The face of a Chihuahuan Hook-nosed Snake. These are small eaters of invertebrates. The subtle scoop on the end of the nose is helpful for finding prey in the sandy, grassland soil where they live.
A Mojave Rattlesnake on the crawl after a wet night in southeastern Arizona. It’s moving laterally, hissing and watching the perceived predator with the camera, but not rattling. As this species often does, instead, it curls its tail and “wags” it slowly as a display. Prairie Rattlesnakes, notably, will often do this tail-curling behavior instead of rattling.
This guided retreat, where the snake moves laterally to cover while keeping the business end pointed forward, causes a lot of confusion with observers. For one, it’s not always a straight line away, but to cover. That cover can be a vehicle, bushes, or a cast shadow … including from the person watching it. This, and confirmation bias from decades of beloved folklore, contribute to the many tall tales about Mojave Rattlesnakes.
Greene, H. W., & May, P. G. (2002). Parental behavior by vipers. In G. W. Schuett, M. Höggren, M. E. Douglas, & H. W. Greene (Eds.), Biology of the Vipers (pp. 179–205). Eagle Mountain Publishing.
Cardwell, M. D. (2013). Behavioral changes by Mohave rattlesnakes (Crotalus scutulatus) in response to drought. California State University, Sacramento.
Maag, D. W., Francioli, Y. Z., Goetz, M. T. H., & Sanders, L. N. (2025). Variation in defensive and exploratory behaviors across a rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus × viridis) hybrid zone in Southwestern New Mexico. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 2345. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96155-8
Calvete, J. J., Massey, D. J., Sánchez, E. E., Sanz, L., & Bush, S. P. (2012). Venom variability and envenoming severity outcomes of the Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus (Mojave rattlesnake) from Southern Arizona. Toxicon, 60(9), 802–810. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2012.06.004
A small Banded Rock Rattlesnake in ambush along the base of a boulder in southeastern Arizona. The pattern and bands break up its shape, making it difficult to see in context. This is a good way to catch one of the many Yarrows Spiny Lizards jumping around on the same rocks each morning.
A Twin-Spotted Rattlesnake with a relatively drab pattern, but not atypical for an older adult. These are small snakes, rarely seen by hikers, as their range within the U.S. consists of only a handful of mountains in southeastern Arizona. In addition to rodents, these rattlesnakes also specialize in lizards, often taking the colorful Yarrows Spiny Lizards also common to rocky outcrops in high pine forests. These are among the protected species within Arizona, but a good number of them still end up being taken from the mountains each year to enter the European black market.
Prival, D. B., Goode, M. J., Swann, D. E., & Schwalbe, C. R. (2002). Natural history of a northern population of twin-spotted rattlesnakes, Crotalus pricei. Journal of Herpetology, 36(4), 598–607. https://doi.org/10.1670/0022-1511(2002)036[0598:NHOANP]2.0.CO;2
Prival, D. B., & Schroff, M. J. (2012). A 13-year study of a northern population of twin-spotted rattlesnakes (Crotalus pricei): Growth, reproduction, survival, and conservation. Herpetological Monographs, 26(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1655/HERPMONOGRAPHS-D-11-00002.1
Prival, D. B., Goode, M. J., Swann, D. E., & Schwalbe, C. R. (1999). A comparative study of hunted vs. unhunted populations of the twin-spotted rattlesnake. Unpublished report, University of Arizona. PDF link
Grabowsky, E. R., & Mackessy, S. P. (2019). Predator-prey interactions and venom composition in a high elevation lizard specialist, Crotalus pricei (Twin-spotted Rattlesnake). Toxicon, 170, 88–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2019.09.003
Grabowsky, E. (2018). Venom composition of little known mountain rattlesnakes and predator-prey interactions of Crotalus pricei pricei and its natural prey, Sceloporus jarrovii (Master’s thesis). University of Northern Colorado. https://digscholarship.unco.edu/theses/251/
Bezy, R. L. (2021). Biogeographic outliers in the Arizona herpetofauna. Sonoran Herpetologist, 34(2), 45–58. PDF
Pough, F. H. (1966). Ecological relationships of rattlesnakes in southeastern Arizona with notes on other species. Copeia, 1966(4), 649–658. https://doi.org/10.2307/1441401
Bezy, R. L., & Cole, C. J. (2014). Amphibians and reptiles of the Madrean Archipelago of Arizona and New Mexico. American Museum Novitates, 2014(3810), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1206/3810.1
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I spotted this young Gila Monster on an isolated rocky area surrounded by desert grassland. Gilas in this area can often have more black mottling than the banded version found elsewhere in the state. We took some photos briefly and let it be on its way.
A Madrean Mountain Kingsnake from the southeastern corner of the state. These colorful snakes can be surprisingly difficult to spot, despite their bright coloration. In the low, dappled light and noisy background of their woodland environment, there’s not a “snake shape” to see, and they’re easy to walk right by.
A Chihuahuan Hooknosed Snake we found in Cochise County, Arizona. These small snakes have a specialized scale on its face that it can use to help it uncover its prey: arachnids and centipedes. Of the snakes that can be found in Arizona, this is one of the least often seen, even by snake enthusiasts.
This one became defensive as it was being photographed, striking repeatedly at the camera with a closed mouth. This is a good example of why the popular saying “if it has a mouth, it can bite” is missing a critical component to be relevant: not just can it bite, but WILL it bite. This little snake says no.
A beast of a Lyresnake! These are typically slender snakes, but this has been very successful. At first it looked like a gophersnake, with a chunky build and round face. These are cryptic snakes that few people that live in Arizona, even born here, will ever see.
A mated pair of Banded Rock Rattlesnakes, tucked into rocks in a minor drainage in southeastern Arizona. During the late monsoon season, it’s not uncommon to find pairs or rattlesnakes like this, courting and mating in one rock pile while others are still giving birth elsewhere. The period of seasonal rain is the peak of activity for these animals, and a lot needs to be done in a relatively short period of time.
1. Mata-Silva, V. (2011). Ecology of the Rock Rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus) in the Northern Chihuahuan Desert. University of Texas at El Paso.
2. Mata-Silva, V., DeSantis, D.L., Wagler, A.E., et al. (2018). Spatial Ecology of Rock Rattlesnakes (Crotalus lepidus) in Far West Texas. Herpetologica, 74(3), 245–255.
https://doi.org/10.1655/Herpetologica-D-17-00091.1
