Utah has 5 venomous snakes named by official sources: Western rattlesnake, Prairie rattlesnake, Mojave rattlesnake, Sidewinder and Southwestern speckled rattlesnake. Each one is labelled venomous by DWR.
The 5 venomous snakes of Utah
Recognize them from a distance; a photo cannot confirm that a snake is safe. Identifying animals safely.
“Rattlesnake bites are a serious medical emergency and require getting medical attention at a hospital as soon as possible.” DWR
Size
Up to 50 inches excluding the rattle (Arizona). Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument says it averages 2 to 4 feet. Texas calls it smaller and more slender than the western diamondback.
How to recognize it
Rattle at the end of the tail
Broad triangular head on a slender neck; vertical pupils
Thin light stripe from the back corner of the eye running past the corner of the mouth
“Rattlesnake bites are a serious medical emergency and require getting medical attention at a hospital as soon as possible.” DWR
Size
Usually about 3 to 4 feet; Montana gives 15 to 60 inches and NPS says up to 5 feet. Arizona gives a maximum of 28 to 64 inches (excluding rattle) depending on subspecies; in Colorado it is rarely over 39 inches.
How to recognize it
Rattle (or a button in newborns) at the tail tip
Head much broader than the neck, many small scales on top of the head, heat-sensing pit between eye and nostril
“Rattlesnake bites are a serious medical emergency and require getting medical attention at a hospital as soon as possible.” DWR
Size
Varies by area and subspecies: up to 63 in. excluding rattle (Arizona); largest in the Northwest 59 in., most Washington adults around 2 ft; 18 to 36 in. average (Oregon); C. o. concolor rarely over 26 in. (Colorado).
How to recognize it
Rattle on the tail; broad triangular head; facial pits
Vertical pupils and heat-sensing pits near the nostrils
For 18 other snakes on Utah's list, no official source we use states whether it is venomous: Arizona mountain kingsnake, California kingsnake, Coachwhip, Desert nightsnake, Glossy snake, Great Plains ratsnake, Long-nosed snake and North American racer and others. That does not make them harmless. Leave every snake alone.
See all 28 snakes, venomous and not, on Utah snakes.
TWRA: the racer lacks the coachwhip's reddish tint along the sides of the tail; an all-black coachwhip is distinctly lighter or reddish toward the rear. Oklahoma: the coachwhip is much larger.
Black Racer or Eastern coachwhip (black variant)?
Photo: Everglades NPS from Homestead, Florida, United States · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
WDFW: racers have large eyes, large back scales and a tail that tapers to a point; rubber boas have small eyes, tiny scales and a blunt tail. Racers are fast and will strike and bite if cornered or handled; rubber boas are slow and non-aggressive. Yellowstone adds that racers have round pupils.
Western Rattlesnake or Gopher snake (gophersnake)?
WDFW (Washington): no rattle and no facial pits, oval pupils, smaller square spots, a narrow eye stripe and less keeled scales. It can coil, strike, hiss loudly and vibrate its tail like a rattlesnake, so behavior alone does not tell them apart.
The bullsnake has no rattle, an oval or rounded head and large round pupils; the prairie rattlesnake has a triangular head, slit pupils and a rattle. Bullsnakes are often mistaken for rattlesnakes: when threatened they may coil, flatten the head, hiss and vibrate the tail in dry leaves to sound like a rattle, so do not judge by behavior or by head shape alone.
Photos show typical adults; individuals vary. Never get close to compare.
When venomous snakes are active in Utah
Records of snakes in Utah peak in May to July. They show when people record snakes, not how many there are (about month bars).
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
774 records of snakes in Utah by month (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records).
Rattlesnakes are most active in late spring and early summer; activity peaks at dawn and dusk (DWR). DWR
If you are bitten or stung
Call 911 or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 right away. Poison Help connects you to your local poison center, any time of day.
Official advice from DWR:
Rattlesnake bites are a serious medical emergency needing hospital care as soon as possible. DWR
If you meet a rattlesnake, stay calm, keep at least 10 feet away, and go around it; do not try to kill it. DWR
If you cannot identify a snake, move away and treat it as venomous. DWR
Rattlesnakes, Gila monsters, desert tortoises, western (boreal) toads and Columbia spotted frogs must not be handled or tampered with. DWR
How to report
Report a rattlesnake repeatedly seen in a problem area, or in a public park, yard or play area, to the nearest DWR office; report aggressive wildlife to the nearest DWR office (after hours: local police or county sheriff). Report Gila monster sightings to DWR (435-879-8694). Report non-native reptiles/amphibians via iNaturalist (optional, per DWR). DWR
“The most common non-venomous snakes in Utah are the three species of garter snakes (Thamnophis spp.) which are commonly referred to by many as water snakes (Utah has no true water snakes), the rubber boa (Charina bottae), and gopher or bullsnake (Pituophis melanoleucus).”
“Rattlesnakes use their venom to subdue prey so they can eat it, and a snake will only bite defensively if it feels threatened.”
“Rattlesnake bites are a serious medical emergency and require getting medical attention at a hospital as soon as possible.”
“Remain calm and stay at least 10 feet from the snake.”
“If you cannot identify a snake you encounter, the best course of action is to move away and treat the snake as if it were venomous.”
“Rattlesnakes are most active during the late spring and early summer months.”
“If you do repeatedly see a rattlesnake in a problematic area or if you encounter a rattlesnake in a public park, yard or play area, you can contact the nearest DWR office to report it.”
“Rocky benches, high-elevation slopes and dry canyons are the most common places in Utah to encounter rattlesnakes, often while people are out hiking, rock climbing or biking.”
“Rattlesnakes, Gila monsters, desert tortoises, western (boreal) toads and Columbia spotted frogs are prohibited from being handled or tampered with in any way.”
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