What kind of snake is this?

[Yossarian]

I assume it's a rattlesnake of some kind. About 18" long, I came across it today while hiking in the North Etiwanda Preserve, which is part of the San Bernardino mountain range in southern California.

 

[Sa7aN]

Rattlesnake

 

[Yossarian]

What species though? There are a bunch in Socal.

 

[Sa7aN]

What species though? There are a bunch in Socal.

http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/c.stephensi.html

?
dunno im from the east coast, i could tell you its not a timber or eastern diamondback :biggrin:

 

[Ichinisan]

It's a Reptile.

 

[fralexandr]

did you actually see a rattle on it?
if not, it would likely be a gopher snake
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_gopher_snake

I'm guessing it's not though because the head looks a bit too pronounced for a gopher

I can say it's almost certainly a Crotalus, since they're the only genus of rattlesnakes that are supposed to be in California ;D

best bet is that it's a Crotalus oreganus helleri aka Southern Pacific Rattlesnake
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crotalus_oreganus_helleri

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I'd like to say it's a variant of the western rattlesnake (C. viridis)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crotalus_viridis
I can't really say for sure, without some better pictures.
edit: my field guide might be out of date, it says the northern/southern pacific rattlesnakes (C. oreganus) are subspecies of C. viridis

Crotalus oreganus, either the helleri or oreganus subspecies, could be the oreganus since the tail rings look similar in width, but region fits better with the helleri
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crotalus_oreganus_oreganus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crotalus_oreganus_helleri

it might even be the western diamondback (C. atrox), but I don't think so based on the lack of contrast between the tail bands and the rest of the coloration and region.

pictureses of snakeses
http://www.californiaherps.com/identification/snakesid/rattlesnakes.html

 

[WaTaGuMp]

I keep a Python of love in my pants, the ladies love it.

 

[Yossarian]

thanks guys!

 

[007ELmO]

what did you do to it?

 

[Yossarian]

see and avoid, of course

 

[BUTCH1]

I always leave snakes alone, if it eats mice and rats it's a good critter IMO..

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Arrow shaped head means bad news

 

[007ELmO]

women better avoid me, then

 

[GWestphal]

Agreed, looks like a Southern Pacific Rattler. I've encountered them a time or two when out hiking. Careful the babies can't control venom release and they end up giving worse bites.

 

[Jaskalas]

The kind that sends you to the ER.

 

[CZroe]

It's a REPtile.

OSTensibly.