Sand prairies, savannas, and adjacent woodlots in well-drained soil. Widens the neck, hisses, and sometimes strikes when disturbed, then rolls onto its back and feigns death. Mates in spring and lays eggs in July. Moves slowly as it searches during the day for toads, other amphibians, reptiles and their eggs, birds, and small mammals, some of which it digs out of sand with its snout. Saliva is toxic to prey, and is injected with enlarged posterior teeth.
Main predators are raptors and medium-sized mammals.
Its main threat is degradation and destruction of sand prairies. There is evidence that the Kankakee County population was introduced.