Are there rattlesnakes in Virginia?
Short answer
Yes1 species
Timber rattlesnake: Yes. The timber rattlesnake lives in Virginia. Open records come from 37 counties.
Pygmy rattlesnake: Only as rare records. GBIF holds 1 open record of the pygmy rattlesnake from Virginia, but there is no known population.
Where in Virginia
- 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
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.
Often mistaken for rattlesnakes
- Rattlesnake vs Gopher Snake Gopher snake: harmless
- Eastern Diamondback vs Timber Rattlesnake Timber rattlesnake: dangerous, lives in Virginia
- Timber Rattlesnake vs Copperhead Copperhead: medically significant, lives in Virginia
- Western Diamondback vs Mojave Rattlesnake Mojave rattlesnake: dangerous
- Pygmy Rattlesnake vs Hognose Snake Eastern hognose snake: harmless, lives in Virginia
Questions
Are there rattlesnakes in Virginia?
Yes. 1 species live in Virginia: Timber 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.