As venomous snakes become more active with the onset of warm weather in Kansas, you might want to watch where you walk. Kansas has 42 types of snakes, but only 4 are poisonous. In eastern Kansas, the timber rattler can be found on rocky outcrops, coiled up and motionless. The prairie rattlesnake is in western Kansas and they usually choose forested areas to live and catch small prey such as small birds, gophers, prairie dogs and mice. The western massasauga is most venomous snake in Kansas, and also the smallest. It can be found throughout the state and spend most of their time basking in the sun, but hunt at night. Copperheads make their home in our part of the state, getting their name from copper-red heads, and, although most people fear them, their venom doesn’t pose a big risk to humans most of the time. Cottonmouths and western diamondback rattlesnakes are very rare in Kansas.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says around 7,000-8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes in the U. S. every year. Of those bitten by rattlesnakes, 20-40% come away with lasting injuries.
