Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus)


Group	Snakes
Code	ARADE03010
Order	Squamata
Family	Viperidae
Author	(Rafinesque, 1818)
Rank	G3G4 (definitions)
Occurrence	P (definitions)
Scale	C (definitions)

County List:


Western UP	none
Eastern UP	none
Northern LP	all
Southern LP	all

Rule:

Forested or Mixed Forested/Nonforested Landscapes

      Grass
      or Upland Brush
      or Marsh 2
      or Sedge Meadow
      or Lowland Brush
   containing:
      Dead Down Woody Debris

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Habitat List:

Habitats	Regen	Sap	Pole	Sm Saw	Lg Saw	Uneven
Aspen	no	no	no	no	no	-
Paper Birch	no	no	no	no	no	-
Oak	no	no	no	no	no	no
Assorted Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Northern Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Spruce/Fir	no	no	no	no	no	no
Hemlock	no	no	no	no	no	no
Jack Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
Red Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
White Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
Conifer Plantations	no	no	no	no	no	-
Mixed Upland Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Northern Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Upland Conifer	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
Swamp Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Balsam Poplar & Swamp Aspen & Swamp Birch	no	no	no	no	no	no
Bottomland Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Tamarack	no	no	no	no	no	no
Northern White Cedar	no	no	no	no	no	no
Black Spruce	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Lowland Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Lowland Conifer	no	no	no	no	no	no
Non-Forested	Grass, Upland Brush, Marsh 2 (MARSH), Sedge Meadow, Lowland Brush
Special Features	Dead Down Woody Debris, Edges

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Literature:

Holman, J. A., J. H. Harding, M. M. Hensley, and G. R. Dudderar. 1999. Michigan snakes a field guide and pocket reference. Co-operative Extension Service, Michigan State University. 72 pp.

The Eastern massasauga rattlesnake inhabits marshes and swamps, though they often wander into upland meadows and woods in the summer. The reportedly prefer to hibernate in crayfish or rodent burrows.

The eastern massasauga feeds largely on rodents, especially meadow mice, but they also eat frogs an other snakes.