Northern Pacific Rattlesnake

Behold, Crotalus viridis oreganus, the northern Pacific rattlesnake! Today at work I got to handle my first solo, and let me tell you, it was a rush.

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Comments

The Toymaker says:

If you don't mind, I have a couple of questions: Do you have some pics of the habitat, by any chance? How many specimens did you encounter?
Since I live in Germany, I only know crotalids from books and my vivaria. So I am always interested to get a better idea of where C. oreganus lives. My specimen is about 2 years old now, about 70 cms long. Fairly mellow guy, maybe rattled at me ten times since I got him as a neonate. Weird thing, the animal with the most potent venom I keep is actually the most quiet of them ( I keep a pair of Vipera ammodytes meridionalis and a yearling Vipera aspis francisciredi at the moment).
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Ken-ichi says:

Toymaker, I encountered this snake working a job in which we were trapping for snakes, so we caught C. viridis fairly regularly in the late spring and early summer. C. viridis (or C. oreganus, depending on who you talk to), has a pretty large range, spanning several different bioregions in the western U.S., but in general, they like warm, dry areas with rocky outcrops and low, scrubby vegetation. I don't have a photo that show this kind of habitat, but it's faily common here in California. Here's someone else's pic:

Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

The Toymaker says:

Yeah, well, I knew THAT much. ;) But the photo actually is the fist good one I come across. Thanx!
I get the impression that especially in the USA, snake keepers tend to be of the "lock it in a wooden box and wait for it to mate" variety. And hence are understanably not very high in the favour of Herpetologists.
Well, in my defense, I actually have READ the odd book on snakes... ;)
(Gloyd and Conant, Fitch, Greene, Campbell and Lamar)
Thought I ask because you actually were there, whereas my knowledge is second hand only.
What were you working on?
And, what do you mean, depending on who you talk to? I thought what with taxonomic revisions nowadays being done based on MtDNA and such, such results are generally widely accepted. But it is a while since I really looked into that. Last work in that area that I read was Hendersons revision of the Corallus hortulanus complex. I only heard of the revisions in the genus Crotalus thru a quick reference in some german periodica. Do you happen to know the authors? Time I caught on in that department.
I am always very much interested to talk to scientists who have done field work and have first hand exerience with snakes. So, every bit you have would be greatly apreciated!
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

matt knoth says:

Ken-ichi, if i wanted to get some pictures of snakes in the E.Bay, which park would you head to first?
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

Ken-ichi says:

Matt, that is an excellent question. Despite having worked with these animals, I kind of suck at finding them anywhere other than a trap. Generally, they like hot, rocky, scrubby habitat, possibly with a preference for such areas that abut grassland. This particular snake was trapped on EBMUD land north of the San Pablo Reservoir, I think, and I'm not sure the area is publicly accessible. The scrubbier parts of Briones, Mt. Diablo, and Las Trampas probably have pretty good rattlesnake populations, and there are definitely plenty in the areas around Los Vaqueros reservoir.

Another strategy is night driving. Choose a back country road in eastern Alameda County and drive it slowly about an hour after dusk.

If you're planning an expedition, I'd love to tag along. I could try and get some more specific locations from some herp people I know.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

matt knoth says:

I will let you know more as I figure out my own availability. I'd like to go this wnkd (sat) but I need to go to Angel Island first. If it looks too windy for angel island this wknd, I'll give you a holler. Maybe head out to Grizzly island. I've definitely seen garter snakes out there.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

snakehandler [deleted] says:

awesome snake hope no body killed it.
Nice photo!
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

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Taken with a Nikon E5600.
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Taken on May 6, 2006
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Northern Pacific Rattlesnake

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The Toymaker says:

Ken-ichi says:

The Toymaker says:

matt knoth says:

Ken-ichi says:

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snakehandler [deleted] says:

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