Researched by: Paula and Leslie
Eastern Massasauga
sistrurus catenatus
The Eastern Massasauga is the common name in Missouri for the endangered rattlesnake. It was named by the Natick Indians. It is a shy species native to the prairie regions of the United States.
In recent years it has become rare because of it habitat destruction. The kind of habitat this endangered species lives in is, swamps, sphagnum bogs, marshland, and flood plains, to dry woodland in the east, grassy wetland, rocky hillsides, sagebrush prairie, into desert grassland in the west.
The niche of this rattlesnake is to prey on small mammals and rodents. It is possible that the Army Corp of Engineers could have killed them by destroying the wetlands. They mainly eat rabbits, gophers, rats, mice, and other small mammals. In the summer they get hot and change their eating habits. When they get hot they eat lizards, small rodents, and frogs.
The Eastern Massasauga hatch their eggs within the mother's body and the young are born encased in a thin membrane which breaks soon after birth. This fact may account for the untrue story that these snakes swallow their young to protect them. They mate from April to May. A litter numbers from 1 to 19 which are 16.5 to 24 cm long. They are born from July to early September. Females mature in three years.
The Eastern Massasauga has a rattler and strikes by throwing its neck into an S-shaped loop and then straightening out the S. A snake coiled like a rope cannot strike. It can strike a little more than half the length of its body .
These snakes can be found in Missouri. But, is considered endangered.
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Last Updated 23 februari 1998 by Marionville Public Schools