Poisonous Snakes Native to New York

The Timber Rattlesnake

• The timber rattlesnake (Crotallus horridus) is the largest of New York's venomous snakes, and can reach a length of 6 feet. It is a stocky, yellowish colored snake with dark crossbars. The timber has been listed as threatened by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as it has been preyed upon by bounty hunters, skin collectors and animal traders. Its habitat includes much of Southeastern New York, the Lake George area and parts of Western New York. The timber lives in rocky, wooded areas, and eats small rodents such as chipmunks and red squirrels.

The Eastern Massasauga

• The Eastern Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus) is a small rattler, rarely reaching its 30-inch maximum length. It is gray to light brown, with black blotch-like markings, and it eats mice, voles and other small rodents. There are only two populations living in New York at present -- in the Syracuse and Rochester environs -- and they have been declared an endangered species by the state. According to Alvin Briesch of the State Department of Environmental Conservation, these snakes winter in marshy areas and migrate in the spring to old fields and woodlands.

The Copperhead

• The copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) is not a rattlesnake, though it is sometimes mistaken for one because it rattles its tail when agitated. If the snake is hidden in dry leaves, the noise sounds similar to that made by a rattler. Copperheads have pink and tan marked bodies with coppery-red heads. They eat small rodents and birds but will also consume caterpillars and other insects. They are found in the Hudson Valley area and in the Catskills. Copperheads reach 4 feet in length, though the average is about 2 to 3 feet.

Emergency Care and Snakebite

• New York's three venomous snakes are secretive and rarely seen. They will not bite unless they feel threatened, or have been provoked. Their venom is rarely fatal to a healthy human adult, according to Glenn Johnson of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, but immediate medical attention is advised. If you are not sure whether you were bitten by a venomous snake, examine the site of the bite. A venomous snake will leave one or two puncture marks. New York's other snakes will leave a tiny u-shaped indent on the skin as they have small teeth.