Where is the western diamondback rattlesnake habitat?
Where is the western diamondback rattlesnake habitat?
This snake is considered a generalist, which means that it isn’t too picky about its habitat. It can be found living in deserts, grassy plains, forests, rocky hillsides and areas along the coast. It lives in elevations from below sea level up to 6500 feet (2000m).
Where is the western rattlesnake found?
Where they live: The Western Diamondback Rattlesnake ranges from central and western Texas, through southern New Mexico and Arizona, and into southern California. It also extends into central Mexico. This species is not found in Washington state.
What habitat do rattlesnakes live in?
They live in a variety of habitats, including forest, grasslands, scrub brush, swamps, and deserts, and they are also capable swimmers. Almost all reptiles, including rattlesnakes, are ectothermic (cold-blooded).
Where do Western diamondback rattlesnakes live in Texas?
In Texas, it is the most commonly encountered venomous snake in the Trans-Pecos eco-region, as well as the Tamaulipan thornscrub of South Texas. It is a habitat generalist, occupying a variety of habitats ranging from desert scrub near the Permian Basin to high elevation pine-oak forests of the Davis Mountains.
How poisonous is the western diamondback rattlesnake?
However, because of its large venom glands and specialized fangs, the western diamondback rattlesnake can deliver a large amount of venom in a single bite. The average venom yield per bite is usually between 250 and 350 mg, with a maximum of 700–800 mg. Severe envenomation is rare but possible, and can be lethal.
Is Western diamondback poisonous?
Description: Rattlesnakes are species of poisonous snakes generally called “pit vipers”. The Western Diamondback can exceed seven feet in length, and is the king of our twenty odd species of Southwestern desert rattlers.
Are western diamondback rattlesnakes aggressive?
Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes are aggressive and easily excitable. This species causes more fatalities than any other snake in the United States.
How poisonous is a diamondback rattlesnake?
Diamondback venom is a potent hemotoxin that kills red blood cells and causes tissue damage. Bites are extremely painful and can be fatal to humans. However, antivenin is widely available throughout the snake’s range, and bites rarely result in death.
How far can a western diamondback rattlesnake strike?
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rattlesnakes can accurately strike at up to one-third their body length. The US Food and Drug Administration suggests that they can strike up to half their body length CDC.
What kind of habitat does diamondback rattlesnake live in?
Habitat of the Diamondback These two species live in a variety of different habitats. The Eastern species has different preferences than the Western species does. The Western lives primarily in arid regions with low rainfall, usually desert, desert edges, and scrub.
What kind of eyes does a diamondback rattlesnake have?
In that way, the rattlesnake can detect both predators and prey. In addition, the loreal pits (shown here) act as thermal regulating system, helping the western diamondback to maintain a proper body temperature. Western diamondback rattlesnakes also have slit-shaped eye pupils, common in most poisonous snakes.
What kind of rattlesnakes live in the Arizona desert?
Close-up photograph of a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake from the desert North of Phoenix, Arizona Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox). Coiled to strike Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox). Coiled to strike Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox). Coiled to strike Eastern diamondback rattlesnake.
When does a diamondback rattlesnake go into hibernation?
The western diamondback rattlesnake brumates (a condition similar to hibernation) between October and early March. Brumation is carried out in a shelter such as a cave, rock crevice or animal burrow. Multiple snakes (even snakes of different species) may brumate together in a communal den.
