When Encountering Michigan’s Snakes, It Is Best to Leave Them Be

By Justin Stakes

Michigan is home to 18 different species of snakes, 17 of which are harmless to humans

Lansing, MI -(AmmoLand.com)- The Michigan Department of Natural Resources gets many questions this time of year about Michigan’s snakes. Michigan is home to 18 different species of snakes, 17 of which are harmless to humans.

“Whether you think snakes are terrifying or totally cool, it is best just to leave them be,” said DNR wildlife technician Hannah Schauer.

One snake that can cause quite a stir is the eastern hog-nosed snake. When threatened, hognose snakes puff up with air, flatten their necks and bodies, and hiss loudly. (This has led to local names like “puff adder” or “hissing viper.”) If this act is unsuccessful, they will writhe about, excrete a foul-smelling musk and then turn over with mouth agape and lie still, as though dead. Despite this intimidating behavior, hog-nosed snakes are harmless to humans.

Another snake the DNR gets many questions about is the eastern massasauga rattlesnake, the only venomous species found in Michigan. This snake is quite rare and protected as a species of special concern here in Michigan due …Read the Rest

Source:: AmmoLand