Rattlesnakes can be found in almost every state in the continental United States. If you’re wondering which states have rattlesnakes, you’ve come to the right place.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: The states with the most rattlesnake species are Texas, California, Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
In this comprehensive guide, we will cover everything you need to know about rattlesnakes and which states have them. We’ll discuss the different species, their habitats, bite symptoms and treatment, safety tips, and provide maps showing their range across the U.S.
Overview of Rattlesnakes in the U.S.
How Many Species There Are
The United States is home to around 30-40 different species of rattlesnakes. The exact number is debated by herpetologists, but most experts agree there are between 30 and 40 distinct species found in the wild across different regions of the country.
Some of the most common and widespread species include the western diamondback, eastern diamondback, timber rattlesnake, and prairie rattlesnake.
Where They Live
Rattlesnakes can be found in almost every state in the continental U.S., though they are absent in a few states like Maine, Alaska, and Hawaii where the climate is unsuitable. The greatest diversity of species is found in the southwest United States, especially in states like Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
Rattlesnakes occupy diverse habitats including prairies, deserts, forests, rocky hillsides, and coastal scrublands. Most species prefer warm, dry areas and avoid densely forested regions.
Identification
Rattlesnakes are easily identified by their most distinctive feature – the rattle at the end of their tail. The rattle is composed of interlocking segments that knock together to create the familiar buzzing noise when threatened.
Rattlesnakes come in a variety of colors like tan, brown, gray, olive green, and black. Their bodies are patterned with dark blotches, stripes, or diamonds. Their heads are triangular in shape. While not all rattlesnakes are large, most species reach 2-5 feet in length when mature.
Venom and Bite Symptoms
All rattlesnakes are venomous. Their venom is primarily hemotoxic, destroying blood cells and tissue. It also contains neurotoxins that affect the nervous system. Bites can cause extreme pain, swelling, bruising, bleeding, numbness, vomiting, dizziness, and elevated heart rate.
Without antivenom treatment severe bites can lead to organ damage, hemorrhaging, necrosis, and even death. However, fatalities from rattlesnake bites are rare, occurring in less than 1% of people bitten. Most people who receive prompt medical care will fully recover.
States With the Most Rattlesnake Species
Texas
Texas has the most rattlesnake species out of any state, with 8 confirmed types living there. These include the Western Diamondback (Crotalus atrox), Eastern Diamondback (Crotalus adamanteus), Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), Rock Rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus), Blacktail Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus), Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius), Massasagua Rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus), and Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis).
The variety of species reflects Texas’ diverse habitats, ranging from forests, mountains and deserts in the west to wetlands, prairies and pine savannas in the east. The state’s vast size and latitude span enable so many rattlers to thrive there.
California
With its tremendous ecological diversity, California is home to 7 types of rattlesnakes. These include the Western Diamondback (Crotalus atrox), Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes), Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii), Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus pyrrhus), Red Diamond Rattlesnake (Crotalus ruber), Southern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus helleri) and Great Basin Rattlesnake (Crotalus lutosus).
The Mojave, Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts provide ideal dry, rocky habitat for species like Sidewinders, while coastal forests suit the Southern Pacific Rattlesnake. With coastal, mountain, valley and desert land, California has diverse niches to occupy.
Arizona
As another southwestern state with varied geography, Arizona is also home to 7 rattlesnake species. These include Western Diamondback (Crotalus atrox), Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes), Blacktail (Crotalus molossus), Twin-spotted (Crotalus pricei), Western (Crotalus oreganus), Hopi (Crotalus viridis) and Tiger Rattlesnakes (Crotalus tigris).
While fairly small in size, Arizona still hosts an impressive diversity thanks to significant elevation changes. The Hopi Rattlesnake, for example, occupies high mountain meadows, while Sidewinders slither among southwest deserts.
New Mexico
New Mexico matches Arizona’s rattlesnake count at 7 types. These include Western Diamondback (Crotalus atrox), Prairie (Crotalus viridis), Blacktail (Crotalus molossus), Rock (Crotalus lepidus), Mottled (Crotalus lepidus), Ridge-nosed (Crotalus willardi) and Massasagua (Sistrurus catenatus) Rattlesnakes.
The diverse landscape and elevation range, from Chihuahuan Desert basins to Rocky Mountain forests, drive New Mexico’s rattlesnake biodiversity. Species like the Rock Rattlesnake inhabit higher pine forests, while the Western Diamondback occupies scrubby desert terrain.
Oklahoma
Making up the list, Oklahoma has 5 rattlesnake species residents. The Western Pigmy (Sistrurus miliarius), Timber aka Canebrake (Crotalus horridus), Western (Crotalus oreganus), Desert Massasagua (Sistrurus catenatus) and Western Diamondback (Crotalus atrox) all inhabit the state.
Oklahoma doesn’t quite match the ecological diversity driving numbers in states out west. But with prairie, plains, forest and some mountain land, it still provides varied habitat for a respectable 5 species.
Other States With Rattlesnakes
Colorado
Colorado is home to many species of rattlesnakes due to its varied terrain and climate. The most common species found in the state are the prairie rattlesnake and the western rattlesnake. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, rattlesnakes can be found from the plains of eastern Colorado all the way up to elevations of 11,000 feet in the Rocky Mountains.
Kansas
There are three species of venomous snakes found in Kansas – the copperhead, cottonmouth and Massasauga rattlesnake. According to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the Pygmy rattlesnake and Timber rattlesnake have also been spotted in the state but very rarely.
The Massasauga rattlesnake is the most common rattlesnake species found in Kansas.
Missouri
The three species of venomous snakes found in Missouri are copperheads, cottonmouths, and timber rattlesnakes. Timber rattlesnakes have a limited habitat range and are found mostly in the Ozark Mountains of southern Missouri.
According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, timber rattlesnakes face habitat loss and human persecution leading to declining populations.
Arkansas
There are six venomous snake species found in Arkansas – copperheads, cottonmouths, timber rattlesnakes, canebrake rattlesnakes, western pygmy rattlesnakes, and western diamondback rattlesnakes. According to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, timber rattlesnakes are protected as a species of greatest conservation need due to declining populations from habitat loss.
Louisiana
Louisiana is home to three species of venomous rattlesnakes – the canebrake rattlesnake, western diamondback rattlesnake, and the timber rattlesnake. The canebrake rattlesnake is the most common species found, especially prevalent in pine forests of north and central Louisiana.
Western diamondbacks are found in northwest Louisiana and timber rattlesnakes are extremely rare, found only in a few parishes of north Louisiana.
Safety Tips for Avoiding Rattlesnake Bites
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
When hiking, camping, or working outdoors in rattlesnake territory, be observant of where you place your hands and feet. Watch for camouflaged snakes that may be coiled or stretched out sunning themselves.
In spring and fall, be extra vigilant in the early morning and evening when snakes are most active. Pay particular attention in areas like rock piles, fallen logs, or grassy patches where snakes may be hiding.
Wear Protective Clothing and Gear
Wearing the right clothing and gear can help prevent rattlesnake bites. Closed-toe shoes or hiking boots provide protection for feet. Long pants and gaiters shield the legs. Leather or thick canvas gloves safeguard the hands.
In severe rattlesnake terrain, special snake-proof leg chaps or gaiters may be warranted.
Give Snakes Space
If you encounter a rattlesnake, give it plenty of room to retreat. Back away slowly and avoid making sudden movements that could startle or provoke it. Never try to catch, kill, or even get close to a rattlesnake in the wild. Simply leave it alone and move carefully away.
Don’t Handle or Harass Snakes
Refrain from handling rattlesnakes or harassing them in any way. Provoking or disturbing them is an invitation for a defensive bite. Teach children to respect snakes and avoid touching them. Up to half of snake bites occur when people deliberately handle or accidentally step on snakes.
Be Cautious Around Habitats
Use added caution when in or near prime rattlesnake real estate. Be alert when stepping over doorsteps, near woodpiles, in rocky areas, or patches of dense brush or tall grass. When climbing, check rock crevices and ledges before grabbing handholds.
Be mindful at night since snakes may end up in sleeping bags or tents.
Have a Plan If Bitten
Know what to do in case of a rattlesnake bite. Stay calm, avoid panic, and immediately get medical help. Do not cut, suck, or apply ice or tourniquets to the area. Note characteristics of the snake if possible, but avoid further injury by not pursuing it.
With proper first aid and antivenom treatment, most bites are not fatal.
Maps of Rattlesnake Range in the U.S.
Rattlesnakes can be found in a variety of habitats across much of the central and western United States. According to wildlife experts, there are five main species of rattlesnakes living in the U.S. – the eastern diamondback, western diamondback, Mojave, sidewinder, and timber/canebrake rattlesnake.
Their ranges overlap in some areas, but each species tends to prefer certain environments.
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the largest venomous snake in North America. Its natural range spans the coastal lowlands of North Carolina, south through peninsular Florida and west along the Gulf Coast through Louisiana and Arkansas.
They are well adapted to living in the swamps, marshes and sandy woodlands of the southeastern coastal plain.
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Considered one of the most dangerous snakes in the U.S., western diamondbacks inhabit the arid deserts and grasslands of the southwestern states. Their range extends from central Arkansas, through Oklahoma and Texas, and into southern New Mexico and Arizona. They even range south into Mexico.
These snakes tend to prefer areas with heavier brush, but can also be found on open prairies.
Mojave Rattlesnake
The Mojave rattlesnake lives primarily in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts, but its territory also extends into central and southern California, southwestern Utah, southern Nevada and western Arizona. Highly adaptable, these snakes occupy many areas within their range, from creosote bush flats to Joshua tree forests and blackbrush hillsides.
Sidewinder Rattlesnake
Unique among rattlesnakes with their trademark sideways movement, sidewinders occupy the desert regions of southeastern California, southern Nevada, extreme southwestern Utah and western Arizona. They tend to prefer sandy desert flats, dunes and washes scattered with brush and rocks which provide shade and hiding spots.
Timber/Canebrake Rattlesnake
Sometimes called the canebrake rattlesnake, this species lives in scattered populations across the southeastern states, from southern Virginia to east Texas, with isolated pockets in a few other states. As their name suggests, they occupy wooded, brushy areas along waterways and swamps.
Their range overlaps with the eastern diamondback in certain coastal areas.
Conclusion
Rattlesnakes can be found across much of the United States, with the highest diversity concentrated in the southwest. By being aware of their habitats, practicing caution, and knowing what to do if bitten, we can safely coexist with these iconic American reptiles.
We’ve covered the key information about which states have rattlesnakes and provided tips to stay safe in their territory. Let us know if you have any other questions!
