Are there rattlesnakes in Oregon?
Short answer
Yes1 species
Western rattlesnake: Yes. The western rattlesnake lives in Oregon. Open records come from 20 counties.
Where in Oregon
- 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 one
Western rattlesnake Crotalus oreganus
- Brown, gray or olive with darker blotches down the back
- Blotches turn to bands toward the rattle
- Pale line from behind the eye to the jaw
Dangerous. The rattlesnake most people meet in California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. A bite is a medical emergency.
Often mistaken for rattlesnakes
- Rattlesnake vs Gopher Snake Gopher snake: harmless, lives in Oregon
- Eastern Diamondback vs Timber Rattlesnake Timber rattlesnake: dangerous
- Timber Rattlesnake vs Copperhead Copperhead: medically significant
- Western Diamondback vs Mojave Rattlesnake Mojave rattlesnake: dangerous
- Pygmy Rattlesnake vs Hognose Snake Eastern hognose snake: harmless
Questions
Are there rattlesnakes in Oregon?
Yes. 1 species live in Oregon: Western rattlesnake.
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.