Herping in Southern California

Last night a friend and I went out road cruising in the White Water area of Southern California. We found several snakes, a couple geckos and over all it seemed to be a very active night. This photo below is of a Red Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus ruber) we moved off of a road. The Red Diamondback is one of California's 7 species of native Rattlesnake and is often confused with the Western Diamondback (Crotalus atrox). This species is most active after the sun goes down and is generally found in the Southwestern parts of California. Adults usually average 2.5-4 feet in length and rarely reach 5 feet. Males tend to be larger than females. Their venom isn't the strongest although they can make up for it with quantity. A mature adult can still deliver more than 3 times the lethal dose required to kill a human. Always remember that all snakes are non-aggressive if left alone. Rattlesnakes do not want to bite you nor do they want to waste their precious venom required for killing their prey. Approximately one third of rattlesnake bites are dry although it's always best to respect them from a distance and never attempt to handle them without proper tools and training.

Red Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus ruber)