Western Black-tailed Rattlesnake vs. Sidewinder
They meet where rocky foothills of western and central Arizona drop to sandy desert flats. A: No horn: a flat scale over the eye in the Western Black-tailed Rattlesnake; a raised, pointed horn-like scale over each eye in the Sidewinder. B: Big jagged dark blotches holding pale patches; a black tail in the Western Black-tailed Rattlesnake; pale cream, tan or pink with small, soft brown blotches in the Sidewinder. C: Bigger: to 35 to 48 in in the Western Black-tailed Rattlesnake; small: to 33 in in the Sidewinder. The Sidewinder moves sideways across sand, leaving J-shaped tracks. Venomous: leave rattlesnakes alone and give them room.
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