Rattlesnake Bite on West Road, Marlborough

By LeAnne Gendreau
NBCConnecticut.com

A game of Frisbee took a painful turn Sunday when a man was bitten by a rattlesnake in Marlborough.

A man and his friend were tossing the ring around on West Street Sunday when the disk landed near a snake, state police told the Hartford Courant. The man went to pick it up and the snake bit him.

He was in stable condition late Sunday, the Courant reports.

The type of rattlesnake that bit the man was not published but the only rattlesnake the state Department of Environmental Protection identifies as found in the state is the Timber Rattlesnake, which is endangered.

This type of snake is 36 to 54 inches long with a large, stocky body, v-shaped bands on a brown, black or yellow body and a light yellow belly.

This type of snake is found predominantly in the northwest corner of the state, according to a map on the state’s “Snakes in Connecticut” pamphlet. Timber rattlesnake bites are rare, according to state officials.

Should you encounter one, back away slowly. Fast or sudden movement can upset the snake.

The other type of venomous snake found in Connecticut is the Copperhead, which is found in central Connecticut and the southern part of the state. There are 12 other types of snakes found in the state.