Kinds of Rattlesnakes

Timber Rattlesnake, Eastern, Western and Black Diamondback

• The largest rattlesnake, the eastern diamondback, can measure up to 8 feet in length. It occurs across the southeastern United States, residing predominately in pine forests and swamps. The snake usually seeks shelter beneath rocks and logs. The western diamondback occurs in the southwestern United States and Mexico. It measures only 5 feet when fully grown. The snakes have a powerful hemotoxin venom that can cause death if left untreated. The timber rattlesnake occurs across the eastern United States and as far west as eastern Texas. The snake resides in forestland and swamps. The Southern Pacific Rattlesnake, also called the black diamondback, resides in the southwestern and Baja California areas. It exhibits black coloration with a white diamond pattern. All four snakes belong to the Crotalus genus.

Sidewinder Rattlesnakes

• A desert rattlesnake, the sidewinder lives across the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico. Several subspecies exist: Sonoran Desert sidewinder, Mojave sidewinder and the Colorado Desert sidewinder. It moves in a sideways crawl. It has become highly adapt at surviving in the desert. The snakes coloration helps camouflage it so the snake blends in with the surrounding sand and rocks. The sidewinder does have a hemotoxin venom, but its small physical size makes it less deadly than diamondbacks or other rattlesnake species.

Neotropical Rattlesnake

• The neotropical rattlesnake occurs across South America and into Central America. Several subspecies of the snake exist that vary in size and coloration. The snake has a diamond-like scale pattern that stands out in contrast down its back. The adult snakes measure from 5 to 6 feet in length and sports a heavy body. Highly toxic, the snake's neurotoxic venom causes human fatalities each year in South America. It resides in deserts, grasslands and tropical rainforests.

Rattlesnakes in Mexico

• The Querétaro dusky rattlesnake resides in Central Mexico. Highly aggressive, it also boasts an exceptionally toxic venom. It measures only 2 feet in length and varies markedly in coloration. The Santa Catalina rattlesnake occurs only on the Santa Catalina island. It holds the distinction of being a rattlesnake with no rattle on its tail. The immature rattle falls from the snake each time it molts. The snake is currently critically endangered. A heavy bodied snake, the Mexican West Coast Rattlesnake, measures up to 6 feet in length. The snake produces a large amount of venom when it bites. It does have a calm personality, however.

Southwestern Rattlesnakes

• The rock rattlesnake occurs in the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico. Several subspecies of the snake occur such as the Tamaulipan rock rattlesnake, mottled rock rattlesnake, banded rock rattlesnake and the Durango rock rattlesnake. The snake enjoys hiding in rocky areas where its body coloration helps it blend into the surroundings well. It usually measures up to 3 feet in length. The speckled rattlesnake lives in the southwestern U.S. Several subspecies of the snake exist, but all boast the unique speckled camouflage. The snake has an aggressive personality. The southwestern black-tailed rattlesnake has four recognized subspecies and all exhibit the black tail coloration.