Minnesota is a haven for those who love the outdoors. The Land of 10,000 Lakes has some of the best hiking, camping, and fishing in the country. And because it has so much untouched wilderness it also has a lot of wildlife, including snakes.
However, although there are 17 different types of snakes in Minnesota only two of those are venomous. The other 15 are harmless to humans, although some of them may bite if they are startled or if you come upon them suddenly.
Non-Venomous Snakes In Minnesota
Whether you are a Minnesota native or you’re just visiting to spend time enjoying the many outdoor activities that are available in Minnesota these are a few of the different types of snakes you could see in Minnesota:
Eastern Yellowbelly Racer Snake (Coluber constrictor)
These snakes change color as they get older. So if you see an eastern yellowbelly racer that is tan or cream-colored with brown markings but a thin body and relatively short length it’s a young one. Fully mature Eastern Yellowbelly Racers are a solid gray-green color with a light cream or tan belly.
These snakes are not venomous but they can bite if you startle them or try to handle them. They are extremely fast and are more likely to slide away from humans than bite them as long as you keep your distance.
Western Fox Snake (Pantherophis ramspotti)
The western fox snake is related to the rat snake. Like its rat snake cousins, it has a heavy wide body and constricts its prey. This snake is non-venomous but it will mimic the actions of venomous snakes in order to scare away predators.
The western fox snake will often vibrate its tail in leaves or grass to make it sound as if it has a rattle but it’s not a rattlesnake. It also may puff itself up as a threat if it is surprised and feels threatened, but the chances that it will actually strike out are small. The western fox snake primarily eats rodents and small birds.
Bullsnake (Pituophis catenifer sayi)
The bullsnake is a subspecies of the gopher snake. It has a light body and a color pattern that is similar to the color pattern on a western diamondback rattlesnake, but the bullsnake is not venomous. You can tell a bullsnake from a western diamondback because the bullsnake will be extremely long. These are some of the longest snakes in the country and often measure over eight feet long at full maturity.
Even though bullsnakes aren’t venomous they can be very reactive. They are aggressive towards their prey because they need to eat. However, if you get too close they can get defensive and strike. Bullsnakes are one of the best bluffers in nature. They puff up, mock strike, and rattle their tails against the ground while hissing loudly.
Give the snake plenty of room so that it can flee and it will probably leave instead of striking out.
Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus)
Ringneck snakes are one of the most common types of snakes throughout the country. In Minnesota, they tend to live along the border with Wisconsin. Ringneck snakes can be found from the Canadian border to the border with Iowa. However, they rarely live more than 50 miles into Minnesota and most sightings are in counties that border Lake Superior or Wisconsin.
These snakes can always be identified by the three distinct rings around their necks by their heads. These rings may be red, tan, or yellow, often matching the belly color. Ringneck snakes are very interesting to look at but realistically you might never see one. They frequent wooded habitats, brush piles, and the grassy areas around forests but they are nocturnal and tend to dig into the ground or live underground whenever possible. There could be ringneck snakes near you and you would never know it because they are great at hiding.
Plains Garter Snake (Thamnophis radix)
The plains garter snake is perfectly suited to the Minnesota climate because it has a natural resistance to cold that not many snakes have. Snakes usually prefer to be active in warm weather and they hibernate in cold weather, especially a frigid Minnesota winter.
But the plains garter snake is active in Minnesota right up until the really cold temperatures set in around November and then it goes dormant until the spring. The snakes can be found across the grasslands on the western side of the state and deciduous forests that run through the middle and southeast of Minnesota. However, they’re not found in the coniferous forests in the northeastern quadrant of the state.
Plains garter snakes are not that large, typically only a few feet in length. Their bodies are brown or grayish-green and they have either a yellow, red, or orange stripe running down their backs the entire length of their bodies.
These snakes also have a set of black bars underneath their lips that makes them easy to identify. Like other types of garter snakes these snakes like grassy areas and the areas near ponds and lakes, which is why you can find them in large numbers throughout Minnesota.
Venomous Snakes In Minnesota
There are only a couple of venomous snake breeds in Minnesota, and one of them is extremely unlikely to ever come around people. So as long as you are careful and make sure that you don’t surprise a venomous snake or make it feel cornered a venomous snake bite is something you really don’t have to worry about.
Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)
It’s important to note that rattlesnakes are only found in the southeastern counties in Minnesota that border Wisconsin and Iowa. These include Fillmore, Houston, Winona, and Olmstead counties. In the vast majority of the state, there have been no timber rattlesnake sightings.
Timber rattlesnakes are impressive looking and also pretty intimidating looking if you see one in the wild. They have wide heavy bodies that aren’t as long as you might think. Typically their main color is yellow, gray, or very dark almost black. They will have distinctive cross markings running down the length of their bodies. Timber snakes are rattlesnakes so they will let you know if you get too close by shaking their tails and unleashing the rattle.
They also may puff up or raise their heads to signal they are not afraid. Timber rattlesnakes have a very high concentration of venom and their bites can lead to fatalities in some cases, so even though these snakes are not aggressive you should always be cautious if you do come across one.
If bitten by a timber rattlesnake, do not attempt to suck the venom out or administer heat or ice. Instead, you’ll want to get to a hospital that carries antivenom as soon as possible.
Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus)
The Massasauga rattlesnake is the only other venomous snake in Minnesota and it also lives in the southeastern part of the state. It should be noted that there are no known breeding populations in the state and sightings have been extremely rare.
The massasauga is a very small rattlesnake and often isn’t more than two feet in length. This snake likes a wet habitat and stays near marshland or near the shores of lakes and ponds. You can also sometimes see them in wet grasslands or prairie areas.
Massasauga snakes really don’t like people and prefer to stay in the shadows and the tall grass. They will flee from people rather than strike unless you mistakenly step on one or surprise one. Then it might strike out of fear.
If you’re hiking or camping in wet areas or near the edges of the forest keep an eye out for these snakes and keep an ear open too. If you hear a rattle back away slowly and carefully.
What To Do If You Surprise A Snake
It’s not always easy to avoid snakes. They blend in with their surroundings, hide in tall grass, and sometimes there’s just no way to avoid stepping on one or crossing paths with one. The most important thing to do when this happens is not to react. Don’t shout, don’t scream, don’t run, and don’t move fast. Instead, you should freeze. Then assess the situation. If the snake is also stopped then move very slowly back while retracing your steps until you are out of striking distance. Most of the time the snake will flee rather than try to bite you.
A Complete List Of All 17 Snakes In Minnesota
These are all of the snake types that you might find when you’re in Minnesota:
|Snakes in Minnesota
|Eastern yellowbelly racer
|Black rat snake
|Eastern fox snake
|Western hognose snake
|Eastern hognose snake
|Eastern milk snake
|Smooth green snake
|Northern water snake
|Northern redbelly snake
|Plains garter snake
|Eastern garter snake
The photo featured at the top of this post is © Ryan M. Bolton/Shutterstock.com
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Minnesota ni kimbilio kwa wale wanaopenda mambo ya nje. Nchi ya Maziwa 10,000 ni mojawapo ya maeneo bora zaidi ya kutembea, kupiga kambi, na kuvua samaki nchini humo. Kwa kuwa eneo hilo lina maeneo mengi ya porini ambayo hayajaharibiwa, kuna wanyama wengi wa porini, kutia ndani nyoka. Hata hivyo, ingawa kuna aina 17 tofauti za nyoka huko Minnesota, ni mbili tu kati ya hizo zenye sumu. Wengine 15 hawawezi kuumiza binadamu, ingawa baadhi yao wanaweza kuuma ikiwa wanashtuka au ukikutana nao ghafula. Nyoka wa Minnesota ni aina ya nyoka wa aina ya nyoka wa aina ya nyoka wa aina ya nyoka wa aina ya nyoka wa aina ya nyoka wa aina ya nyoka wa aina ya nyoka wa aina ya nyoka wa aina ya nyoka wa aina ya nyoka wa aina ya nyoka wa aina ya nyoka wa aina ya nyoka wa aina ya nyoka. Kwa hiyo kama unaona mashariki yellowbelly racer kwamba ni tan au cream-rangi na alama kahawia lakini mwili nyembamba na urefu mfupi kwa kulinganisha ni moja vijana. Mashariki ya Yellowbelly Racers kukomaa kikamilifu ni rangi thabiti kijivu-kijani na cream mwanga au tan tumbo. Nyoka hao hawana sumu lakini wanaweza kuumwa ukiyaogopesha au ukijaribu kuwagusa. Wao ni wepesi sana na ni rahisi zaidi kuteleza mbali na wanadamu kuliko kuwagusa, maadamu unadumisha umbali. Nyoka wa Fox wa Magharibi (Pantherophis ramspotti) Nyoka wa Fox wa Magharibi ni jamaa wa nyoka wa panya. Kama vile nyoka-panya wake, ana mwili mzito na mpana na humzuia mnyama wake. Nyoka huyu hana sumu lakini ataiga matendo ya nyoka wenye sumu ili kuwaogopesha wawindaji. Nyoka anayeitwa fox wa magharibi mara nyingi hutokeza mawimbi ya mkia wake kwenye majani au nyasi ili kuifanya isikie kana kwamba ina kelele lakini si nyoka mwenye kelele. Pia anaweza kujionyesha kuwa ni hatari ikiwa atafadhaika na kuhisi hatarini, lakini uwezekano wa kuanguka ni mdogo. Nyoka anayeitwa fox wa magharibi hula hasa panya na ndege wadogo. Nyoka wa ng'ombe (Pituophis catenifer sayi) Nyoka wa ng'ombe ni aina ndogo ya nyoka wa gopher. Mnyama huyo ana umbo la rangi nyangavu na rangi inayofanana na ile ya nyoka anayeitwa diamondback rattlesnake, lakini nyoka huyo si mwenye sumu. Unaweza kumtambua nyoka wa ng'ombe-dume na nyoka wa magharibi mwenye mgongo wa almasi kwa sababu nyoka-dume atakuwa mrefu sana. Hizi ni baadhi ya nyoka ndefu zaidi nchini humo na mara nyingi hupita meta nane kwa urefu wakati wa kukomaa kikamili. Hata ingawa nyoka-dume si wenye sumu wanaweza kuwa na mwitikio mkali sana. Wao ni wakali kuelekea windo lao kwa sababu wanahitaji kula. Hata hivyo, ukikaribia sana wanaweza kujilinda na kushambulia. Nyoka-mbweha ni mmoja wa wavuvi bora zaidi katika asili. Wao hujipaka, hujifanya kuwa wanapiga, na kupiga mkia wao chini huku wakipiga kelele kwa sauti kubwa. Mpe nyoka nafasi ya kutosha ili aweze kukimbia na huenda akaondoka badala ya kukimbia. Nyoka wa shingo (Diadophis punctatus) Nyoka wa shingo ni moja ya aina za kawaida za nyoka nchini kote. Huko Minnesota, wao huelekea kuishi kando ya mpaka na Wisconsin. Nyoka aina ya ringneck hupatikana kutoka mpaka wa Kanada hadi mpaka wa Iowa. Hata hivyo, hawaishi zaidi ya maili 50 ndani ya Minnesota na wengi wao wanaonekana katika kaunti zinazopakana na Ziwa Superior au Wisconsin. Nyoka hao wanaweza kutambuliwa kwa pete tatu zilizo kwenye shingo zao. Pete hizo zaweza kuwa nyekundu, za rangi ya kahawia, au za manjano, na mara nyingi hufanana na rangi ya tumbo. Nyoka wenye shingo ya pete ni wenye kupendeza sana kutazama lakini kwa kweli huenda usione kamwe nyoka. Wao hutembelea maeneo yenye miti, misitu, na maeneo yenye nyasi karibu na misitu lakini wao ni wa usiku na huwa na kuchimba chini ya ardhi au kuishi chini ya ardhi wakati wowote inapowezekana. Kunaweza kuwa na nyoka wa shingo karibu nawe na huwezi kamwe kujua kwa sababu wao ni bora katika kujificha. Nyoka wa Plains Garter (Thamnophis radix) ni nyoka wa Minnesota ambaye ana uwezo wa kukabiliana na baridi kali. Nyoka hupendelea kuwa hai wakati wa joto na kulala wakati wa baridi kali, hasa wakati wa baridi kali wa majira ya baridi kali ya Minnesota. Nyoka wa jantar wa nyanda ni wa kawaida katika eneo la Minnesota, lakini kwa sababu ya hali ya hewa ya baridi kali, inaweza kuonekana kuwa hai hadi majira ya kuchipua. Nyoka hao hupatikana katika nyanda za magharibi mwa jimbo hilo na misitu ya majani ambayo hupita katikati na kusini-mashariki mwa jimbo la Minnesota. Hata hivyo, hawapatikani katika misitu ya coniferous katika quadrant kaskazini mashariki ya hali. Nyoka wa kiuno wa nyanda si mkubwa sana, kwa kawaida huwa na urefu wa meta chache tu. Miili yao ni ya rangi ya kahawia au kijivu-kijani na wana mstari wa manjano, nyekundu, au machungwa unaopanda kwenye mgongo wao kwa urefu wote wa miili yao. Nyoka hao pia wana mistari meusi chini ya midomo yao ambayo huwafanya wawe rahisi kutambuliwa. Kama aina nyingine za nyoka wa garter, nyoka hawa wanapenda maeneo ya nyasi na maeneo karibu na vidimbwi na maziwa, na ndiyo sababu unaweza kuwapata kwa idadi kubwa kote Minnesota. Kuna aina chache tu za nyoka wenye sumu huko Minnesota, na moja ni ya kushangaza sana kwamba haitawahi kuwa karibu na watu. Kwa hivyo maadamu una uangalifu na uhakikishe kwamba huwezi kushangaza nyoka mwenye sumu au kuifanya ihisi imezungukwa, kuumwa na nyoka mwenye sumu ni kitu ambacho kwa kweli huhitaji kuwa na wasiwasi. Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) Ni muhimu kutambua kwamba rattlesnakes ni kupatikana tu katika kaunti za kusini mashariki katika Minnesota kwamba mpaka Wisconsin na Iowa. Hizi ni pamoja na Fillmore, Houston, Winona, na Olmstead kaunti. Katika sehemu kubwa ya jimbo hilo, hakuna nyoka-mwitu wa mbao aliyewahi kuonekana. Nyoka-mwitu wa mbao huonekana kuwa wenye kuvutia na pia huogopesha sana ukimwona katika mazingira ya porini. Wana miili mikubwa na mizito ambayo si mirefu kama unavyofikiri. Kwa kawaida rangi yao kuu ni manjano, kijivu, au nyeusi sana karibu nyeusi. Watakuwa na alama za msalaba za kipekee zinazoelekea kwenye urefu wa miili yao. Nyoka wa mbao ni nyoka wa kengele, kwa hiyo watakujulisha ukikaribia sana kwa kutikisa mkia wao na kutokeza mdundo. Pia wanaweza kuufurika au kuinua vichwa vyao ili kuonyesha kwamba hawaogopi. Nyoka aina ya rattlesnake wana sumu nyingi sana na kuumwa kwao kunaweza kusababisha vifo katika baadhi ya visa, kwa hiyo hata ingawa nyoka hawa si wakali unapaswa kuwa mwangalifu wakati wowote unapokutana na mmoja. Ikiwa umenyongwa na nyoka anayeitwa rattlesnake, usijaribu kunyonya sumu yake au kumpa joto au barafu. Badala yake, utahitaji kwenda hospitali yenye dawa ya sumu haraka iwezekanavyo. Nyoka wa Rattlesnake wa Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus) ni nyoka wa aina ya Rattlesnake wa Minnesota, na ni aina ya nyoka wa aina ya Rattlesnake wa Minnesota. Ni lazima ieleweke kwamba hakuna idadi inayojulikana ya uzazi katika jimbo hilo na maono yamekuwa nadra sana. Massasauga ni nyoka mdogo sana na mara nyingi hana urefu wa zaidi ya meta mbili. Nyoka huyo anapenda mazingira yenye unyevunyevu na anaishi karibu na mabwawa au kando ya maziwa na vidimbwi. Nyakati nyingine unaweza kuwaona pia katika nyasi zenye unyevunyevu au katika maeneo ya nyanda. Nyoka wa Massasauga kwa kweli hawapendi watu na wanapendelea kukaa katika kivuli na nyasi ndefu. Wao kukimbia kutoka kwa watu badala ya kushambulia isipokuwa wewe kimakosa hatua juu ya moja au mshangao moja. Kisha huenda ikawa ya hofu. Kama wewe ni hiking au kambi katika maeneo ya mvua au karibu na kingo za msitu kuweka jicho nje kwa nyoka hawa na kuweka sikio wazi pia. Kama kusikia rattle nyuma mbali polepole na kwa uangalifu. Unachopaswa Kufanya Ikiwa Unashangaa Nyoka Si rahisi sikuzote kuepuka nyoka. Wao huchangamana na mazingira yao, hujificha katika nyasi ndefu, na nyakati nyingine hakuna njia ya kuepuka kutembea juu ya moja au kuvuka njia na moja. Jambo la maana zaidi la kufanya wakati hilo linapotokea ni kutoitikia. Usipige kelele, usipige kelele, usikimbie, na usisogeze haraka. Badala yake, unapaswa kukaa kimya. Kisha tathmini hali hiyo. Kama nyoka pia ni kusimamishwa kisha hoja polepole sana nyuma wakati retracting hatua yako mpaka wewe ni nje ya mgomo umbali. Mara nyingi nyoka huyo hukimbia badala ya kujaribu kukuma. "Mnyoka wa Kihispania ""Snake"" ni aina ya nyoka aina ya ""Snake"" ambayo huitwa ""Snake"" kwa sababu nyoka wa asili ni nyoka wa asili ya Amerika ya Kusini, na nyoka wa asili ya Amerika ya Kusini ni nyoka wa asili ya Amerika ya Kusini, na nyoka wa asili ya Amerika ya Kusini ni nyoka wa asili ya Amerika ya Kusini." "Hii ni moja ya ""Nyoka Kisiwa"" ambapo wewe ni kamwe zaidi ya mita tatu kutoka hatari, au nyoka ""monster"" 5X kubwa kuliko anaconda." Kujiandikisha sasa hivi na kuanza kupokea jarida letu la kila siku bure. Asanteni kwa kusoma! Je, una maoni yoyote kwa ajili yetu? Pata habari kutoka kwa timu ya wahariri wa AZ Animals.