Wyoming’s diverse landscapes, from grasslands to mountains, provide habitats for various snake species. These reptiles are integral to the state’s ecosystems, contributing to ecological balance and biodiversity.
General Snake Characteristics in Wyoming
Snakes in Wyoming adapt to diverse environments, preferring habitats like grasslands, rocky areas, and water sources. They bask to regulate body temperature and hibernate communally underground during colder months. Some are diurnal, while others are nocturnal. Snakes are significant predators, controlling rodent populations, and also serve as prey for larger wildlife.
Non-Venomous Snakes of Wyoming
Wyoming hosts various non-venomous snakes, many of which aid in pest control. Garter snakes are common, with four types found statewide: Plains, Valley, Red-sided, and Western Terrestrial. They display variable coloration, often with three yellow, orange, or white stripes.
Garter snakes inhabit diverse areas, from aquatic environments to grasslands, forests, and urban settings. Their diet includes earthworms, slugs, small amphibians, fish, and sometimes small mammals or birds. They may hibernate communally in underground cavities like mammal burrows or rock crevices.
Bullsnakes, also known as gopher snakes, are large non-venomous constrictors reaching up to seven feet. They resemble rattlesnakes with a yellow base and dark blotches, but have round pupils and no rattle. Defensive bullsnakes may hiss, flatten their heads, and vibrate their tails to mimic a rattlesnake. Common in eastern and north-central Wyoming, they thrive in plains, sagebrush, and sandhill habitats. Their diet consists of small mammals like mice, gophers, prairie dogs, and rabbits, subdued by constriction.
Eastern Yellow-bellied Racers are slender, fast-moving snakes found throughout eastern and central Wyoming. Adults have an olive grey-green back and a yellow underside, lacking distinct patterns. Younger racers exhibit patterned coloration for camouflage. These diurnal snakes hunt rodents, birds, and other reptiles, including other snakes.
Plains Hognose Snakes are smaller, typically under three feet, recognized by their distinctive upturned snout for burrowing. They have a light tan body with brown spots and an eye mask, possessing round pupils and no heat-sensing pits or rattles. Found in eastern and central Wyoming, they prefer sandy or gravelly areas for digging. When threatened, Plains Hognose Snakes may spread their heads, hiss, and play dead by rolling onto their backs. Their diet mainly includes toads and small rodents.
Venomous Snakes of Wyoming
Wyoming hosts two venomous snake species: the Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) and the Midget Faded Rattlesnake. The Prairie Rattlesnake is the more common and widely distributed. They are identified by tan bodies with dark blotches, vertical pupils, a heat-sensing pit, and a rattle. Prairie Rattlesnakes typically range from 15 to 60 inches, with many adults between 3.3 and 5 feet.
Prairie Rattlesnakes inhabit diverse environments, including grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, and rocky areas, often using rock outcroppings or mammal burrows for shelter. They are active during the day in cooler weather, shifting to mornings, evenings, and night during hot summers. When disturbed, they warn with a buzzing rattle before striking. Their diet consists of small mammals like ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and rabbits, and sometimes birds or other reptiles. They hibernate communally during winter, often returning to the same den annually.
The Midget Faded Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus concolor) has a restricted range, primarily the lower Green River Valley, in rocky desert areas, cliffs, and rockslides. This threatened species has venom containing potent neurotoxins.
Safe Encounters and Coexistence
Encountering snakes in Wyoming’s outdoors is possible. Give any snake ample space; avoid approaching, handling, or harassing it. Most bites occur when people attempt to move or kill a snake. If encountered on a trail, keep a safe distance and allow it to move away naturally.
When in snake habitats, wear sturdy over-the-ankle boots and loose-fitting long pants for protection. Stay on well-used trails, avoiding tall grass, heavy underbrush, and woodpiles where snakes seek shade. Avoid placing hands or feet into unseen areas like rock crevices or dense vegetation. Keep pets on a leash in snake-prone areas, as dogs can be perceived as threats.
In the rare event of a snake bite, especially from a rattlesnake, seek immediate medical attention. Call 911 or emergency services promptly. While waiting, remain calm, remove tight clothing or jewelry from the affected area, and keep the bitten limb still and, if possible, below heart level. Avoid harmful first aid practices like applying a tourniquet, icing the wound, making incisions, or attempting to suck out venom.
Snakes play a valuable role in controlling rodent populations. Coexistence is possible by being aware of surroundings and respecting their space. To deter snakes from homes, maintain tidy yards by removing clutter, mowing grass, and sealing building foundations. If a snake is in an unwanted location and cannot be safely left alone, contact the Wyoming Game & Fish Department for professional removal.