Critter Catalog

What do they look like?

Western fox snakes are usually between 91 and 137 cm long. The published record is 179 cm. They are blotched snake, with light brown to black spots. The head varies from brown to reddish. The reddish head is often mistaken as a copperhead and often spells the end of that snake. The belly is yellow and checkered with black. The scales are weakly keeled. The young look distinctively different. The dark spots are rich brown usually edged with black or dark brown. The head has a dark transverse line anterior to eyes and a dark line from eye to angle of jaw. The lines on the head fade away with age. Western fox snakes have an average of 41 blotches. (Conant and Collins, 1998)

• Other Physical Features
• heterothermic

• Sexual Dimorphism
• sexes alike

• Range length

  91 to 179 cm

  35.83 to 70.47 in

Where do they live?

Western fox snakes are found from the central part of Michigan's upper peninsula west into South Dakota, Missouri, and Indiana.

• Biogeographic Regions
• nearctic
  • native

What kind of habitat do they need?

Western fox snakes are found in grasslands, prairies, dune areas, farm fields, pastures, and woodlots. They are typically found fairly close to water. Like all snakes, they can be found basking near the edge of marshes or in grassland clearings. (Michigan Natural Features Inventory, 2004)

• These animals are found in the following types of habitat
• temperate
• terrestrial

• Terrestrial Biomes
• savanna or grassland
• forest

• Wetlands
• marsh

• Other Habitat Features
• agricultural

How do they reproduce?

Western fox snakes mate from April to July. The female lays her eggs anywhere from late June to early August. She usually lays from 6 to 29 firm leathery eggs that are from 3.8 to 5 cm long. The young hatch from late August to October and are 25.5 to 33 cm long. (Rigg, 1998)

• Key Reproductive Features
• iteroparous
• seasonal breeding
• sexual
• oviparous

• How often does reproduction occur?

  Western fox snakes breed once each year.

• Breeding season

  Western fox snakes mate from April to July.

• Range number of offspring

  6 to 29

How long do they live?

• Average lifespan
  Status: captivity

  17 years

  AnAge

How do they behave?

Western fox snakes have good climbing skills but are usually seen on the ground in fields or marshes. When annoyed, irritated or scared these fox snakes vibrate their tail. Although most people associate this behavior with rattlesnakes, fox snakes only bite if provoked. Unfortunately these snakes are fairly large and, with the vibrating of the tail, are mistaken as a possible threat and is often killed. (Rigg, 1998)

• Key Behaviors
• terricolous
• diurnal
• sedentary
• hibernation
• solitary

What do they eat?

Western fox snakes eat small mammals and occasional birds. They eat meadow voles, deer mice, eggs, fledgling birds, and newborn rabbits. Western fox snakes kill their prey by constriction. (Rigg, 1998)

• Primary Diet
• carnivore
  • eats terrestrial vertebrates

• Animal Foods
• birds
• mammals

Do they cause problems?

Western fox snakes are harmless snakes, there are no negative effects of this species on humans.

How do they interact with us?

Western fox snakes help keep pest populations down. They often inhabit agricultural lands and prey on rabbits and rodents.

• Ways that people benefit from these animals:
• controls pest population

Are they endangered?

Western fox snakes are often mistaken for rattlesnakes. As a result they are often indiscriminately killed. In fact, they are harmless and beneficial. Western fox snake populations also suffer from habitat destruction, illegal collecting, and being hit by cars. Currently populations of western fox snakes are considered stable.

• IUCN Red List

  Least Concern
  More information

• IUCN Red List

  Least Concern
  More information

• US Federal List

  No special status

• CITES

  No special status

• State of Michigan List

  No special status

Contributors

Tanya Dewey (editor), Animal Diversity Web.

Andrew Brinker (author), Michigan State University, James Harding (editor), Michigan State University.

References

Collins, J. 1997. Standard Common and Current Scientific names For North American Amphibians and Reptiles. Lawrence, Kansas: Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.

Conant, R., J. Collins. 1998. Reptiles and Amphibians Eastern/Central North America. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Johnson, T. 2002. "Snakes of Missouri" (On-line). Accessed 1 August 2002 at http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/nathis/herpetol/snake/snake4.htm.

Michigan Natural Features Inventory, 2004. "Eastern fox snake" (On-line). Michigan Natural Features Inventory. Accessed November 03, 2006 at web4.msue.msu.edu/mnfi/abstracts/zoology/Elaphe_vulpina_gloydi.pdf.

Rigg, D. 1998. Accessed November 13, 1999; now obsolete at http://birch.palni.edu/~drigg/wfox.htm.