Not really, and you are pretty hard pressed to notice their rattle.



Look over this list and look at the pictures. The range maps are more more of a general guideline, but can give you some hint.
http://www.herpsoftexas.org/category/organismtype/snakes/rattlesnakes


[This message has been edited by ursusguy (edited 4/2/2012 10:26p).]

They are pretty common in the Trinity river bottom in Anderson, Leon and Freestone Counties in my experience. I know there is (or was) a ranch in Houston County called Rattlesnake Ranch. Named so because of the numerous rattlers.

Ursus – great site! We killed a Pygmy rattler in Atascosa County sometime around 1967. It was noteworthy to us because my dad (an orthopaedic surgeon) had to amputate a young boy’s hand that had been bitten by a Pygmy a few years before.

Is it completely unheard of for eastern diamondbacks to range into eastern Texas? My grandpa (not the one that caught the canebrake) has a skin mounted in his house of a rattlesnake he killed in the backyard many years back, and from comparing my recollection of the skin color and pattern against some Google search results, the eastern diamondback is the closest match I've found. I'll try to snap a photo of the skin this weekend for some more expert opinions.

Ursus,

Don't pull maps off that teasip sight . They are horrible!!

PS I just noticed it is not the Texas Collections website, but I think they borrowed the maps.

[This message has been edited by Robk (edited 4/3/2012 1:31p).]

Bevobuster,

Could have been a massassauga. Where in central TX

Ocen - they barely range into eastern LA and are pretty rare there. Post the skin, I would love to see it.



[This message has been edited by Robk (edited 4/3/2012 1:31p).]

nm

I've seen lots of rattlers in the same general vicinity that Stive did (Titus/Franklin/Red River). The biggest was a 5' 7" (reconstructed length) one I killed with a backhoe bucket back in the late 80s. My mom shot one in the yard not two years ago. However, I'm sure neither of those snakes were federally protected species.

Sassapis, Where is Bowie county did you live? My dad's side of the family has been there for generations.