Poisonous vs. nonpoisonous snakes

Most snakes prey predominantly on rodents, although some also eat bird eggs, nestlings, lizards and insects. Snakes in turn are prey for eagles, hawks and humans.

Of the 29 species of snakes in Nebraska, only the prairie rattlesnake, the massasauga rattlesnake, the osage copperhead and the timber rattlesnake are venomous.

Iowa has two poisonous snake species — the massasauga and the timber rattlesnake. Both are rare and are found in eastern and southern Iowa — although two others, the prairie rattlesnake and the copperhead, occasionally are reported in Iowa.

Six ways to distinguish venomous snakes

» Rattles at the end of the tail

» Fangs in addition to rows of teeth

» Facial pits between the nostrils and eyes

» Vertical and elliptical pupils that may look like thin lines in bright light (nonvenomous snakes have round pupils)

» A single row of scales between the vent and the tip of the tail (nonvenomous snakes have two rows of scales)

» A broad triangular head and narrow neck

Snakebite do's

» Remain calm
» Call 911
» Take the person to a hospital
» Remove rings, watches, boots or other constrictive items
» Keep the bite site close to heart level

Snakebite don'ts

» Don't panic
» Don't use a tourniquet
» Don't make an incision at the bite site
» Don't suck out the venom with your mouth, as it can increase the risk of infection
» Don't pack the limb in ice
» Don't drink alcohol

Sources: Dennis Ferraro, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Iowa State University; Colorado State University

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