Rattlesnakes are among the most feared, and perhaps misunderstood, reptiles out there. The last thing many people want to hear is the ominous shake of a rattler. So many may wonder:
Q: Where are rattlesnakes found in Washington State?
A: The only rattlesnake species found in Washington State is the Western rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis). Western rattlesnakes live in warm, dry habitats of desert shrub, grasslands and open pine forests. Because of these habitat needs, rattlesnakes do not live in Western Washington and only inhabit the eastern side of the Cascade Mountains and eastern parts of the Columbia River Gorge.
 |
| Western rattlesnake. Photo by Brad Moon |
Rocky habitats are the most common areas to find Western rattlesnakes. Although these snakes are venomous, they rarely use their well-known rattles and are generally calm creatures. In fact, they’d much rather remain still and go unnoticed by predators and people by staying quiet and out of the way.
During the late fall and winter, Western rattlesnakes often hibernate in rock crevices on south-facing slopes, and may be joined in their dens by other snake species as well. The rattlesnakes emerge from the dens when the weather is warm enough to take them out of a state of torpor, usually between February and April.
To learn more about other Washington State reptiles, click here.
The Burke Museum partners with the Seattle PI's Big Blog to answer commonly asked questions about the natural and cultural history of our region. This post originally appeared on the Big Blog on March 21.
Got a question to Ask the Burke? Send it here!
The Burke Museum partners with the Seattle PI's Big Blog to answer commonly asked questions about the natural and cultural history of our region. This post originally appeared on the Big Blog on March 21.
Got a question to Ask the Burke? Send it here!
Posted by: Andrea Barber
15 comments:
I read in several sources that most snakes are not aggressive and prefer hiding to attacking. Is there any kind of snake not having this calm tendency?
By the way, the link to the distribution map on http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/collections/herpetology/cviridis.htm links to nowhere.
Kuei-Ti,
Good question.
Our herpetologist Adam says that "This statement is generally true. Snakes are not aggressive, but some species become aggressive if provoked (e.g. cobra, mambas, cottonmouths)."
Thanks for reading the Burke Blog!
If we see a rattlesnake in the distance is it okay to feed it or somehow give it food? We were thinking that if we give it a couple frozen mice if the snake will understand that we arn't trying to harm it in any way. If we keep being nice to the snake is it like a dog or cat? Will it understand that we are only trying to help? If you are nice to a dog or cat then it understands it and becomes more tame. If we talk to the snake, will it become less aggresive? If we keep caring for the snake or helping it and giving it attention, will it uunderstand and not be so aggresive? Is it possible to tame a rattlesnake? Will it recognise a person that is nice to it and will it be more friendly? We really feel sorry for rattlers because everyone dislikes them so much but they do their best to stay out of our way.
We're glad that you are concerned about rattlesnakes and want them to be healthy. Rattlesnakes are wild animals that are good at finding mice and other prey and we should not try to tame them. You summed them up nicely- they prefer to stay out of our way. They are docile but will become aggressive if they feel cornered, so please don't try to approach them.
If you think a rattlesnake is injured or needs help, call your local animal control agency, They have the best information and resources to handle the situation. Otherwise, have fun viewing rattlesnakes from afar!
We wrote the earlier comment and agree with you. But we still want to know, what kind of snake can be a domestic snake, like a cat or a dog? A garter snake?
The rattlesnakes in Washington are northern pacific rattlesnakes- Crotalus oreganus oreganus.
The western rattlesnake species (formerly Crotalus viridis) was split a number of years back.
Why are there rattlesnakes in Spokane Valley (someone was reported to have been bitten the other day) but none in Northern Idaho?
Thanks for the question! We'll check in with our herpetologist Adam and get back to you shortly!
Here's what Adam said "This is a question that is not so easy to answer. The basic answer is that they don't occur there because the habitat and/or environment is not appropriate for the species. The species does occur in the central/western part of Idaho, but perhaps it is too cold in the north. Understanding the variables that limit the ranges of species is a major topic in biology. I'm not certain that this has ever been studied in rattlesnakes in Washington/Idaho."
are they near the spokane river???
Yes, the Spokane River has rattlesnakes. That area is getting at the periphery of their range. Here is a distribution map:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gap/gapdata/herps/gifs/crvi.gif
i have seen many western rattlesnakes on my ranch in 9 mile falls wa. but several years ago I saw a large colorful rattlesnake at the base of Mt. Spokane. I was told it was a Timber rattler. How many types of ratlesnakes are there in the spokane area?
Hi Timoteo - There are only two species of rattlesnakes known to range in that area: Crotalus viridus (Western Rattlesnake) and Crotalus oreganus (Northern Pacific Rattlesnake) - both of which have brown/dark brown patches surrounded my a lighter shade. Timber Rattlers generally stick to the eastern U.S. Thanks!
Hi, my husband and I love to go for walks in Eastern, WA since it is so pretty, but I have had a phobia of snakes all of my life. I always wear hiking boots and loose pants and usually walk with a hiking staff. I have heard of special snake leggins to wrap around the lower part of people's legs. Would a rattlesnake be able to bite through the leggins or would I be safe ? I really could not survive a rattlesnake bite without ( most likely) having a heart attack due to my extreme fear of them. We spend a lot of time walking in snake country and I constantly worry about it and suffer anxiety because of snakes but otherwise enjoy the scenery. do leggins work?
Properly constructed leggings/gaiters would definitely serve some degree of protection. In the instance that a rattlesnake fang does happen to pierce through a protective layer, the depth of penetration would be significantly limited. The best possible protection is to be informed of the threat and aware of your surroundings. This site has some good facts/ links: http://www.bentler.us/eastern-washington/animals/reptiles/snakes/western-rattlesnake.aspx.
Post a Comment