More than one-half of all the poisonous kinds of snakes known in Texas are rattlesnakes, and records show that almost every county has at least one variety. Texas rattlesnakes range in size from the very small, 18-inch western pigmy rattlesnake, which rarely if ever causes death among humans, to the seven-foot western diamondback rattlesnake, known to be one of the most dangerous snakes in North America. All have comparatively stout bodies, facial pits characteristic of the family, and rattles. The rattle, which sets this snake apart, is a series of loosely interlocking horny segments which, when vibrated, produce a sharp buzzing sound as the segments strike against one another. A rattlesnake’s age cannot be determined by the number of segments of its rattle because a new segment is added with each shedding of the skin. Because a snake may shed several times a year, the resulting number of segments added annually may be six or more. On the other hand, the segments are frequently broken off as the rattle becomes caught in underbrush, so that few rattlesnakes have a complete rattle. WESTERN MASSASAUGA
Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus WESTERN MASSASAUGA Description—The general body color is brown or gray. About 39 dark brown, oval blotches extend along the middle of the back while two rows of smaller blotches are found along each side. These blotches are narrowly edged with a lighter color. Size—Adults average two feet in length; larger specimens are sometimes as long as three feet. Young—The young resemble the adults but are lighter in color. Average number in a litter is eight or nine and they measure eight or nine inches at birth. Distribution—Records of this snake are widely scattered throughout the state, including the following counties: Andrews, Aransas, Armstrong, Bell, Bosque, Brazos, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Clay, Colorado, Crosby, Dickens, El Paso, Gaines, Galveston, Hardeman, Haskell, Hemphill, Jim Hogg, Johnson, King, Matagorda, McLennan, Midland, Nolan, Nueces, Parker, Pecos, Roberts, Shackelford, Sutton, Tarrant, Throckmorton, Victoria, Wheeler, Wilbarger, Winkler, Yoakum, and Young. This small rattlesnake is uncommon in Texas, although years ago it was plentiful in some parts of the state. J. K. Strecker in his Reptiles and Amphibians of Texas, 1915, states: Mr. Luttrell of Claude, Armstrong County, informed me that he has often killed from 50 to 60 during one wheat season, but during the past four or five years he has not seen more than half a dozen a year.
Wet places, usually near swamps or marshes, are its favorite habitat. One of our most docile rattlesnakes, it is seldom inclined to use its rattle, even when almost stepped upon. Distribution map WESTERN PIGMY RATTLESNAKE
Sistrurus miliarius streckeri WESTERN PIGMY RATTLESNAKE Description—The body color of this snake is from gray to grayish-brown. Its back is marked with about 35 small, dark spots which are wider than long. Another row of smaller spots is located along each side toward the belly. Size—Specimens average 18 inches long and large examples may reach a length of more than two feet. Young—The normal brood contains from eight to 10 but some may have as many as 18. Average length of the newborn is five or six inches. Distribution—All county records of this snake, except one from Mitchell County, are in the eastern part of the state. The Mitchell County record may be an error. Records include the following counties: Anderson, Angelina, Brazoria, Brazos, Chambers, Cooke, Dallas, Galveston, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Henderson, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Lamar, Leon, Liberty, Matagorda, McLennan, Mitchell, Montgomery, Newton, Orange, Red River, Refugio, Robertson, San Jacinto, Smith, Somervell, Victoria, Walker, Wharton, and Wise. The western pigmy rattlesnake prefers to live in dry areas; reports of professional collectors indicate that it is found in greatest number after heavy rains and at night. While more aggressive than its close relative, the massasauga, its small size makes it one of our least dangerous poisonous snakes. Its rattle is small, often difficult to see, and cannot be heard at distances greater than a few feet. Distribution map WESTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKE
Crotalus atrox WESTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKE Description—Although individuals of this species show a great deal of variation in color, from a chalky white to a dull red, they can be identified immediately by the alternate black and white rings of about equal width on the tail. There is a pattern of brown diamond shaped markings along the middle of the back, which stands out against the lighter body color. Each diamond has a narrow light border. Size—Adults are generally from three and a half to four and a half feet long. Reliable reports indicate that this species grows to a length of over seven and a half feet, and six-foot specimens are not rare. Young—Broods average 10 or 12 but occasionally contain 20 or more. The newborn diamondback is about a foot long and looks very much like the adult. Distribution—Known throughout most of the state except the extreme eastern part, it may be expected in many more counties from which records of its occurrence have not yet been received. It is definitely known in these counties: Andrews, Aransas, Archer, Armstrong, Atascosa, Bandera, Bastrop, Baylor, Bee, Bell, Bexar, Blanco, Borden, Bosque, Brazoria, Brazos, Brewster, Briscoe, Brooks, Brown, Burnet, Caldwell, Calhoun, Cameron, Clay, Coke, Comal, Comanche, Concho, Coryell, Cottle, Crockett, Crosby, Culberson, Dallam, Dallas, Dawson, Deaf Smith, DeWitt, Dickens, Dimmit, Donley, Duval, Eastland, Ector, Edwards, El Paso, Erath, Fisher, Foard, Frio, Galveston, Garza, Gillespie, Goliad, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hardeman, Harris, Hartley, Hays, Hidalgo, Howard, Hudspeth, Hutchinson, Irion, Jack, Jackson, Jeff Davis, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kendall, Kenedy, Kent, Kerr, Kimble, King, Kinney, Kleberg, Knox, Lampasas, La Salle, Lavaca, Limestone, Live Oak, Llano, Lubbock, Lynn, Martin, Mason, Matagorda, Maverick, McCulloch, McLennan, McMullen, Medina, Midland, Milam, Mills, Mitchell, Moore, Motley, Nolan, Nueces, Oldham, Palo Pinto, Pecos, Porter, Presidio, Randall, Real, Reeves, Refugio, San Patricio, Scurry, Shackelford, Somervell, Starr, Sterling, Stevens, Tarrant, Taylor, Terrell, Throckmorton, Tom Green, Travis, Uvalde, Val Verde, Victoria, Ward, Webb, Wells, Wilbarger, Willacy, Williamson, Wilson, Winkler, Wise, Wichita, Young, Zapata, and Zavala. This is the most dangerous and, at the same time, the most common poisonous snake in the state. Therefore, it is one which all Texas outdoorsmen should be able to recognize on sight. A summary of snake bite cases in the United States over a 10-year period shows that more people died from bites of this species than from bites of any other North American snake. There are several reasons why this snake is responsible for so many bites and such a high number of deaths. Chief among these is its large size. It ranks as one of the two largest poisonous snakes in the country, being second only to the eight-foot eastern diamondback rattlesnake of the southeastern states. In direct proportion to its size, it has long fangs and poison glands which hold a great amount of venom. These factors insure a long strike and deep fang penetration. In addition, it has an unusually furious disposition and, if threatened with danger or sufficiently annoyed, will vigorously defend itself instead of seeking immediate escape. Although strictly a land snake, the diamondback may sometimes be found crossing streams or ponds and, occasionally, individuals will venture out into lakes and bays. TIMBER RATTLESNAKE
Crotalus horridus horridus TIMBER RATTLESNAKE Description—This snake is much like the larger canebrake rattler but lacks the dark stripe from the eye to the back of the mouth, and generally is without the reddish-brown stripe down the middle of its back. Dark brown chevron shaped crossbands contrast with the general body color of yellowish tan. In some specimens black stippling occurs between the markings. Both black and light color phases of this snake are found in some parts of its range. It is unknown whether the dark specimens occur in Texas. The tail is marked with three or four dark bands on the lighter specimens but is altogether black on the darker ones. Size—Throughout its range this snake has an average length of from three and a half to four feet, but a specimen six feet long is on record. Young—The number in a brood varies from three to 12. Length of the newborn is eight or nine inches. Distribution—The timber rattlesnake prefers rocky hills and mountains that are not too heavily wooded, but it sometimes inhabits bogs and swamps at lower elevations. In either situation, it seldom survives for long in areas heavily populated by man. In common with most other rattlesnakes, it seeks escape when approached by man and fights only when surprised or cornered. Known in northeastern Texas, it is reported from Cooke, Denton, Eastland, Grayson, Lamar, Red River, Taylor, and Wise Counties. Like the prairie rattler, it often seeks the same denning areas year after year and congregates in numbers to hibernate for the winter. Distribution map CANEBRAKE RATTLESNAKE
Crotalus horridus atricaudatus CANEBRAKE RATTLESNAKE Description—This is a large and heavily built snake with a brown or tan back marked by a series of wide, dark, chevron shaped crossbands. It may be distinguished from the similar timber rattlesnake by its larger size, its more vivid markings, and the presence of a dark stripe from the eye to the angle of its mouth. Generally, a narrow, reddish-brown stripe extends down the middle of the back. Its tail, as in some other rattlesnakes, is entirely black. Size—In Texas this snake reaches a length of about six feet, while in nearby Louisiana exceptionally large specimens, some nearly seven feet long, have been found. Length averages four and a half feet. Young—About eight or ten are born in a brood. Distribution—This species prefers wooded areas in wet bottomlands. It has been found in the following counties: Austin, Bexar, Bosque, Bowie, Brazoria, Brazos, Cass, Cooke, Coryell, Dallas, Denton, Eastland, Ellis, Falls, Fayette, Freestone, Gonzales, Grayson, Hardin, Harris, Henderson, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Madison, McLennan, Navarro, Robertson, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Taylor, Victoria, Waller, Williamson, and Wise. Distribution map BANDED ROCK RATTLESNAKE
Crotalus lepidus lepidus BANDED ROCK RATTLESNAKE Description—This snake is very similar to the mottled rock rattlesnake, with which it might be confused, but from which it differs by having a more mottled appearance between the crossbands and a dark stripe from the eye to the angle of the mouth. It has a pattern of about 18 or 20 widely spaced dark crossbands with irregular edges in contrast to its gray body color. Belly color varies from cream to pink. In the Chisos Mountains, where there is much reddish igneous rock, the normal color of this snake is pinkish; the variety has been given the name of “pink rattler” by people of that region. Specimens from the limestone ledges along the Pecos Canyon at Howard Creek and Sheffield are very light in color, resembling the limestone rock on which they are found. Size—This is one of our smallest rattlesnakes, having an average length of two feet. The rattle is rather large in proportion to the small size of the snake. Young—About four are born in a brood and they measure about seven and a half inches at birth. Distribution—This form is restricted to the mountainous areas of the western and southwestern parts of the state; it has been found in the following counties: Brewster, Culberson, Edwards, Jeff Davis, Maverick, Pecos, Presidio, Real, Terrell, and Val Verde. Because of its small size and distribution restricted to rocky places at high elevations, the banded rock rattlesnake cannot be considered a serious menace to man. Apparently there is no record of anyone ever having been bitten by this snake. It has a quiet disposition and, if alarmed, will immediately retreat within the masses of jumbled rock which are its home. Distribution map MOTTLED ROCK RATTLESNAKE
Crotalus lepidus klauberi MOTTLED ROCK RATTLESNAKE Description—This species and the banded rock rattlesnake look much alike. Both are small and slender, and marked with a series of widely-spaced dark crossbands along the length of the body and tail. The banded rock rattlesnake, however, has about 20 or 22 dark brown or black crossbands, which contrast strongly with its greenish-gray body color. It further differs from the banded rock rattlesnake in lacking a dark stripe from the eye to the angle of its mouth. Size—Adults average two feet in length. Young—A record of one brood is the only known published information concerning the young of this snake. Carl F. Kauffeld of the Staten Island Zoo mentioned a litter of four and wrote: All were irritable from the first, promptly broke through the membranous sacs in which they were enclosed and struck violently at any passing object. All were marked and colored much like the adults except that the delicate pink along the venter of the latter was not in evidence; and the tails, which in the adults are salmon or terra cotta red (including the basal segment of the rattle) were brilliantly sulphur yellow for at least their distal half....
The newborn snakes measured about eight inches in length. Distribution—This subspecies is found in much the same type of country as the banded rock rattlesnake, being partial to rock slides high in the mountains. The two counties in the state in which it is known, El Paso and Culberson, are both in extreme western Texas. In disposition it is said to be quite timid; however, at times, it becomes irritable without much provocation. Distribution map BLACKTAILED RATTLESNAKE
Crotalus molossus molossus BLACKTAILED RATTLESNAKE Description—There are about 32 dark rhomboid markings along the back. These light edged blotches are centered with one or two irregular light areas, while the outer edges form bars which extend down each side to the belly. Body color varies from gray to olive green, while the blotches are dark brown or black. The tail is uniformly black, as its name implies. Size—The blacktailed rattlesnake is one of our largest poisonous snakes. Texas specimens average three and a half feet but may grow somewhat longer. One, nearly 50 inches long, was collected at Persimmon Gap in Brewster County. Young—About five young comprise the average brood. Distribution—Records are available from the following counties: Bandera, Bexar, Brewster, Burnet, Comal, Culberson, Edwards, El Paso, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Medina, Pecos, Presidio, Real, San Saba, Terrell, Travis, Upton, and Val Verde. Hilly areas with steep canyons are the preferred habitat of this snake. In the Big Bend region of Texas, where apparently it is the most common rattlesnake, specimens have been taken from as high as 7,400 feet elevation. It shows an inclination to coil in bushes or on tree limbs near the ground, although by far the majority of specimens encountered are found on rocky ledges. Its disposition has been reported by some to be very irritable, while others claim it is quiet and docile. Distribution map MOJAVE RATTLESNAKE
Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus MOJAVE RATTLESNAKE Description—This moderately slender snake is very similar in color and markings to the western diamondback rattlesnake. Its body is olive green with a pattern of darker diamond shaped markings down the middle of the back. These blotches are well defined by a border of light scales. It differs from the western diamondback in having narrower black tail rings and wider white spaces between these rings. A narrow light line extends from the eye to above the angle of the mouth. Size—Average length is three feet, or shorter than the diamondback rattlesnake. Because of its more slender form, it does not appear as large as a western diamondback of equal length. Young—The average litter contains eight, the young being similar to the adults in color and marking. Distribution—The Mojave rattlesnake is known in Brewster, Hudspeth and Presidio Counties. Unlike most other rattlers, this species is reported to be most active during daylight hours. It is rather quiet by nature and does well in captivity. Distribution map PRAIRIE RATTLESNAKE
Crotalus viridis viridis PRAIRIE RATTLESNAKE Description—Color of the back is greenish or grayish. A series of dark, rounded blotches extends down the middle of the back. These markings, with narrow white borders, become wider and shorter near the tail to form bands. In front of the eye is a narrow light line which extends backward and downward to the mouth. Size—Rather slender in form, this snake reaches a maximum size of five and a half feet. Average length is three feet. Young—Broods average 12 but vary from four to 21. Distribution—Texas records of this snake are widely scattered. Counties in which it is know include: Andrews, Armstrong, Baylor, Brewster, Briscoe, Callahan, Carson, Castro, Childress, Crane, Crosby, Dallam, Dawson, Deaf Smith, Dickens, Ector, El Paso, Garza, Gray, Hansford, Hartley, Haskell, Hemphill, Hockley, Hutchinson, Kent, Lamb, Lipscomb, Lubbock, Lynn, Midland, Moore, Ochiltree, Oldham, Pecos, Potter, Presidio, Randall, Reeves, Roberts, Sherman, Taylor, Tom Green, Ward, Wheeler, Wilbarger, Winkler, and Yoakum. When aroused, this snake becomes a vicious adversary but, like most snakes, is satisfied to go its way if given half a chance. Distribution map
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