Description & Size

• Legless
• No eyelids
• Lacks external ears
• Each scale has a prominent ridge in the middle (strongly keeled)
• Rattle present on end of the tail
• Pit on each side of the head between the nostril and eye
• Vertical elliptical pupils
• Total length: 41.0-103.0 cm (16.1-40.6 in)
• Back color: light gray to dark brown
• Horizontal stripes and/or blotched patterns on back (dark brown)

Habitat

• Wet prairies
• Wetlands
• Crayfish burrows

Diet

• Small mammals
• Amphibians
• Reptiles
• Birds