Are there rattlesnakes in Oklahoma?
Western diamondback rattlesnake: Yes. The western diamondback rattlesnake lives in Oklahoma. Open records come from 26 counties.
Timber rattlesnake: Yes. The timber rattlesnake lives in Oklahoma. Open records come from 25 counties.
Prairie rattlesnake: Yes. The prairie rattlesnake lives in Oklahoma. Open records come from 15 counties.
Pygmy rattlesnake: Yes. The pygmy rattlesnake lives in Oklahoma. Open records come from 19 counties.
Western massasauga: Yes. The western massasauga lives in Oklahoma. Open records come from 19 counties.
Where in Oklahoma
- None recorded
- 1 species
- 2
- 3 to 4
- 5 or more
Rattlesnakes across the US
- Lives here
- Rare records
- Gone
- Not here
How to recognize them
Western diamondback rattlesnake Crotalus atrox
- Gray to tan with dusty diamond blotches
- Black and white bands of equal width just before the rattle
- Two pale stripes on the face
Dangerous. Responsible for many of the serious snakebites in the Southwest. A bite is a medical emergency.
Timber rattlesnake Crotalus horridus
- Dark V- or chevron-shaped bands across the back
- Black tail ending in a rattle
- Yellow, tan or dark phases; some are almost black
Dangerous. Usually calm and slow to strike, but a bite is a medical emergency.
Prairie rattlesnake Crotalus viridis
- Greenish gray to brown with dark blotches down the back
- Blotches narrow into bands near the tail
- Two pale lines on the side of the face
Dangerous. The only rattlesnake across most of the northern plains. A bite is a medical emergency.
Pygmy rattlesnake Sistrurus miliarius
- Small with a thin tail and a tiny rattle that sounds like a buzzing insect
- Gray or tan with dark round blotches
- Often a reddish stripe down the spine
Medically significant. Small venom yield, and deaths are extremely rare, but bites are painful and need medical care.
Often mistaken for rattlesnakes
- Rattlesnake vs Gopher Snake Gopher snake: harmless, lives in Oklahoma
- Eastern Diamondback vs Timber Rattlesnake Timber rattlesnake: dangerous, lives in Oklahoma
- Timber Rattlesnake vs Copperhead Copperhead: medically significant, lives in Oklahoma
- Western Diamondback vs Mojave Rattlesnake Mojave rattlesnake: dangerous
- Pygmy Rattlesnake vs Hognose Snake Eastern hognose snake: harmless, lives in Oklahoma
Questions
Are there rattlesnakes in Oklahoma?
Yes. 5 species live in Oklahoma: Western diamondback rattlesnake, Timber rattlesnake, Prairie rattlesnake, Pygmy rattlesnake and Western massasauga.
What do rattlesnakes look like?
Dark diamonds with pale yellow edges down the back. Two pale diagonal stripes on each side of the face. Thick body and a rattle on the tail.