Western Rattlesnake
Scientific Name: Crotalus viridis
Alternate Name(s): prairie rattlesnake, plains rattlesnake
Distribution: western North America from Washington south to Baja California and east to Colorado, the Dakotas, and Texas
Habitat: forests, scrublands, rocky areas, sand dunes, basins, canyons up to 3350 meters
Life Span: 16-20 years
Size: length 40-160 centimeters
Weight: 0.5-2 kilograms
Coloring: brown ovals or hexagons down middle of back surrounded by a light border; marks narrow into rings near the tail
Eyes: elliptical (cat-like) pupils; turn cloudy blue before the snake sheds its skin
Diet: mammals (ground squirrels, kangaroo rats, rabbits, mice, pocket gophers, voles), lizards, birds (eggs), amphibians
Predator(s): hawks, eagles, coyotes; snakes have been trampled to death by deer and horses
Behavior: diurnal during cool weather; nocturnal in the summer
Reproduction: breeding season March to May; 4-20 young, each 15-30 centimeters long, are born between August and October
Conservation Status: least concern (IUCN 3.1); population stable
Major Threats: habitat loss and degradation from urbanization and agricultural development; man-made roads cause road collisions
Other Notes: plays an important role in checking rodent population, and with it, rodent-borne diseases
Caution: This snake's bite is toxic. Its venom causes swelling, nausea, breathing difficulty, hemorrhage, paralysis, and heart failure.
Interesting Facts:
Alternate Name(s): prairie rattlesnake, plains rattlesnake
Distribution: western North America from Washington south to Baja California and east to Colorado, the Dakotas, and Texas
Habitat: forests, scrublands, rocky areas, sand dunes, basins, canyons up to 3350 meters
Life Span: 16-20 years
Size: length 40-160 centimeters
Weight: 0.5-2 kilograms
Coloring: brown ovals or hexagons down middle of back surrounded by a light border; marks narrow into rings near the tail
Eyes: elliptical (cat-like) pupils; turn cloudy blue before the snake sheds its skin
Diet: mammals (ground squirrels, kangaroo rats, rabbits, mice, pocket gophers, voles), lizards, birds (eggs), amphibians
Predator(s): hawks, eagles, coyotes; snakes have been trampled to death by deer and horses
Behavior: diurnal during cool weather; nocturnal in the summer
Reproduction: breeding season March to May; 4-20 young, each 15-30 centimeters long, are born between August and October
Conservation Status: least concern (IUCN 3.1); population stable
Major Threats: habitat loss and degradation from urbanization and agricultural development; man-made roads cause road collisions
Other Notes: plays an important role in checking rodent population, and with it, rodent-borne diseases
Caution: This snake's bite is toxic. Its venom causes swelling, nausea, breathing difficulty, hemorrhage, paralysis, and heart failure.
Interesting Facts:
- The number of rattle segments a rattlesnake has is not its age. Rattlesnakes add a new rattle segment each time they shed, usually 1-2 (sometimes 3-4) times a year.
- Western rattlesnakes rarely rattle, even when approached by a predator. They prefer to remain still to avoid being seen or heard.
- Rattlesnakes give birth to live young, unlike most reptiles.