‹ Compare two snakes
Black-tailed Rattlesnake vs Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
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(c) Zihao Wang, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Black-tailed Rattlesnake
Crotalus molossus
Venomous(c) Mike Lewinski, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Crotalus atrox
VenomousThe quick way to tell
Look at the tail just before the rattle. The Black-tailed Rattlesnake's tail is solid black or dark gray. The Western Diamondback has bold black-and-white 'coon-tail' rings.
Tail ★ This settles it
Solid black or dark gray ahead of the rattle, with few or no bands.
Bold black and white rings, usually about equal width - the classic coon tail - ahead of the rattle.
Head
Broad triangular head; the front of the snout is usually black or dark brown, often with a dark band between the eyes.
Triangular head with a pale cheek stripe angling down to the mouth.
Pattern
Dark diamond- or patch-shaped blotches with pale insides, becoming crossbands near the tail.
Fuzzy-edged, speckled-looking diamonds on dusty gray-brown.
Eyes
Vertical slit pupil; heat-sensing pit between eye and nostril.
Vertical slit pupil; heat-sensing pit between eye and nostril.
Pits
A deep heat-sensing pit on each side of the face, between the eye and the nostril.
A deep heat-sensing pit on each side of the face, between the eye and the nostril.
What it does
Often calm and slow to rattle, though some rattle quickly; climbs well.
Rears into an S-coil and rattles loudly; stands its ground more than most.
Where it lives
Western and southern Arizona east through New Mexico to west and central Texas, south into Mexico.
Southwest and southern plains: southeastern California, southern Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and edges of Kansas and Arkansas, south into central Mexico.