Snakes found around Dane County

‘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.

Venomous Snakes around Dane County

Timber rattlesnake

Eastern massasauga rattlesnake

Non-venomous Snakes around Dane County

Prairie ringneck snake

Western fox snake

Bullsnake

Smooth Green Snake

Eastern milk snake

Gartersnake

Brown snake

Northern redbelly snake

Northern water snake

Black rat snake

Yellowbelly racer