‘Ssssup, Madison. For all of our readers with ophidiophobia (the fear of snakes): now might be a good time to slither on down to other sections. Just a fair warning.

Snakes are cold-blooded, so it’s important to know about the ones you may encounter in your area as temperatures begin to drop + snakes look for a warm, safe shelter.

What to know about snakes in Wisconsin

Wisconsin has 21 snake species across the state + 14 are considered "rare" and listed as endangered, threatened, or special concern.
In Wisconsin, any snake that’s a solid color or has lengthwise stripes is non-venomous.
There is on average about 1 reported rattlesnake bite every 4 years in Wisconsin.
There has only been 1 documented rattlesnake-related death in Wisconsin since 1900.
There was once a bounty in Wisconsin on rattlesnakes, rewarding captors $5 per tail. In 1975, the bounty was lifted + the eastern massasauga rattlesnake was placed on the Wisconsin Endangered and Threatened Species List.

Pro Tip: If you want to learn how to identify snakes + properly keep them off your property, the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources offers some peace-of-mind answers and a few guidelines to keeping yourself and the snake safe.