Arizona Black Rattlesnake from the far eastern end of its range in the state, found at high elevation in Greenlee County. These rattlesnakes in th is region can look different than those more familiar from the central rim region, where most of the animals you’ve likely seen in photographs are from.
A young Sonoran Sidewinder I found in central Arizona near the edge of their range. These small specialists can be found in relatively flat, sandy and grassy desert areas in the region, but their presence ends abruptly at the edges of mountains.
Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes ssp.) https://rattlesnakesolutions.com/Sidewinder
Banded Sandsnakes are common, found in sandy drainages and often spotted on the surface in the summer. They’re often mistaken for superficially similar groundsnakes and shovelnosed snakes – one way to tell them apart is the relatively wide body, and the gradual transition of the dorsal stripe to the tan base color along its back. They also have kind of silly puppy faces, which can’t be unseen once you do. This one was found near our office in Cave Creek.
Arizona Black Rattlesnake found at night in a wooded area of central Arizona.
A Banded Rock Rattlesnake found on a hike through a wooded canyon.
One of several Amazon Tree Boas we found on a night time boat ride in Peru.
Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes getting some sun just outside their winter den several springs ago in central Arizona.
Cerralvo Island Rattlesnake found near the beach on its namesake island a few years ago off the coast of Baja California Sur.
Arizona Black Rattlesnake watching us as we watch her from a basking spot near her winter den. She is one of a group of females that will stay here all year, eventually giving birth late in the summer.
Sonoran Sidewinders are very fast as they, essentially, tip-toe across hot desert sand. At night, they can be confused by flashlights and move with speed in surprising directions. This may be an explanation for reports of their “aggression”. In reality, they are timid, quick to flee, and often less likely to strike out defensively than other species in the area. This one was seen crossing a dirt road near Phoenix.
