Mojave Rattlesnake – Arizona Snake Identification and Information

The Mojave Rattlesnake, or "mojave green" as people like to say, is often confused for the similar-looking Western Diamondback, and visa versa. The Mojave is very commonly seen in flat, sandy desertscrub areas, and less likely seen in mountainous or rocky regions. It's a large snake, reaching about 4' in length as an adult. It can be distinquished from the western diamondback by the striping on the tail. Stripes are generally 2:1 white to black, while the diamondback are 50:50 white to black. The Mojave also has a generally more 'clean' appearance, with more distinct diamonds and less black speckling throughout the body. This snake has a reputation of being an overly dangerous snake, as it is quick to become defensive and has a powerful neurotoxin in many parts of its range. These snakes should always be avoided if seen.

Identification

The Mojave Rattlesnake is very often misidentified, for various reasons. They are commonly belived to be green, but are often other colors. Other rattlesnake species, too, are typically green. Another common method is to look at black and white bands on the tail. While there are often white bands that are wider than black bands. However, this banding is highly variable, and and can be misleading if used as a single-point characteristic for identification.

Behavior

The Mojave Rattlesnake is subject to a large amount of mythology and misinterpreted behavior. Notably, it has a reputation for aggression, stories of chasing people, even chasing down cars or dogs. But as with many rattlesnake stories, these stories are somewhere between exaggerations and complete nonsense. Mojave Rattlesnakes, like all rattlesnakes, may become defensive when they are in perceived danger, and may rattle, strike, or otherwise attempt to prevent their own death. There is no evidence, despite every human in their range carrying a phone with video capabilities, that they behave any differently than other rattlesnakes.

Mojave Rattlesnakes may opt to, rather than rattle, curl and raise their tail as a visual defensive display while it moves laterally to cover. 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.