Oregon Rattlers

[jeremy]

Im confused, after much research on the net, I take it Oregon does not have Diamond backs? Does any one know what the true species of rattle snakes is here? I live in NE Oregon and can go out in the summer and find them on the roads at night if you know where to look. They as a rule dont get huge and have black/white rings on there tail. Any one here will tell you they are diamond backs, but have heard them called a timber rattler and a pacific rattler, a pacfic crest rattler and a western rattler. Does any one really know, and are they the only species found here in Oregon? I was antelope hunting in central Oregon 3 weeks ago and went out at night and found some that looked the same as ours. I also brought a rubber Boa home for my kids they loved it.

[Jim B]

Jeremy,you are correct.Oregon doesn't have diamondbacks.In your area and a lot of the central part of the state has Northern Pacific Rattlers.In the South Eastern 1/3 of the state,there are Great basin Rattlers.

[Kerby Ross]

There aren't any Western Diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus atrox) in Oregon. There aren't any Timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) in Oregon.

There are 27 species of Crotalus rattlesnakes and 3 species of Sistrurus rattlesnakes.

Crotalus
Eastern Diamonback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus)
Western Diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox)
Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes)
  sub species: Mojave Desert Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes cerastes)
                   Sonoran Desert Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes cercobombus)
                   Colorado Desert Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes laterorepens)
Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)
  sub species: Canebrake rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus atricaudatus)
                    Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus horridus)
Rock rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus)
  sub species: Banded Rock rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus klauberi)
                   Mottled Rock rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus lepidus)
                   Tamaulipan Rock rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus morulus)
Speckled rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii)
  sub species: Southwestern Speckled rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus)
                   San Lucan Speckled rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii mitchellii)
                   Angel de la Guarda Island Speckled rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii angelensis)
                   El Muerto Island Speckled rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii muertensis)
                   Panamint Speckled rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii stephensi)
Blacktail rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus)
  sub species: Northern Blacktail rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus molossus)
                   San Esteban Island rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus estebanensis)
                   Mexican Blacktail rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus nigrescens)
                   Oaxacan Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus oaxacus)
Twin Spotted rattlesnake (Crotalus pricei)
  sub species: Western Twin Spotted rattlesnake (Crotalus pricei pricei)
                   Eastern Twin Spotted rattlesnake (Crotalus pricei miquihuanus)
Red Diamond rattlesnake (Crotalus ruber)
  sub species: San Lucan Diamond rattlesnake (Crotalus ruber lucasensis)
                   Red Diamond rattlesnake (Crotalus ruber ruber)
                   San Lorenzo Diamond rattlesnake (Crotalus ruber lorenzoensis)
Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus)
                   Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus)
                   Huamantlan rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus salvini)
Tiger rattlesnake (Crotalus tigris)
Ridge-nosed rattlesnake (Crotalus willardi)
                   Arizona Ridge-nosed rattlesnake (Crotalus willardi willardi)
                   Del Nido Ridge-nosed rattlesnake (crotalus willardi amabilis)
                   Southern Ridge-nosed rattlesnake (Crotalus willardi meridionalis)
                   West Chihuahua Ridge-nose rattlesnake (Crotalus willardi silus)
                   New Mexico Ridge-nosed rattlesnake (Crotalus willardi obscurus)
Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis)
                   Prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridus viridus)
                   Grand Canyon rattlesnake (Crotalus viridus abysus)
                   Coronado Island rattlesnake (Crotalus viridus caliginis)
                   Arizona Black rattlesnake (Crotalus viridus cerberus)
                   Midget Faded rattlesnake (Crotalus viridus concolor)
                   Southern Pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus viridus helleri)
                   Great Basin rattlesnake (Crotalus viridus lutosus)
                   Hopi rattlesnake (Crotalus viridus nuntius)
                   Northern Pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus viridus oreganus)
Mexican Lance-headed rattlesnake (Crotalus polystictus)
Tancitaran Dusky rattlesnake (Crotalus pusillus)
Long-tailed rattlesnake (Crotalus stejnegeri)
Tortuga Island rattlesnake (Crotalus rattlesnake)
Cross-banded Mountain rattlesnake (Crotalus transversus)
Mexican Dusky rattlesnake (Crotalus triseriatus)
  sub species: Central Plateau  Dusky rattlesnake (Crotalus triseriatus triseriatus)
                    Queretaran Dusky rattlesnake (Crotalus triseriatus aquilus)

Sistrurus)
Massassauga (Sistrurus catenatus)
  sub species: Eastern Massassauga (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus)
                   Desert Massassauga (Sistrurus catenatus edwardsi)
                   Western Massassauga (Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus)
Pygmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius)
  sub species: Dusky Pigmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius barbouri)
                    Carolina Pigmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius miliarius)
                   Western Pigmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius streckeri)
Mexican Pygmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus ravus)


So Jeremy, what you found in Oregon could be:

Northern Pacific rattlesnake
Great Basin rattlesnake


Also note that with current DNA studies there will be some reclassification on taxonomy soon.

Kerby...
 

[jer]

Nice information, thanks. I went on and looked up the Northern Pacfic and thats what they are. Also another interesting misconception here in Oregon and Washington is that we have Bull snakes but it appears that the snake anyone here will call a bull snake is actually a gopher snake or possibly a night snake if there lucky enough to see one. Oh the things you learn. Im strictly a bird taxidermist but I will try a rattle snake when i catch one of decent size someday.

[Kerby Ross]

In Oregon, there aren't any Bullsnakes (Pituophis catenifer sayi), but rather two sub-species:  Great Basin Gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer deserticola) and Pacific Gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer catenifer). And yes the Night snake is up there but is a rather small snake compared to the Gopher snakes.

I hate doing small snakes, a nice sized snake (3-5 feet) is easier IMO.

Let us know how your snake comes out when you do one.



Kerby...