Rattlesnake
Twin-spotted Rattlesnake
VenomousCrotalus pricei
6 photographs of the Twin-spotted Rattlesnake. © Sinaloa Silvestre.
The Twin-spotted Rattlesnake (Crotalus pricei) is a venomous snake in the Viperidae family, recorded in 2 countries.
If you are bitten
Rattlesnake bites are medically serious. Expect intense pain, rapid swelling, and bruising. Stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to an emergency room immediately. Do NOT apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or 911 in the US, or your local emergency number. (Source: CDC.)
- Also called
- Rattlesnake
- Family
- Viperidae
- Size
- Typically 2–5 ft; some species exceed 6 ft.
- Habitat
- Deserts, rocky outcrops, grasslands, and woodland edges, depending on species.
- Behavior
- Ambush predators that buzz the tail as a warning; mostly active in warm months and often crepuscular in summer heat.
- Identify
- Heavy body, broad triangular head, vertical (cat-like) pupils, and a segmented keratin rattle at the tail tip.
- Danger
- high
About the Twin-spotted Rattlesnake
Common names: twin-spotted rattlesnake, western twin-spotted rattlesnake, more
Crotalus pricei is a species of venomous snake, a pit viper in the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Two subspecies are recognized.
Etymology
The specific name, pricei, is in honor of William Wightman "Billy" Price (1871–1922), a field biologist, who collected the first specimens which became the type series.
Description
Adults of C. pricei usually do not exceed 50–60 cm (about 20–24 in) in total length (including tail). The maximum total length recorded is 66 cm (26 in).
The color pattern consists of a gray, bluish-gray, brownish-gray, or medium- to reddish-brown ground color, usually with a fine brown speckling. This is overlaid with a series of dorsal blotches that tend to be divided down the median line to form 39–64 pairs.
Behavior
Amid the mountain rocks where it lives, this small snake may rattle furiously at passing humans yet never be heard. The nights are often cold where it lives. It is driven by hunger, seeking out small rodents and lizards. Though its pattern looks bizarre its protective coloration blends well with the light and shadow of the mountains. Although it has been conjectured that it has a venom of high potency, little is known - there are no recorded bites to humans from this snake.
Common names
Common names for C. pricei include twin-spotted rattlesnake, western twin-spotted rattlesnake, Price's rattlesnake, Arizona spotted rattlesnake, spotted rattlesnake, and Arizona twin-spotted rattlesnake.
Geographic range
C. pricei is found in the United States in southeastern Arizona. In northern Mexico, it occurs in the Sierra Madre Occidental in Sonora, Chihuahua, and Durango. It has also been found in the Sierra Madre Oriental in southeastern Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas, with isolated records in San Luis Potosí and Aguascalientes. The type locality given is "Huachuca Mts., Arizona" (Cochise County, Arizona, United States).
Conservation status
This species, C. pricei, is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (v3.1, 2001). Species are listed as such due to their wide distribution, presumed large population, or because they are unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. The population trend was stable when assessed in 2007.
Subspecies
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Twin-spotted Rattlesnake
- Is the Twin-spotted Rattlesnake venomous?
- Yes. The Twin-spotted Rattlesnake (Crotalus pricei) is venomous and belongs to the Viperidae family (rattlesnake). Its bite is considered high risk to people. Treat any bite as a medical emergency.
- Is the Twin-spotted Rattlesnake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Twin-spotted Rattlesnake is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
- Is the Twin-spotted Rattlesnake dangerous?
- Rattlesnake bites are medically serious. Expect intense pain, rapid swelling, and bruising. Stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to an emergency room immediately. Do NOT apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or 911 in the US, or your local emergency number. (Source: CDC.)
- Where does the Twin-spotted Rattlesnake live?
- The Twin-spotted Rattlesnake has verified records in 2 countries, including Mexico, United States of America. See the distribution section below for its full range.
- How do I identify the Twin-spotted Rattlesnake?
- Heavy body, broad triangular head, vertical (cat-like) pupils, and a segmented keratin rattle at the tail tip.
- How big does the Twin-spotted Rattlesnake get?
- Typically 2–5 ft; some species exceed 6 ft.
- Why is it called the Twin-spotted Rattlesnake?
- The specific name, pricei, is in honor of William Wightman "Billy" Price (1871–1922), a field biologist, who collected the first specimens which became the type series.
If you are bitten by the Twin-spotted Rattlesnake
Do
- Get away from the snake and stay calm. Most bites worsen when people panic or try again to handle the snake.
- Call 911 or Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) right away. Antivenom works best when given early.
- Note the time of the bite and, from a safe distance, the snake's color and pattern, a phone photo is enough. Do not chase it.
- Keep the bitten limb still and at roughly heart level. Sit or lie down and limit movement.
- Remove rings, watches, and tight clothing near the bite before swelling starts.
- Gently wash the bite with soap and water and cover it with a clean, dry dressing.
Do not
- Do not cut the wound or try to suck out the venom.
- Do not apply a tourniquet or ice.
- Do not drink alcohol or caffeine.
- Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen, they can worsen bleeding. Acetaminophen is safer for pain.
- Do not try to catch or kill the snake. A dead snake can still bite by reflex.
First-aid guidance adapted from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC NIOSH), Venomous Snakes. Educational only; always follow the instructions of emergency responders.
Where it is found
By U.S. state
Snakes it is confused with
Gopher SnakeHarmlessRattlesnakes are sometimes confused with harmless gophersnakes/bullsnakes; only rattlesnakes have a true segmented rattle and a facial pit.
Twin-spotted Rattlesnake vs Gopher Snake→
More Viperidae snakes
Western RattlesnakeCrotalus oreganus
Western Diamond-backed RattlesnakeCrotalus atrox
Timber RattlesnakeCrotalus horridus
Prairie RattlesnakeCrotalus viridis
Red Diamond RattlesnakeCrotalus ruber
Mojave RattlesnakeCrotalus scutulatus
Western Black-tailed RattlesnakeCrotalus molossus
SidewinderCrotalus cerastes
Classification
How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.
Keep learning
- Are Snakes Dangerous? The Real Risk, in PerspectiveMost snakes are harmless and avoid people. Here is the honest picture of snakebite risk worldwide and how to lower your own.
- Snakebite First Aid: What to Do (and What Never to Do)A clear, CDC-based guide to snakebite first aid: the steps that help, the popular myths that hurt, and how to tell a serious bite from a minor one.
- Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
- What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.