Venomous Snakes Of Oklahoma
Travelers who love to visit new states in the US may find plenty of worthwhile destinations and ideas when considering the South Central region. States like Oklahoma are a must-visit in the region, as it boasts iconic landmarks and quirky sights that will always bring smiles to familiar or unfamiliar faces. While the state offers vibrant getaway amenities, it also has wildlife and dangerous reptiles lurking about, particularly snakes. These venomous slitherers in the "Sooner State" are the ones to look out for!
Broad-Banded Copperhead
The Broad-Banded Copperhead, or Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus, is named for its copper-red pigments and light tan body coloration. The reptile is unique for its less thin bands across the spine within the Copperhead subspecies. Copperheads like these are known for using their tails to attract food and prey; they also enjoy wiggling their bodies like a caterpillar to attract unsuspecting victims. They measure about 2 to 3 feet in length and typically have banding narrows with hourglass designs.
Desert Massasauga
Desert Massasaugas (Sistrurus catenatus edwardsii) are reptiles of the Viperidae family that measure 1.5 to 2.5 feet in length and are known for their heavy bodies that are marked with dark brown blotches across their spines. They have crossbands that appear on the tail and are usually outlined in black with a rattle on their tail. Two stripes going down to the neck area make it easy to spot them from others. They possess elliptical pupils, and just as other pit vipers do, they enjoy using their heat-sensing nostril pits.
Osage Copperhead
The Osage Copperhead, scientifically referred to as Agkistrodon contortrix phaeogaster, is a light tan snake similar to the Broad-Banded species but has a unique aspect with its clear yellow coat instead of being black. These species are greenish-yellow with similar wiggling formations to Broad-Banded ones, but they are also possible to find without any spotted marks or blotches. The tips of their tails are meant to wiggle to trick nearby predators into thinking they are "juicy worms." These snakes measure the same as Broad-Banded types at 2 to 3-foot lengths.
Prairie Rattlesnake
The Prairie Rattlesnake, or Crotalus viridis, is a venomous species in Oklahoma, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, and a few other states. These snakes are very noticeable in the open with oval, squarish, or hexagonal dark brown blotches along the spine and ringing tails. These snakes measure 1.5 to 5.5 feet in length and are known for preying on small mammals, lizards, and ground avians. They prefer grasslands, rocky outcrop dwellings, and sometimes even prairie dog towns; they are big fans of wintry seasonal habitats and enjoy wooded mountainous areas with moderate vegetation.
Southern Copperhead
The Southern Copperhead is yet another member of the Copperhead family, designated as Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix. It measures at about 2.5 to 3 feet in length, with the possibility of growing up to 4 feet or 53 inches. These snakes are known for their light tan and pinkish-tan pigments, with dark brown and reddish-brown band layers. The Southern Copperhead is similar to others with its hourglass markings and is seen in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and a couple of other states.
Timber Rattlesnake
The Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) is no stranger to travelers, as it is a thick-bodied reptile with 3 to 5-foot lengths that can reach up to 6 feet at times. Timbers are recognizable by their yellowish-brown tints, dark black botches, velvet tails, and dark stripes descending and backward near the jawline. They can be discovered nearly anywhere on the eastern coast of the U.S. but also stretch to other states.
Western Cottonmouth
Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma, commonly known as the Western Cottonmouth or Water moccasin, is thick-bodied like others on this list, but maintains complexions of saw-like edges and bands difficult to see with the naked eye. These snakes are visible with their lighter cream pinstripes, big white mouths, and elliptical pupils, and do stand out with massive triangular heads that make it easy to confuse with Floridian species or other dark-colored snakes near bodies of water.
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes, or Crotalus atrox, measure 3 to 5 feet long and can grow up to 7 feet. Known to be one of the largest rattlesnakes in the western U.S., these reptiles are quite scary! Even with their heavy bodies and diamond-backed patterns, their dark cheek stripes are quite noticeable. Most commonly found in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico, these rattlesnakes are quite a sight and are most often seen around dry mountain areas and prairies, as well as rocky canyon tourist zones.
Western Massasauga
The Western Massasauga or Sistrurus catenatus terminus is a light grey snake with 1.5 to 2.5-foot lengths that is observable with its white or cream features and scattered black markings. Similar to species like the Timber Rattlesnake, these types have diagonal cheek stripes going down and backward near the jaw. They like using their rattling tails to signal for noise and disruption and are hungry for frogs, lizards, and rodents.
Western Pygmy Rattlesnake
Western Pygmy Rattlesnakes (Sistrurus miliarius streckeri), also called "Ground Rattlers," are red or rusty-colored reptiles that have red stripes and a rattle that is somewhat quiet or unhearable from a distance. It is unique in that it possesses nine enlarged head scales, unlike most rattlesnakes. This snake is a fierce 1 to 2-foot length creature that can be discovered around the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Missouri, Kentucky, Texas, and Tennessee.
