Crotalus viridis nuntius - Hopi Rattlesnake

Description

The Hopi Rattlesnake is the smallest subspecies of C. viridis. The color is variable and may be pink, gray or orange-brown in color, matching the soil and rock color of their natural range. The back has darker brown blotches. The eyes have vertical pupils, and the tail has a rattle made of keratin. Each time the snake sheds its skin, a new segment is added to the rattle.

Size

60cm

Environment

desert, semi-arid areas, shelters in rock crevices or animal burrows to avoid the heat

Food

small mammals and lizards

Breeding

The Hopi Rattlesnake is ovoviviparous. They breed in the spring and give birth to 4-6 young in the early fall. The young are colored almost the same as the adults, and are approximately 19cm long. They reach maturity between two and three years of age.

Range

north and east Arizona, north western New Mexico