Home > Snakes > Southern Pacific Rattlesnake

Southern Pacific Rattlesnake

Southern pacific rattlesnake is a highly venomous subspecies of snake occurring in the United States and Mexico. The subspecies is a pit viper and like all pit vipers it contains heat-sensing organ on each side of the face between the nostrils and the eyes.

Scientific Classification
Quick Information

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Subphylum	Vertebrata
Class	Reptilia
Order	Squamata
Suborder	Serpentes
Family	Viperidae
Subfamily	Crotalinae
Genus	Crotalus
Species	Crotalus oreganus
Scientific Name	Crotalus oreganus helleri

Other Names	Black Diamond Rattlesnake, Black (diamond) Rattler, Mountain Rattler, Pacific Rattler, Gray Diamond-back, Green Rattlesnake, San Diegan Rattler
Length	24-55 in
Color	Pale brown, yellowish brown or gray-brown ground color covered with a series of large dark brown diamond shaped patches on the outer surface that may be with or without pale centers
Distribution	Southern California (United States), Baja California (Mexico)
Habitat	Prairies, grasslands, scrub particularly near rock outcroppings
Diet	Lizards, frogs, small mammals, birds, snakes
Hibernation Fact	Hibernate during winter
Predators	Coyotes, hawks, roadrunners
Venom Fact	Highly toxic – venom consists of myotoxins and hemotoxins
Breeding Season	Spring
Mode of Reproduction	Ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs hatched inside the body of the parent)
Litter Size	8 to 10 young
Gestation Period	Around 3 months
Average Lifespan	Up to 21 years