause muscle twitches for several hours after death, resulting in movements of the body and jaws. Because of the lingering nerve reflexes, even a dead venomous snake can be dangerous.
Snakes swallow and spit out their young. The myth holds that when confronted with danger, mother snakes swallow their young, spitting them out later once the danger has passed. The truth is that parental care is not a very well developed trait in snakes and there is certainly no evidence that mother snakes protect their young in this way. This myth may result from the fact that some snakes do eat other smaller snakes, even those of their own species.
Snakes are “slimy.” Snakes and other reptiles such as lizards, turtles and crocodilians all have scales and are not “slimy” when touched. When touched, a snake’s skin feels much like a smooth, dry piece of leather. On the other hand, amphibians such as frogs and salamanders do not have scales and they may have a moist “slimy” feel when touched.
Snakes have the ability to charm prey. There is no evidence that snakes charm their prey. Small animals may become "frozen with fear" when confronted by snakes but they are not charmed.
Snakes are blind during dog days of August. Snakes do go temporarily blind when they molt, which might or might not be in August. For several days before a snake molts the eyes appear bluish or cloudy, the pupils cannot be seen, and they are said to be blind. This is because of air under the outer coverings of the eyes which are shed as part of the skin. During this period snakes do not eat but hide away as if they feel insecure. Molting is hastened by wetting. The skin around the lips loosens first and is slowly forced back over the head, neck and body, inside out, as the snake crawls over rough surfaces and through narrow crevices. The snake now is shiny, the colors bright, and the eyes clear. The adults of our common kinds molt two to five times a year -- the young ones oftener because they are growing faster.
Milk snakes are so named because of their ability to suck milk directly from the udders of cows. Milk does not constitute a source of food for any species of snake. Barns are attractive to many species of snakes because they provide abundant food in the form of mice and small rats.
Hognose snakes (sometimes incorrectly called puff adders) mix poison with their breath and can kill a person at a distance of twenty-five feet. When confronted, the harmless hognose snake and several other species of snakes will sometimes puff themselves up and hiss in an attempt to frighten off their intruder, but their breath is harmless.
Hoop Snakes when frightened, will bite their tails and roll downhill like a wagon wheel. Anatomically, snakes are not well equipped for rolling and there are no reliable accounts of this ever occurring. The hoop snake myth may have been associated originally with mud snakes found in the southern United States. Mud snakes will occasionally lie in a loose coil shaped like a hoop, but they slither away from danger like other snakes.
Racers will chase people. When confronted by a human all snakes want to do is to escape. If you happen to be standing between a snake and its hiding place, you may find yourself in their path, but they are not interested in chasing after you. Missouri’s racer is the Eastern Yellow-Bellied Racer. Color of this common snake is variable—from olive, tan, brown or blue to nearly black. As the name implies, racers can move fast, especially through tall grass or brush. As with many of our harmless snakes, a racer sometimes will vibrate its tail when alarmed. Cottonmouths tend to exhibit the behavioral characteristics of territorial animals by defending and guarding a specific area, thus appearing to be more aggressive than most snakes.
A few other things about snakes you may or may not want to know.
Snakes do not have external ears and are probably deaf to most sounds. A snake’s vision is mainly used for detecting movement of prey. They have difficulty seeing motionless prey or enemies. The eyes of snakes are lidless, but are protected by a tough, transparent covering, or scale, that is shed with the skin.
Snakes are referred to as "cold-blooded," although the correct term is ectothermic. Their body temperature is regulated by outside influences. The warmer it is, the more active they become, and if the outside temperature drops too low, their metabolism slows and they hibernate.
Snakes actually are beneficial to humans because they prey on insect and rodent pests.
Don’t be terrified of the snake, but do give it room and respect. It has its purpose in the great and good scheme of things.
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