I’ve only seen 2 Mojave Rattlesnakes (Crotalus scutulatus) at a home; this one, and another just out front of my own home about a week earlier. They’re cool, decently variable snakes that I always enjoy finding, but I must admit that they really keep me on my toes. They’re particularly dangerous, as their dangerous neurotoxin puts them a step ahead of many of the other rattlesnakes one would encounter. Unlike the tissue-destroying venom of other rattlesnakes in Arizona, the neurotoxin of a Mojave bite attacks the nervous system, and is capable of paralyzing critical functions (such as breathing). My own observation is that they also tend to be generally more nervous and aggressive than many other species, making them double trouble. The one and only snake that ever actually jumped at me, for instance, was a Mojave. The young snake struck with such intensity that the entire animal actually lifted off the ground and landed about a foot in front of it’s original position.
Beautiful snakes, but I give them an especially wide buffer.
