They prefer a temperate, desert, or warm and humid climates. The rattlesnake’s habitat is anywhere with thick brush or vegetation. Read on to learn about the Diamondback. In Mexico, they occur in Nuevo León, Coahuila, Chihuahua, Sonora, extreme northeastern Baja California, northern Sinaloa, northeastern Durango, Zacatecas, most of San Luis Potosí, northern Veracruz, Hidalgo, and Querétaro. They are generally not aggressive and lead a solitary life. Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox-Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes are found throughout the Southwest and are, by far, the most common rattlesnake encountered in Bandelier National Monument.-Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes can be distinguished from most other rattlesnakes by a series of black and white bands just above their rattles. Their venom can be quite dangerous, and can kill a human. These snakes are carnivores, and feed only on other animals. The National Wildlife Federation reported that rattlesnakes typically live for 10 to 25 years. Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) An adult eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) in mid-strike, revealing its fangs and inner mouth. Geography. Their gestation period lasts between 5 and 6 months. Western Diamondback Rattlesnake on The IUCN Red List site -, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_diamondback_rattlesnake, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/64311/12763519. In the United States, they occur in central and western Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, southern and central New Mexico and Arizona, extreme southern Nevada, southwestern Utah, and in southeastern California on either side of the Chocolate Mountains. When hiking, stick to well-used trails. The average rattlesnake can live 15 to 20 years. The Western Diamondback can exceed seven feet in length, and is the king of our twenty odd species of Southwestern desert rattlers. At birth, the young snakes are fully independent and self-sufficient. The western diamondback rattlesnake While some larger dens do certainly exist in some places, with 20 or more individuals, this is not as common as the smaller sites. Their namesake rattle is a highly effective warning sign, signaling predators to stay away. Zoos and research facilities keep these snakes to help educate the public and to collect their venom. Residents of the Southwestern United States likely have heard the distinctive buzz of these pit vipers. If rattling does not work, then the snake will strike in defense. The Western diamondback, identified by diamond markings along its back and black and white rings on its tail, resides everywhere but the easternmost section of the state. Following a gestation period of 4-5 months, females give birth to 4-14 (average 9) young every three to five years between late August to mid-September. Rattlesnakes have also been harvested as human food. Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) They can be active at any time of the day or night when conditions are favorable. The western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) lives in the deserts and semi-deserts of the western United States. That said, the density of homes in neighborhoods where this could potentially happen are usually dense enough to mean the snake would be spotted rather quickly to put a cap on that … Their prey varies between the species and the snake’s size. From The Book of Deadly Animals by Gordon Grice. Western rattlesnakes are usually active at dawn and dusk but during hot summer may become nocturnal. The Western lives primarily in arid regions with low rainfall, usually desert, desert edges, and scrub. Western diamondback rattlesnakes are carnivores. Hawks, owls, coyotes, bobcats and other snakes occasionally prey on rattle snakes, but in reality, few animals (if any) make rattlesnake the staple of their diet. They bask in the sun throughout the day, and they hunt periodically in the morning and afternoon. Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Facts. They feed on small mammals such as chipmunks, prairie dogs, voles, woodrats, rabbits, ground squirrels and also birds, lizards, and even fish. Human activity impacts these reptiles differently. Humans have not domesticated these animals in any way. Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox. Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are carnivores that feed on small mammals, birds, other reptiles, and insects. A group of rattlesnakes is usually called rhumba. If you live in the western part of the United States, chances are you've had to watch out for them in your backyard and thought about how to protect your family.

Mojave Desert Sidewinder . “Rattles are segments of keratin that fit loosely inside one another at the end of the snake’s tail,” explained Sara Viernum, a herpetologist based in Madison, Wisconsin. There are 36 identified species of rattlesnakes as of 2014. A rattlesnake can move the rattle on its tail back and forth 20-100 times in just one second. They are viviparous meaning that females give birth to live young. The snakelets are fully-developed and capable of delivering a venomous bite from the moment they are born. The western diamondback rattlesnake is found in deserts, grasslands, pink-oak forests, coastal plains, and rocky canyons of the U.S.A and Mexico. A wide range of rattlesnakes live across the U.S. and North America, and some varieties live in South America as well. Adults are usually 33-72 in (84-183 cm) long, but the largest individual on record was 96 in (244 cm). The western diamondback rattlesnake is found in deserts, grasslands, pink-oak forests, coastal plains, and rocky canyons of the U.S.A and Mexico. Their scales have brown or tan coloration, with dark-colored diamond-shaped patterns along their backs. This snake is considered a generalist, which means that it isn't too picky about its habitat. Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are well known for their rattle and painful, venomous bite, which can be fatal to humans. The western diamondback rattlesnake Western diamondbacks become reproductively mature when they are 3 years old. Do not step or put your hands where you cannot see. People refer to two species of rattlesnakes as “Diamondbacks,” the Eastern and the Western. Timber rattlesnake … The western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) is a species of venomous rattlesnake found in the deserts of the United States of America and Mexico.The western diamondback rattlesnake is responsible for most of the snakebites in northern Mexico and the U.S.A.There are currently no subspecies found.