Table of Contents
‘Ssssup, Madison. For all of our readers with ophidiophobia (the fear of snakes): now might be a good time to slither on down to other sections. Just a fair warning.
Snakes are cold-blooded, so it’s important to know about the ones you may encounter in your area as temperatures begin to drop + snakes look for a warm, safe shelter.
What to know about snakes in Wisconsin
- Wisconsin has 21 snake species across the state + 14 are considered “rare” and listed as endangered, threatened, or special concern.
- In Wisconsin, any snake that’s a solid color or has lengthwise stripes is non-venomous.
- There is on average about 1 reported rattlesnake bite every 4 years in Wisconsin.
- There has only been 1 documented rattlesnake-related death in Wisconsin since 1900.
- There was once a bounty in Wisconsin on rattlesnakes, rewarding captors $5 per tail. In 1975, the bounty was lifted + the eastern massasauga rattlesnake was placed on the Wisconsin Endangered and Threatened Species List.
Pro Tip: If you want to learn how to identify snakes + properly keep them off your property, the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources offers some peace-of-mind answers and a few guidelines to keeping yourself and the snake safe.
