In this episode, we’re taking a close look at baby rattlesnakes — what they actually look like, and how to tell them apart from harmless species that often get mislabeled online. We start things off by debunking some of the most common myths about identifying baby rattlesnakes. To show how easy it is to get it wrong, Jeff uses a Sonoran Lyresnake he found in the field — a harmless little snake that gets mistaken for a rattlesnake all the time.

From there, we head out on a series of real relocation calls involving baby rattlesnakes. These calls highlight the differences between young rattlesnakes and the many harmless species they’re confused with. If you’ve ever wondered how to reliably identify a baby rattlesnake, or what these situations look like from our side of the call, this is a good one.

Baby Rattlesnake or Harmless Snake? How to Tell the Difference