The most dreaded snake in the West? Likely. For good reason? Not really.
This one is typical for Maricopa County, Arizona. Some may have a green hue, but most are a muted brown or tan. They tend to have a more “clean” look than the more familiar Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, showing less speckling and a tendency to have each scale be its own color.
Mojave Rattlesnakes are common in areas of relatively flat sandy desert scrub and grasslands. Despite their behavior not being meaningfully different than other rattlesnake species, they are often attributed with fanciful abilities and aggressive traits. When someone tells a tall tale that they were chased on horseback for miles or a snake popped a truck tire, it’s usually about these … whether or not this species actually even lives in the area the story occurred is another story.
Their venom, too, is largely a matter of American folklore. It is highly toxic, often involving neurotoxins and a mix of other fun stuff. But it’s highly variable based on region and other factors. A bite from a Mojave Rattlesnake is of course serious business requiring immediate emergency care, but the rumors about not having antivenom or a sure death within minutes are made up.
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7. Cardwell, M. D., Massey, D. J., & Smelski, G. (2022). Mohave Rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus) Identification Revisited. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 33(2), 234–241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2022.01.003
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