The massasauga may be totally black but is more commonly gray or tan with rows of black or brown spots on its back and sides. It is a venomous snake, usually secretive and unaggressive, that can deliver a painful but rarely fatal bite. The massasauga and the pygmy rattlesnake (S. miliarius) of eastern North America primarily consume frogs, lizards, and rodents. Both are live-bearers.