by M.Cerato and W.F. Andelt

Art and mythology show us that humans have interacted with snakes for thousands of years. In some cultures, snakes were a symbol of fertility and in others, they were servants of the dark world. People’s reactions to snakes today are still as varied.

Although people have coped with snakes for centuries, ancestors of snakes appeared long before our human predecessors. Their roots date back to the Triassic period, approximately 190 million years ago (Hammerson 1982). Snakes possess the following reptilian characteristics: they have scales; are ectothermic (they rely on external sources to control their body temperature); and, like most reptiles, lay eggs. Rattlesnakes, however, give birth in the autumn to five to 12 live young, each 10 inches or more in length (Klauber 1982). Contrary to its reputation of being slimy, snake skin
is actually smooth and dry and will often be shed more than once each year to accommodate the growing body.

Because snakes are ectothermic, they avoid temperature extremes and prefer to hunt in mild conditions. They use their forked tongues and heat-sensitive facial pits to determine what exists in their environment and to acquire prey. It is important to remember that a dead rattlesnake, even if it has been decapitated, can still bite and inject venom (poison). This can occur because the snake’s heat sensory pits are active until rigor mortis is complete. Therefore, placing a warm object, such as a hand, near the snake’s mouth will trigger a biting response. Most snakes prey predominantly on rodents, although some also eat bird eggs, nestlings, lizards, and insects. They in turn are prey for eagles, hawks, and humans.
Of the 25 species of snakes in Colorado, the western rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) and the massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus) are the only venomous species. The western rattlesnake appears in most habitats
throughout the state. The massasauga, however, is limited to the southeastern grasslands. 

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