In the 3 weeks I spent herping the areas around Carlsbad, New Mexico, I found a good amount of Western Diamondbacks, Crotalus atrox. It’s usually the same in Arizona … I expected a greater number of Prairie Rattlesnakes to show up, but I only saw one the whole time I was there (though I did see 6 of them dead on the road as I was leaving the state). The diamondbacks were interesting though, in being generally different than the Arizonan snakes I am used to. They tended to be longer, skinnier, and dark.
Here’s a big old boy I found one evening just before the sun went over the Guadalupe mountains.
Here’s another one from a few years back. What a beautiful snake …
My parents live in Carlsbad, so even though I didn’t find everything on my list, I know I eventually will.
Tags: carlsbad, Crotalus atrox, eddy county, new mexico, Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
that first pic is pretty awesome. I love snakes and herps in general but I’m not as good as looking for them as I am with birds. Any tricks for snakes you wanna share? (or salamanders?). I saw a black-tailed (i think? ) in the Guadalupes recently. I’ll put a picture up in the next few days of that guy. I almost stepped on him, which was mildly unnerving. He was a looker, but not too big.
Thanks, and I’d LOVE to see the black-tailed. That was my target this Spring in that range, and I am glad to have found one. Any pics you can share would be very appreciated … I’ll watch the blog for it.
Me again, from your other blog.
If you go tramping around near Carlsbad, watch out for the beast called Horse Crippler!
I have a story from there. My left ear doesn’t hear well; in fact, I can’t hear a rattlesnake’s rattle through it. I was out looking for the aforementioned Horse Crippler Cactus, when I heard that distinctive buzz, but I couldn’t zero in on it! I was scared at first, because I didn’t see it at my feet, but I couldn’t find it! Finally, I turned far enough to my left, and there was the diamondback about 15 feet away, doing his beast Colonel Gadsden flag. First time a rattler really had me going.
Er, “BEST Colonel Gadsden”.
Oh, yeah! I forgot! Is the milk snake easy to care for? And, I’m jealous, you lucky dog!
Is the Horse Crippler that short, sharp agave-looking plant that glanced off my bone in my foot via boot and flesh last May?
The milksnake is actually not easy to care for at all, mostly because of his temperament. It hasn’t eaten much during winter, but will again soon. It’s a MEAN little thing!