Snakes

Utah's snakes cannot be reduced to a single desert pattern or a rattling tail. The state includes nonvenomous snakes and venomous rattlesnakes, with different habitats and habits. A gopher snake, for example, can hiss, flatten its head and vibrate its tail when threatened. That defensive display is one reason head shape alone is a poor shortcut for a casual observer. If identification is uncertain, keep your distance and treat the animal as potentially venomous rather than moving closer to inspect it.

Snakes use outside heat to regulate body temperature, so their activity changes with weather, season and available shade. A warm rock, a cool crevice and an underground refuge serve different purposes over a day or year. In Utah, rattlesnakes may be active at any hour, even though dawn and dusk are often busy periods. DWR highlights rocky benches, slopes and dry canyons, but warns that lower and more open country can also hold snakes.

These predators belong to the food web: they consume other animals and are themselves prey for birds and mammals. Quiet observation lets a snake continue moving, hunting or sheltering. A rattlesnake need not rattle before it is noticed, and some have damaged or missing rattles. Staying on a visible route, checking handholds and giving an animal an unobstructed way to leave are more useful than trying to provoke a warning display.

Don't rely on a triangular head, a missing rattle or a distant look at color to decide a snake is safe to handle.

Rules on collecting vary by snake species. Check Utah DWR's current tables; nothing here is permission to collect.

Do not touch, corner, throw objects at or attempt to move a snake. Keep pets close. A suspected venomous bite is a medical emergency requiring immediate hospital care.