What are the types of rattlesnakes in Colorado?

Answer 1

As far as I know, there are two types of rattlesnakes in Colorado on the front range: the western diamondback and the western or prairie rattler. Neither are particularly aggressive (I've stepped on a western diamondback and not been bit) but both are dangerous and should be avoided. I'm not sure what kinds there are in the high country or the western slope. I'm assuming the western diamondback and maybe the timber rattler.

The above answer is actually incorrect for the most part. There are no Western Diamondbacks in Colorado and Westerns are one of the most aggressive of the Croatalus. The species in Colorado are the prairie rattlesnake (croatalus veridis veridis), and the faded midget rattlesnake (croatalus concolor). The prairie rattlesnake can be found to elevations above 9000' and pocesses a myotoxic venom with a LD50 (leathal dose 50) value of around 1100 micrograms per kilogram body weight. The LD value is a measure of toxicity where if you lined up 10 mice of the same body mass and injected them with equal vollumes of venom, 50% would die. The faded midget has a highly neurotoxic venom of, if I recall correctly, is around 50 to 100 micrograms per kilogram body weight and is found in the Dinosaur National Park area. A cousin of the rattlesnake is also found in south eastern Colorado, the western massasagua (Sistrusus catanatus edwardsii). I do not recall the LD50 value of it's venom.

I'm not questioning either answer above, as I'm not an expert (nor do I really know anything!) however I'm providing a link to the Colorado State University site that says that there are Western Diamondbacks throughout Colorado and the Massasagua in the SE. Again, I don't know, just providing an additional data source from some folks that are indeed experts. Finally, I almost stepped on a rattler today while on a run just outside of Boulder Colorado (Superior). It looked like a Western Diamondback to me.

Answer 2

There are more than 20 nonpoisonous species of snakes in Colorado, whereas only two native species of poisonous snakes, the Western (Prairie) Rattlesnake and the Massassauga, inhabit the state. Both species of poisonous snakes have rattles on the ends of their tails, whereas native nonpoisonous snakes do not have rattles.

Besides the native species, the Midget Faded Rattlesnake has also been seen in Colorado.

Answer 3

There are three venomous snakes in Colorado, the Prairie, Massasauga and Midget-faded rattlesnakes. The most common is the prairie rattlesnake.

Answer 4

There are three species of rattlesnake in Colorado:Prairie rattlesnake

Massasauga

Midget faded rattlesnake

Answer 5

prairie, faded midget, and maguassua