Snakes are misunderstood animals that serve as an important component of many types of ecosystems. All snakes are reptiles. Reptiles are ectothermic, which means they obtain body heat from their surroundings (also called cold-blooded). They bask in the sun to warm and seek shade to cool. They tend to be more active during the day in spring and fall, and more active early morning and evening during the heat of summer. Many people have a fear of snakes and snakebites. Most snakebites are a result of someone trying to move a snake by accidentally stepping on one. Bites from venomous snakes are very rare in Indiana.

General Characteristics

Indiana is home to 32 native snake species of which only four are venomous.

Snake physical characteristics:

• Lack limbs
• Covered in scales
• Have no moveable eyelids
• Elongated body with specialized scales on the belly (scutes)
• No external ear openings, but can hear some sounds through vibrations of bones in the jaw
Copperbelly

Snake behavioral characteristics:

• Snakes flick their tongue in order to “taste” the air and ground. Particles picked up by the tongue are processed through an organ in the roof of their mouth called the Jacobson’s organ.
• Air temperature is the main factor in snake activity. They control their body temperature by basking in the sun.
• Snakes hibernate from late fall through early spring.

Venomous snake species in Indiana:

1. Eastern Copperhead- Only found in southern half of the state.
2. Cottonmouth / Water Moccasin- State Endangered - Only found in one small area in southwestern Indiana.
3. Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake - Federally Threatened - Northern third of Indiana.
4. Timber Rattlesnake - State Endangered - South central Indiana.

Reproduction

Snakes mate in the spring after they emerge from hibernation or in late-summer before returning to hibernation. Snakes can produce offspring in three ways:

1. Oviparous – egg laying. Young receive nutrients only from a yolk sac.
2. Viviparous – females gives birth to live young. Young receive nutrients solely, or in part, from the mother.
3. Ovoviviparous – females give birth to live young. Embryos receive nutrients only from a yolk sac.

In both viviparous and ovoviviparous species, the eggs lack a true shell. Instead, the young develop within a sac-like membrane inside the mother. Young of oviparous species have a leathery, flexible shell. Females will lay eggs in leaf litter, rotten logs and mulch piles, or underground.

Food habits

The diet of snakes can vary widely depending on availability and location, but all snakes are carnivores. Here are some common items in snake’s diets: 

• Insects
• Rodents (including mice and rats)
• Frogs
• Fish
• Other snakes
• Salamanders
• Birds
• Slugs

Snakes swallow their food whole and have flexible jaws and joints in their skulls, which allow them to consume larger prey.

What eats a snake?

Snakes are preyed upon by many animals including:

• Mammals – raccoons, coyotes, cats, etc.
• Birds - hawks, owls
• Other snakes

Why are Snakes Important for Ecosystems?

• Without snakes, the ecosystem could not survive. Snakes are important food sources for many animals, in turn, they also prey on animals and keep populations in check.
• Snakes are predators — they act as pest control (slugs, insects, mice, etc.)
• When a snake sheds its skin it puts nutrients back into the soil.

Threats

The biggest threats to snake populations are habitat loss, persecution by humans, overuse of pesticides, and collection of wild snakes by hobbyists and reptile dealers.

REMEMBER: Most snakes are killed out of fear.

If you leave a snake alone, it will leave you alone. When a snake bites a person, it does so in self-defense.

Avoid being bitten

• Leave snakes alone. Most bites occur when people get too close or try to touch or kill a snake. Snakes can strike faster and farther than you might think – some nearly half their body length. If you see a snake in the wild, maintain a distance of at least 6 feet. If you accidentally step too close to a snake, take at least two giant steps backwards to get out of the snake’s reach.
• Never touch a snake, even if you think it is dead. The fangs of a dead snake can still inject venom.
• Don’t tread or step into places outdoors that you can’t see. Don’t pick up rocks or firewood unless you are out of a snake’s striking distance. Be cautious and alert when climbing rocks. If you have to traverse a fallen log, step on the log and then down instead of just over. That way, you’ll have a chance to see if you are about to step on a snake.
• Wearing boots and long pants when hiking may prevent snakebites. Stay out of tall grass unless you wear thick leather boots, and remain on hiking paths as much as possible. Chaps or gaiters further reduce the chance of a snakebite in tall grass.

If you get bitten:

• Call 911 or go to the closest emergency department if you are unsure about the type of snake that bit you.
• Stay calm and cool. Minimize activity if possible. However, if you are alone in the wilderness or far from access to medical care, you may have to hike out to the nearest phone or roadway for help.
• Don’t do anything to the place you were bitten—you might make it worse. If you are bitten on the arm or hand, remove any constricting clothing, rings, bracelets, etc. in case your arm swells.
• Avoid further injury by staying away from the snake. There is little value in trying to capture or identify the snake. If someone in your party can take a photo while staying a good distance away, that could be helpful.
• Keep the bite below the level of the heart. Do not elevate.

Do NOT:

• Do not try to suck the venom out with your mouth or suction device. That might lead to an infection. Also, don’t try to let the venom “bleed out” by cutting marks on the bite with a blade.
• Do not apply a constriction band or tourniquet with a belt or rope as that will cut off the circulation.
• Do not drink any alcohol or take aspirin after a snakebite. Both thin your blood, which is also what the snake venom does. Do not apply either hot or cold packs.
• Most snakes are harmless and the majority of snakebites are not fatal. Usually a snakebite results in only minor injury. Very few people people are actually at risk of even encountering a snake with venom powerful enough to kill. However, people with underlying heath problems may be at greater risk even when facing a non-lethal snake, so be sure to see a doctor in any case.

Conservation and Ongoing Research

• Gray Ratsnake
• Midwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation
• Snake Fungal Disease

Additional Snake Information:

• Common Gartersnake
• Common Watersnake
• Eastern Hog-nosed Snake
• Gray Ratsnake
• Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake
• Timber Rattlesnake