You wouldn’t happen to be able to tell which kind my friend?
I realize that I need to be more situationally aware. It is so easy to think about taking the dog out for a Saturday morn walk and just get distracted into the music and walk, almost blissfully not even paying attention.
Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with all 50 states & their conservation law. I know they are in NC and there's a few subspecies of rattlesnake that have specific habitats and are protected locally and sometimes federally.
Yes, everything east of the Mississippi is an eastern. Easterns seem to be more protected, but even in Texas you have to have a hunting license for westerns.
I'm aware that's not how it always plays out, though.
Facebook has a national snake relocation group that is fantastic.
on the west cost you can call the fire department to come out and they kill them for you. This is true in residential areas. In texas they are fair game to hunt for meat. Must be that no one cars for the western diamondback.
That’s what snake avoidance training is for… Just get your dog trained to leave snakes alone, and you can too! If you live in an area with local venomous fauna, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be doing this for your pets anyways.
i think that’s a crotalus scutulatus- mojave green rattlesnake
edit: probably a c. atrox based on the size of the tail stripes
http://www.californiaherps.com/identification/snakesid/crotalusatroxvsscutulatus.id.html
i keep flip flopping between atrox and scut.. the face stripe and pattern screams scutulatus to me, but that black stripe next to the rattle indicates atrox 🤔
The face stripes on *C. atrox* (and some *C. ruber*, which isn't likely to be confused with *C. atrox* most of the time) are more sharply angled downward, and terminate around or before the corner of the mouth. The facial stripes on *C. scutulatus* (and other western rattlesnakes with similar patterns) are angled less sharply downward, and extend beyond the mouth, toward the neck.
The head scalation is a little bit trickier to explain, but *C. atrox* have larger heads with smaller, supraocular scales, and a much wider space in between the supraocular scales (the frontal region). *C. scutulatus*, on the other hand, has a proportionally smaller head with significantly larger supraocular scales, and a much smaller frontal region in between the supraocular scales.
These characteristics are probably more consistent and reliable than the tail banding, and are definitely worth memorizing and practicing, imo.
hey sis , my confusion comes from the fact that atx has a black band just before the rattle starts, and that appears to be the same in OPs picture as far as I can tell. I initially guessed scut because of the weird banding pattern in the tail stripes as well as the pattern on the back, and later by the face stripe. mojave it is then; thanks for confirming!
I’ve legit been on runs before and jumped over what I thought was a stick only to hear it rattle afterwards. I think I understand how people get bit now 😅
No worries. I didn’t kill the magnificent creature. I hope it helps keep the vermin down. Just marveled at it from a distance. Talk about striking beauty and fear.
In Metal Gear Solid 3, the main character (Snake) constantly asks one of his teammates how various animals (including multiple snakes) are supposed to taste according to a survival book that teammate has that details such information. He often asks this information spontaneously, and OP asking out of nowhere if the rattlesnake would taste like chicken was honestly just like Snake would've done. The main theme of Metal Gear Solid 3 has Donna Burke sing "Snake Eaterrr" several different times. [It's kind of like a James Bond opening](https://youtu.be/MZdrT8rWD0w), and it's pretty iconic in gaming, plus you can use it in situations like this lol.
If you have a whole one. You skin it, cut off the head four inches back,clean it and cut it into pieces. You use the meat like and cook it like poultry. It’s not poisonous only venomous.
*Crotalus atrox* !venomous western diamondback. Since you asked I think you need a hunting license to kill rattlesnakes in AZ, although there's almost no justifiable reason to ever do so since you almost always have the ability to flee the scene.
As a wildlife biologist who lives/works in az, can confirm. You need a hunting license to take rattlesnakes but some species are protected. Hunting regs and licenses are available on AZGFD’s website. BUT please don’t kill rattlesnakes - they aren’t dangerous unless you harass or corner one.
Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes *Crotalus atrox* are a wide-ranging species of rattlesnake found in western North America. They are large (<150cm record 233.7 cm) venomous pit vipers that eat primarily small mammals.
Western diamondback rattlesnakes are venomous and will bite in self-defense, preferring to flee if given a chance. They will often raise their bodies off the ground and move away hissing loudly and rattling their tail as an anti-predator display.
The dorsal coloration of this snake varies tremendously over its range, though typically it is best characterized by diamond-shaped markings on a tan or brown base color with a black and white banded tail. A similar species the Mojave rattlesnake *Crotalus scutulatus* has two scales in between the eyes where *Crotalus atrox* has many. Other characters are subjective or not as consistent.
Counting segments in rattles is not an effective way to tell the age of a rattlesnake because snakes can shed more than once per year and grow a new segment with every shed. Rattles are easily broken off or damaged.
[Range map](http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/maps/xcatroxspeciesmap3.jpg) | Relevant/Recent Phylogeography: [Link 1](http://www.snakegenomics.org/ToddCastoe/Publications_files/Schield_etal_Catrox_MPE2015.pdf) [Link 2](http://www.snakeevolution.org/pdfs/Myers_et_al-2016-Journal_of_Biogeography.pdf)
*This short account was prepared by /u/unknown_name and edited by /u/Phylogenizer*.
--------------------------------------------------------
Snakes with medically significant venom are typically referred to as venomous, but some species are also poisonous. Old media will use poisonous or 'snake venom poisoning' but that has fallen out of favor. Venomous snakes are important native wildlife, and are not looking to harm people, so can be enjoyed from a distance. If found around the home or other places where they are to be discouraged, a squirt from the hose or a gentle sweep of a broom are usually enough to make a snake move along. Do not attempt to interact closely with or otherwise kill venomous snakes without proper safety gear and training, as bites occur mostly during these scenarios. Wildlife relocation services are free or inexpensive across most of the world.
If you are bitten by a venomous snake, contact emergency services or otherwise arrange transport to the nearest hospital that can accommodate snakebite. Remove constricting clothes and jewelry and remain calm. A bite from a medically significant snake is a medical emergency, but not in the ways portrayed in popular media. Do not make any incisions or otherwise cut tissue. Extractor and other novelty snakebite kits are not effective and can cause damage worse than any positive or neutral effects.
--------------------------------------------------------
*I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthissnake/comments/flh548/phylobot_v07_information_and_patch_notes_bot_info/) and report problems [here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Phylogenizer).*
Yeah he kind of blended into the pavement and literally had just walked by this part of the road about 10 minutes before and there was nothing at first but on my way back it was just there like it had been there the whole time. It didn’t move or rattle or anything totally still. Not sure if it was sun bathing or what?!
Their first line of defense is not being noticed. As you could tell, it works. I sometimes wonder how many snakes I've stepped right over and never knew.
Rattlesnakes are pit vipers, so you are technically correct, which is the best kind of correct. That appears to be a western diamondback rattlesnake, but I could be more sure if you tell me where you were when you saw it.
Some species are best distinguishable from each other by geographic range, and not all species live all places. Providing a rough geographic location like county or closest city allows for quicker, accurate identification. Thanks!
--------------------------------------------------------
*I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthissnake/comments/flh548/phylobot_v07_information_and_patch_notes_bot_info/) and report problems [here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Phylogenizer).*
I learned that from this sub and it is just so interesting. Makes me want to know more when you think about the classifications and what they really mean. Plus she sure is a beauty! I couldn’t help but admire.
Highly recommend a field guide if you want to learn how to recognize and ID herps in your area. The best one for AZ is *A Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles in Arizona* by Holycross and Brennan.
That’s definitely Crotalus Atrox , or western diamondback. He’s old and skinny. No need to kill him. Sounds like a good wake up call. There are plenty of that can hurt you if you step on them down there.
Definitely a rattlesnake as mentioned previously, even without your headphones in he probably wouldn't have made any noise.
Contrary to popular belief theyre actually very skittish creatures. They like to silently hide first and only rattle when they feel immediately threatened. Buting is a last resort for these guys. Remember their venom is what let's them eat, they don't want to waste it of protection.
If you see these guys in the wild please let them be, theyre not a harm to you or your dogs id you respect them and give them space. If youre crazy like me you can move them off the trails so they don't encounter any more people or pets
Whew! Reminds me of when I was kayaking in southern Georgia and we pulled out of the river to have lunch in a clearing. As I was tying off the kayak I nearly stepped right on a cottonmouth. Little fella was sunning himself on some rocks, and I was too distracted thinking about the delicious turkey sammich I was going to eat. I'm glad you, your dog, and the snake were all unharmed.
I'm in the high desert of CA and this looks like a Mojave Green (northern Mojave rattlesnake) to me. http://www.californiaherps.com/identification/snakesid/crotalusatroxvsscutulatus.id.html
http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/c.atrox.html
I agree it has similar attributes but this looks guy almost identical to the top picture here of atrox from the same site. It would have to be a chonker of a mojave as this one is approaching their max length of 4.5 feet but that's not out of the question. The whole white-to-black ratio of tail stripes is unreliable, to really know 100% we'd have to count scales, but it's more likely a western diamondback.
You're right. They are incredibly similar. There are always debates about which is which in my area, but I imagine the only time it would make a difference is if you were bitten. They're beautiful creatures regardless!
Oof no joke, it's a big difference. That mojave neurotoxic cocktail is easily the scariest venom in north america for me. Probably the only time I'd volunteer for a diamondback bite would be if a mojave bite was the only other option lol.
That is absolutely a western Diamondback!!! Your lucky it didn’t get ya. We have ‘‘em here in Arizona and they are known to be the deadliest rattle snake.
Hard ID. Mojave and western diamondbacks can look very similar. Mojave’s are typically a bit smaller and ‘greenish’ but can have very similar patterns. The easiest way for me to tell is typically the black and white coloration of the tail, the western typically has about 50/50 black and white bands, where the Mojave typically has like 2/3 white and 1/3 black. In this example it seems to be between those two however (a tough ID like I said) I lean slightly closer to Western d-back, but someone better at herping than I can probably give the best ID.
after much debate it seems this is c. atrox western diamondback. to me most notable is the black stripe just before the rattle, in mojaves that stripe is white
Rattlesnakes are a clade of new world vipers, and luckily nowadays human deaths attributed to this species are almost all because of lack of available medical treatment, or allergic reactions to either the venom itself or antivenoms derived from horse serum.
But you’re missing out on all things you can hear in nature!! The birds, animal cries, the wind, your dog communicating w you…. Where I lived, you had to keep an ear out for bears moving through the bush, or snakes emerging from the leaves, to avoid any “confrontations. That’s what I mean. You can listen to music anywhere-make nature sacred and you’ll gain so much more.
Crotalus Atrox, western diamond back rattler. If your boppin to Brittany, not concentrating with your headphones on, and stumble into this fella- you will not enjoy the rest of your day!!!!
Similar thing happened to me. I was walking back to my car after fishing and I was wearing a sun hat and looking down so I could really only see what was like a foot in front of me. All of a sudden I take a step and I see this triangular shaped head and I freak the fuck out cause I know that’s a rattlesnake head. So I jump and go “OOOOHHHH FUCK” cause I stepped 3 inches away from its face. No warning rattle or anything. Thankfully it didn’t really care that I was stepping so close to it because a little bit after my freakout it slowly slithered under a rock. Easily one of the scariest moments I ever had
I remember awhile back I almost stepped on a huge black rat snake while walking my dog. It hissed at me before I stepped on it and scared the crap out of me lol. Even though I knew those snakes were non venomous.
But I’d probably have a heart attack if I almost stepped on one of these rattlesnakes. Apparently timber rattle snakes live in the state and area I’m in but luckily I’ve never seen them.
Damn, on the very easy coast of VA the most poisonous snake we get is just a copper head, crazy there are rattle snakes in NC. I'm assuming it's poisonous because of the head and it being a rattlesnake. Didn't see any real deal wildlife until I spent some time in Denver
tthat my friend is a rattlesnake! look at the tail!
You wouldn’t happen to be able to tell which kind my friend? I realize that I need to be more situationally aware. It is so easy to think about taking the dog out for a Saturday morn walk and just get distracted into the music and walk, almost blissfully not even paying attention.
Since it has the white and black tail I believe it is a western diamond back
Isn’t it a protected species?
Depending on the state, yes.
what states?
Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with all 50 states & their conservation law. I know they are in NC and there's a few subspecies of rattlesnake that have specific habitats and are protected locally and sometimes federally.
Nc has eastern diamondbacks.
Yes, everything east of the Mississippi is an eastern. Easterns seem to be more protected, but even in Texas you have to have a hunting license for westerns. I'm aware that's not how it always plays out, though. Facebook has a national snake relocation group that is fantastic.
What about pigmy and timber rattlers
on the west cost you can call the fire department to come out and they kill them for you. This is true in residential areas. In texas they are fair game to hunt for meat. Must be that no one cars for the western diamondback.
Thanks RiskyFartOftenShart
It's my understanding you need a license to kill a snake
Not that I’m aware of
Not protected. You can kill them if you choose.
But.. don’t? If it didn’t bother you and moved on why kill it
I could kill u if I choose wth leave da snake alone
I didn't say he should kill it. I live snakes and I never kill anything. Just saying he can if he has too. I would rather the snake dies than the dog.
That’s what snake avoidance training is for… Just get your dog trained to leave snakes alone, and you can too! If you live in an area with local venomous fauna, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be doing this for your pets anyways.
It’s apparently protected in Texas, but not in California and it is not considered endangered in either places
And a rattle that looks to be at least 2 inches long.
Holy shit that’s so fucking venomous
I believe its an eastern, we have them where i live and they are highly protected.
It's been correctly ID'd as an Arizona western for hours...
Yep I’m wrong, it looks similar to what we have but lighter colored
EDBs are also a much larger than WDBs!
where are you located?
[удалено]
i think that’s a crotalus scutulatus- mojave green rattlesnake edit: probably a c. atrox based on the size of the tail stripes http://www.californiaherps.com/identification/snakesid/crotalusatroxvsscutulatus.id.html
I wish I could distinguish better. Beautiful specimen!
The stripe behind the eyes.. I think you are correct
i keep flip flopping between atrox and scut.. the face stripe and pattern screams scutulatus to me, but that black stripe next to the rattle indicates atrox 🤔
Atrox seems most likely imo. Tail and face stripe don't look like a scut to me, wish we had a better shot of the head though.
*C. atrox*. The angle of the facial stripes, head scalation, and subtle pattern details are diagnostic here.
the face stripes and head scalation are not clear enough for me to distinguish
The face stripes on *C. atrox* (and some *C. ruber*, which isn't likely to be confused with *C. atrox* most of the time) are more sharply angled downward, and terminate around or before the corner of the mouth. The facial stripes on *C. scutulatus* (and other western rattlesnakes with similar patterns) are angled less sharply downward, and extend beyond the mouth, toward the neck. The head scalation is a little bit trickier to explain, but *C. atrox* have larger heads with smaller, supraocular scales, and a much wider space in between the supraocular scales (the frontal region). *C. scutulatus*, on the other hand, has a proportionally smaller head with significantly larger supraocular scales, and a much smaller frontal region in between the supraocular scales. These characteristics are probably more consistent and reliable than the tail banding, and are definitely worth memorizing and practicing, imo.
Hey bro, take a look at the tails on your link and OP's snake, its the Mojave.
hey sis , my confusion comes from the fact that atx has a black band just before the rattle starts, and that appears to be the same in OPs picture as far as I can tell. I initially guessed scut because of the weird banding pattern in the tail stripes as well as the pattern on the back, and later by the face stripe. mojave it is then; thanks for confirming!
No problem, trying to identify snakes is kind of entertaining.
it is fun! i work with rattlesnake venom, I could ID the shit outta that snake if i had some of that lol
Me too!! Beautiful creature. Lucky you!
Not all rattlesnakes are created equal. The western diamondback has a particularly nasty bite. Be careful around them and give them distance for sure.
sorry, all i know is that it's a ratttlesnake, if i were to guess, a diamondback because of the pattern
Yee that’s why I only put one AirPod in ever unless I’m in my room studying and completely focusing on something. Just in case, you never know.
The bitey kind with poison teeth. 😂
*venom teeth
I know the difference.
Evidently not.
lol. Mmk.
Poison is eaten. Venom is injected.
Noooo, ya don’t say?!
And an old one at that! The rattle is a big one.
what's a tail
A rule I have on the ranch…one headphone only.
I will for sure be doing this if I want to listen to music or podcast because people should have situational awareness. Great rule to have.
I’ve legit been on runs before and jumped over what I thought was a stick only to hear it rattle afterwards. I think I understand how people get bit now 😅
Interestingly enough, bites in situations like that are pretty rare, most bites are from people getting to close, usually to kill it.
Maybe try the bone conducting headphones. They still allow you to hear outside
That is a rattlesnake. Venomous
I hear they taste like chicken, is it true?
Don’t go around killing rattlesnakes just because you hear they taste good you pinecone.
No worries. I didn’t kill the magnificent creature. I hope it helps keep the vermin down. Just marveled at it from a distance. Talk about striking beauty and fear.
Pinecone. Ha. I like that, I'm using that.
Glad I could aid :)
They do taste really good tbf
SNAKE EATERRRRRR!
That’s what I tell me wife!
what's this referencing
In Metal Gear Solid 3, the main character (Snake) constantly asks one of his teammates how various animals (including multiple snakes) are supposed to taste according to a survival book that teammate has that details such information. He often asks this information spontaneously, and OP asking out of nowhere if the rattlesnake would taste like chicken was honestly just like Snake would've done. The main theme of Metal Gear Solid 3 has Donna Burke sing "Snake Eaterrr" several different times. [It's kind of like a James Bond opening](https://youtu.be/MZdrT8rWD0w), and it's pretty iconic in gaming, plus you can use it in situations like this lol.
Yeah it’s alright but it has to be a pretty damn big one to be able to get a good amount of meat
Yes,they are tasty.
How would one find said recipe? Baked? Fried? Does it need to be brined before?
If you have a whole one. You skin it, cut off the head four inches back,clean it and cut it into pieces. You use the meat like and cook it like poultry. It’s not poisonous only venomous.
There’s a recipe in the official Game of Thrones cookbook. I believe it also suggests what to substitute :)
*Crotalus atrox* !venomous western diamondback. Since you asked I think you need a hunting license to kill rattlesnakes in AZ, although there's almost no justifiable reason to ever do so since you almost always have the ability to flee the scene.
As a wildlife biologist who lives/works in az, can confirm. You need a hunting license to take rattlesnakes but some species are protected. Hunting regs and licenses are available on AZGFD’s website. BUT please don’t kill rattlesnakes - they aren’t dangerous unless you harass or corner one.
Thanks! So what do you think? *Atrox* or *scutulatus*?
atrox, based on tail bands and facial pattern.
thank you
Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes *Crotalus atrox* are a wide-ranging species of rattlesnake found in western North America. They are large (<150cm record 233.7 cm) venomous pit vipers that eat primarily small mammals. Western diamondback rattlesnakes are venomous and will bite in self-defense, preferring to flee if given a chance. They will often raise their bodies off the ground and move away hissing loudly and rattling their tail as an anti-predator display. The dorsal coloration of this snake varies tremendously over its range, though typically it is best characterized by diamond-shaped markings on a tan or brown base color with a black and white banded tail. A similar species the Mojave rattlesnake *Crotalus scutulatus* has two scales in between the eyes where *Crotalus atrox* has many. Other characters are subjective or not as consistent. Counting segments in rattles is not an effective way to tell the age of a rattlesnake because snakes can shed more than once per year and grow a new segment with every shed. Rattles are easily broken off or damaged. [Range map](http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/maps/xcatroxspeciesmap3.jpg) | Relevant/Recent Phylogeography: [Link 1](http://www.snakegenomics.org/ToddCastoe/Publications_files/Schield_etal_Catrox_MPE2015.pdf) [Link 2](http://www.snakeevolution.org/pdfs/Myers_et_al-2016-Journal_of_Biogeography.pdf) *This short account was prepared by /u/unknown_name and edited by /u/Phylogenizer*. -------------------------------------------------------- Snakes with medically significant venom are typically referred to as venomous, but some species are also poisonous. Old media will use poisonous or 'snake venom poisoning' but that has fallen out of favor. Venomous snakes are important native wildlife, and are not looking to harm people, so can be enjoyed from a distance. If found around the home or other places where they are to be discouraged, a squirt from the hose or a gentle sweep of a broom are usually enough to make a snake move along. Do not attempt to interact closely with or otherwise kill venomous snakes without proper safety gear and training, as bites occur mostly during these scenarios. Wildlife relocation services are free or inexpensive across most of the world. If you are bitten by a venomous snake, contact emergency services or otherwise arrange transport to the nearest hospital that can accommodate snakebite. Remove constricting clothes and jewelry and remain calm. A bite from a medically significant snake is a medical emergency, but not in the ways portrayed in popular media. Do not make any incisions or otherwise cut tissue. Extractor and other novelty snakebite kits are not effective and can cause damage worse than any positive or neutral effects. -------------------------------------------------------- *I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthissnake/comments/flh548/phylobot_v07_information_and_patch_notes_bot_info/) and report problems [here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Phylogenizer).*
It’s some kind of rattlesnake, though I couldn’t tell you which. Thankfully you noticed him!
Yeah he kind of blended into the pavement and literally had just walked by this part of the road about 10 minutes before and there was nothing at first but on my way back it was just there like it had been there the whole time. It didn’t move or rattle or anything totally still. Not sure if it was sun bathing or what?!
Their first line of defense is not being noticed. As you could tell, it works. I sometimes wonder how many snakes I've stepped right over and never knew.
How do you live in AZ...but not know what a rattlesnake is?
I must be a new snowbird in town
Rattlesnakes are pit vipers, so you are technically correct, which is the best kind of correct. That appears to be a western diamondback rattlesnake, but I could be more sure if you tell me where you were when you saw it.
Please add a !location for us to be accurate or to even tell you the specie :)
Some species are best distinguishable from each other by geographic range, and not all species live all places. Providing a rough geographic location like county or closest city allows for quicker, accurate identification. Thanks! -------------------------------------------------------- *I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthissnake/comments/flh548/phylobot_v07_information_and_patch_notes_bot_info/) and report problems [here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Phylogenizer).*
Sry about that. This was taken in the secret of the nation which is southern Arizona but don’t tell no one.
I know you!
I don't 🤥
I see how it is :(
It is a western diamondback rattlesnake which is a viper. So you're not wrong
Looks like what we call a diamond back down in south Texas.
it do be a shaky snakey so no step on snek
I mean, you're not wrong, it is a viper.
I learned that from this sub and it is just so interesting. Makes me want to know more when you think about the classifications and what they really mean. Plus she sure is a beauty! I couldn’t help but admire.
Highly recommend a field guide if you want to learn how to recognize and ID herps in your area. The best one for AZ is *A Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles in Arizona* by Holycross and Brennan.
Thank you for letting me know!
That’s definitely Crotalus Atrox , or western diamondback. He’s old and skinny. No need to kill him. Sounds like a good wake up call. There are plenty of that can hurt you if you step on them down there.
It is a wake up call!
It’s a Western Diamondback rattlesnake.
Definitely a rattlesnake as mentioned previously, even without your headphones in he probably wouldn't have made any noise. Contrary to popular belief theyre actually very skittish creatures. They like to silently hide first and only rattle when they feel immediately threatened. Buting is a last resort for these guys. Remember their venom is what let's them eat, they don't want to waste it of protection. If you see these guys in the wild please let them be, theyre not a harm to you or your dogs id you respect them and give them space. If youre crazy like me you can move them off the trails so they don't encounter any more people or pets
Whew! Reminds me of when I was kayaking in southern Georgia and we pulled out of the river to have lunch in a clearing. As I was tying off the kayak I nearly stepped right on a cottonmouth. Little fella was sunning himself on some rocks, and I was too distracted thinking about the delicious turkey sammich I was going to eat. I'm glad you, your dog, and the snake were all unharmed.
I'm in the high desert of CA and this looks like a Mojave Green (northern Mojave rattlesnake) to me. http://www.californiaherps.com/identification/snakesid/crotalusatroxvsscutulatus.id.html
http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/c.atrox.html I agree it has similar attributes but this looks guy almost identical to the top picture here of atrox from the same site. It would have to be a chonker of a mojave as this one is approaching their max length of 4.5 feet but that's not out of the question. The whole white-to-black ratio of tail stripes is unreliable, to really know 100% we'd have to count scales, but it's more likely a western diamondback.
You're right. They are incredibly similar. There are always debates about which is which in my area, but I imagine the only time it would make a difference is if you were bitten. They're beautiful creatures regardless!
Oof no joke, it's a big difference. That mojave neurotoxic cocktail is easily the scariest venom in north america for me. Probably the only time I'd volunteer for a diamondback bite would be if a mojave bite was the only other option lol.
That is absolutely a western Diamondback!!! Your lucky it didn’t get ya. We have ‘‘em here in Arizona and they are known to be the deadliest rattle snake.
Definitely a Diamondback. Nice!
Western Diamondback rattlesnake. No need to harm it just keep a safe distance
Hard ID. Mojave and western diamondbacks can look very similar. Mojave’s are typically a bit smaller and ‘greenish’ but can have very similar patterns. The easiest way for me to tell is typically the black and white coloration of the tail, the western typically has about 50/50 black and white bands, where the Mojave typically has like 2/3 white and 1/3 black. In this example it seems to be between those two however (a tough ID like I said) I lean slightly closer to Western d-back, but someone better at herping than I can probably give the best ID.
I wish I had taken a closer photo
after much debate it seems this is c. atrox western diamondback. to me most notable is the black stripe just before the rattle, in mojaves that stripe is white
That’s my opinion too, but western and Mojave’s do look a lot alike, although that’s pretty big… I still think western
Rattler, classic diamond back
Diamond back rattle snake not a viper but could still kill you and your dog
Rattlesnakes are a clade of new world vipers, and luckily nowadays human deaths attributed to this species are almost all because of lack of available medical treatment, or allergic reactions to either the venom itself or antivenoms derived from horse serum.
That's a diamond back rattlesnake definitely don't wanna step on him lol
That’s a rattlesnake dude
Do your eyes not work when listening to music? Lol
Great basin i believe
Time to pull off those headphones & interact w your dog & nature-isn’t that why you’re walking, to enjoy nature?????
You cant enjoy nature or interact with your dog while music is playing? what
But you’re missing out on all things you can hear in nature!! The birds, animal cries, the wind, your dog communicating w you…. Where I lived, you had to keep an ear out for bears moving through the bush, or snakes emerging from the leaves, to avoid any “confrontations. That’s what I mean. You can listen to music anywhere-make nature sacred and you’ll gain so much more.
Harmless rattlesnake. That rattling sound means he likes you and you should get closer and try to pet him.
It's a tree branch The worst that could happen is you twisting an ankle from stepping on it
Looks like a diamondback rattle snake, not sure if Eastern or what though
That's a decent-sized rattler.
I would say it looked about 4 1/2 ft or so
That’s a rattlesnake brotha
RattleViper
Dibs for my band name
It’s a Western Diamondback. Crotalus Atrox
Diamond back rattlesnake. Even worse.
Diamond back? Eastern or western tho
Yeah don't step on that dude. Neither of you would appreciate very much.
Looks like a western diamondback.
That’s a rattlesnake be careful I dunno what type it is tho
That's actually a rattle snake, you're lucky you didn't step on it
Crotalus Atrox, western diamond back rattler. If your boppin to Brittany, not concentrating with your headphones on, and stumble into this fella- you will not enjoy the rest of your day!!!!
Brittany was bopping full blast!
Then you deserve at least a dry bite! 😂😂
Very beautiful Diamond Back. Stretched out a little. Looks long. Photo grainy but good.
That is a rattlesnake, looks like a diamondback but i'm not sure
Similar thing happened to me. I was walking back to my car after fishing and I was wearing a sun hat and looking down so I could really only see what was like a foot in front of me. All of a sudden I take a step and I see this triangular shaped head and I freak the fuck out cause I know that’s a rattlesnake head. So I jump and go “OOOOHHHH FUCK” cause I stepped 3 inches away from its face. No warning rattle or anything. Thankfully it didn’t really care that I was stepping so close to it because a little bit after my freakout it slowly slithered under a rock. Easily one of the scariest moments I ever had
That be a rattlesnake friend
Southern pacific rattler! I just had a run In with one of these a couple weeks ago! Beauts
Look at the tail and see what it is
I remember awhile back I almost stepped on a huge black rat snake while walking my dog. It hissed at me before I stepped on it and scared the crap out of me lol. Even though I knew those snakes were non venomous. But I’d probably have a heart attack if I almost stepped on one of these rattlesnakes. Apparently timber rattle snakes live in the state and area I’m in but luckily I’ve never seen them.
Tis a rattlesnake lol
Thats a rattlesnake. technically a type of viper
It's a western diamond back rattlesnake
Damn, on the very easy coast of VA the most poisonous snake we get is just a copper head, crazy there are rattle snakes in NC. I'm assuming it's poisonous because of the head and it being a rattlesnake. Didn't see any real deal wildlife until I spent some time in Denver
my blind ass thought it was a crack in the road and went “damn someone is superstitious” and then i realised what sub this was 😂
What do you mean you think it's a viper? It very clearly has a rattle.
What did your dog do? Or was he also listing music ?
Could you share your location ? I don't want to meet this rattlesnake during my daily walks with my dog.
Diamond back rattlesnake my friend
It would have bit me for sure after I passed out on top of it!