California has the second-highest number of rattlesnake species and subspecies in the US, with different species found there.
Different types of rattlesnakes in California are widespread in coastal beach areas and the southern desserts.
Most of these types of rattlesnakes in California are not aggressive.
April through October is the best time of year to see them because of the increased temperature.
What are the types of rattlesnakes in California? Let’s dive in!
1. Panamint Rattlesnake
Paramint rattlesnake is one of the types of rattlesnakes in California.
Living along the California-Nevada border, the Panamint Rattlesnake can be found in the southern Mojave Desert and southeast California.
This snake gets its name from the Panamint Mountains in Death Valley, which are in the middle of its whole range.
Panamint rattlesnakes range from 23 to 52 inches; their bodies can be orange, yellow, brown, gray, or off-white.
These types of rattlesnakes in California bodies are covered with blotched patterns that are reddish-brown, brown, or gray.
A dark band or ring can also be seen close to the rattle at the end of their tails.
2. Great Basin Rattlesnake
Northeastern California is home to the Great Basin Rattlesnake, which prefers agricultural regions, grassy plains, steep hillsides, and stony canyons.
Its name originates from this snake inhabiting many of the United States Great Basin.
The Great Basin Rattlesnake and the non-venomous Great Basin Gopher Snake share a striking resemblance in appearance.
Unfortunately, the innocent, tremendous Basin gopher snake suffers needless violence due to its similar appearance and coping behaviors.
Both can be distinguished from one another by several distinctive traits. Firstly, the Great Basin rattlesnake has a significantly thicker, stockier body and a bigger, triangular head than the gopher snake.
Although both use their tails to defend themselves, gopher snakes lack the Great Basin rattlesnake’s physical rattle.
A subspecies of the Western rattlesnake, the Great Basin rattlesnake averages three feet in length, though it can reach 16 to 64 inches.
These types of rattlesnakes in California have olive, yellowish, light, or pale gray bodies that are neutrally colored, with dark markings on their backs.
The centers of the blotches are also light in color.
3. Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
The southwestern United States, northern Mexico, and southeast California are home to Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes.
Because of their aggressive personalities, these snakes are well-known. They might perhaps be the most hostile rattlesnake species.
Western diamondback rattlesnakes prefer to stand their ground and attack, unlike other rattlesnakes that hide, run away, or freeze.
These types of rattlesnakes in California have gray bodies ranging from 4 to 6 feet.
As their name suggests, they have diamond-shaped patterns running down the center of their backs. These “diamonds” are white or pale yellow with dark centers.
These types of rattlesnakes in California tail tips include characteristic black and white rings or bands, like the design of a raccoon’s tail.
For this reason, the term “Coon-Tail Rattler” is also used to describe western diamondback rattlesnakes.
4. Red Diamond Rattlesnakes
The Red Diamond Rattlesnake is also on our list of types of rattlesnakes in California.
Striking in color, it inhabits parts of Baja California, the southwest of California, and certain Gulf of California islands. This snake can reach lengths of 40–55 inches.
On the other hand, compared to their desert counterparts, coastal snakes typically grow to be longer.
In California, the red diamond rattlesnake is classified as a species of special concern. Regrettably, urban expansion has eliminated much of its habitat.
The face of red diamond rattlesnakes is reddish-brown and has light-colored diagonal stripes. Along the center of their backs are faintly defined diamond blotches.
The red diamond rattlesnake has characteristic black and white rings at the end of its tail with the western diamond rattlesnake.
The venom of the red diamond rattlesnake is the least powerful of all the rattlesnakes found in California. But this snake can bite you fatally if you don’t get medical help.
As red diamond rattlesnakes age, their venom becomes increasingly poisonous. Its hemotoxic venom results in internal bleeding, discomfort, swelling, and necrosis.
The venom of the red diamond rattlesnake has aided in the creation of novel medications. Some researchers are investigating it for its anti-cancer qualities.
5. Mojave Desert Sidewinder Rattlesnakes
The Mojave Desert Sidewinder rattlesnake is found in southeastern California, the southwestern desert regions of the United States, and northwest Mexico.
It shares many behaviors with the Sidewinder Rattlesnake, of which it is a subspecies.
The Mojave Desert sidewinder travels across desert sands and up sand-covered slopes using the same unusual mode of propulsion.
Similar to how rattlesnakes in California ambush their victims, this snake likewise buries itself in the sand.
Mojave Desert sidewinders come in gray, brown, tan, cream, or pink hues and range from 17 to 33 inches.
To help them blend in with the sand, they have tiny patches all over their bodies and darker geometric patterns running down the middle of their backs.
They have a dark stripe that extends from the corner of their mouth to their eye. The scales directly above the eyes of Mojave Desert sidewinders resemble horns.
6. Colorado Desert Sidewinder Rattlesnakes
The Colorado Desert Sidewinder is found in the Sonoran Desert in California’s far southeast. It can also be found in Mexico and Arizona.
This snake is a subspecies of the Sidewinder Rattlesnake, and it shares many of the same behaviors, such as ambushing its prey by hiding in the sand and gliding across desert sands in a motion akin to “sidewinding.
Colorado Desert sidewinders typically have blotches of dark gray or brown down their backs, and their color is either gray, cream, or light tan.
The Colorado Desert sidewinder has characteristics similar to those of the Mojave Desert sidewinder, including horn-like scales above each eye and a dark stripe of color extending from each eye to the back corner of the mouth.
Because of how similar these two subspecies look and behave, it is challenging to distinguish between them.
The Mojave Desert sidewinder resides just north of this region, while the Colorado Desert sidewinder is found further south in the Colorado Desert.
This is the most visible distinction between the two species.
7. Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes
Central and Northern California are home to Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes. Its range extends from numerous western U.S. states to northern Mexico, passing via southwest Canada.
Although several longer ones have been documented, the Northern Pacific rattlesnake typically measures about 39 inches long.
This snake has very big dark blotches running down its back and is typically gray, brown, tan, or even black.
The cream color used to highlight these darker spots leaves very little room between the larger black blotches.
At the end of the snake’s tail, these darker patches transform into rings that become increasingly darker until they are almost completely black.
The colors of Northern Pacific rattlesnakes darken with age, and their patterns become less distinct.
The majority of rattlesnakes in California are not hostile. However, they produce strong venom, including hemotoxins and neurotoxins, that can lead to headaches, necrosis, internal bleeding, and heart problems.
8. Southern Pacific Rattlesnake
Most of the Southern Pacific Rattlesnake’s habitat is coastal Baja California, Mexico, Southern California, and parts of the Santa Catalina Islands.
It frequently inhabits desert scrub, mountains, beaches, and forests.
Like the Mojave rattlesnake, the Southern Pacific rattlesnake attacks the nervous system and causes respiratory and muscular control problems with its strong neurotoxins.
The average color of the 24- to 55-inch-long Southern Pacific rattlesnake is gray, olive-brown, brown, yellowish-brown, or nearly black.
Its back is covered in dark outline blotches broken up by lighter-colored stripes.
These dark patches have a diamond shape, but as the tail gets longer, they become stripes.
The Southern Pacific rattlesnake is known as the Grey Diamond-Back Mountain Rattler and the Black Diamond Rattlesnake because of its diamond-shaped pattern.
9. Mojave Rattlesnakes
Only the Mojave Desert in California is home to the Mojave Green, commonly known as the Mojave Rattlesnake. Its length ranges from 39 to 54 inches.
They are commonly referred to as “Mojave Green” snakes because their color is typically brown, though some may have a greenish tint.
The backs of these California rattlesnakes are covered in dark-colored diamond patterns. Before the rattle, their tails also have a white band around them.
The potency of Mojave Rattlesnakes’ deadly venom makes them among the most lethal snakes in North America.
10. Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake
The Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake is found throughout Southern California, with its primary habitat in the eastern desert regions of the state.
In the US, these snakes often don’t reach more than 39 inches. Their tan or light brown bodies are covered in “speckles,” which is how they got their name.
These types of rattlesnakes in California bodies also feature little black bands along their length. Each snake has a unique appearance due to the great camouflage provided by their colors and markings.
Depending on their habitat, certain snakes can be extra colorful, such as yellow, pink, orange, white, or gray.
The speckled rattlesnake’s colors and patterns help it camouflage in its rocky, sandy habitat.
