Snake seen while hiking near Hood River
Snake seen while hiking near Hood River
Trying to ID this for sure. I believe it to be a Western Pacific Rattlesnake. Comments?
Re: Snake seen while hiking near Hood River
The only sure way to know is to pet it and see if it makes a rattling sound. Western Pacific Rattlesnake always rattle when you pet them.
Cool pic.!
Cool pic.!
"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.”
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― E.B. White
Re: Snake seen while hiking near Hood River
No clue, but very cool find!!
Hannah
Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.
-- T.S. Eliot
Re: Snake seen while hiking near Hood River
The shape of the head and eyes looks like a rattlesnake. Every time I've been around rattlers they usually let you know when you're too close...
Here are some hints for making a positive ID (if the audio ID isn't happening):
Examine the face for the pit between the eyes and nostrils characteristic of a pit viper. Rattlesnakes are a member of this family. The pits enable the snake to sense warm-blooded animals and even tell the size of the animal.
Look at the eyes. Rattlesnakes have the cat-like vertical pupils common to most venomous snakes unlike the round pupils of most non-poisonous snakes. Rattlesnakes have no eyelids and cannot close their eyes so you cannot tell if they are asleep or not.
Identify the shape of the head, which is wider than the neck. The rattlesnake has a triangular head that aids in the dislocation of its jaw when swallowing food.
Notice the length and body-type of the snake. Rattlesnakes are normally between 2 and 3 feet long and have a heavy, thick body.
(courtesy of ehow.com)
Here are some hints for making a positive ID (if the audio ID isn't happening):
Examine the face for the pit between the eyes and nostrils characteristic of a pit viper. Rattlesnakes are a member of this family. The pits enable the snake to sense warm-blooded animals and even tell the size of the animal.
Look at the eyes. Rattlesnakes have the cat-like vertical pupils common to most venomous snakes unlike the round pupils of most non-poisonous snakes. Rattlesnakes have no eyelids and cannot close their eyes so you cannot tell if they are asleep or not.
Identify the shape of the head, which is wider than the neck. The rattlesnake has a triangular head that aids in the dislocation of its jaw when swallowing food.
Notice the length and body-type of the snake. Rattlesnakes are normally between 2 and 3 feet long and have a heavy, thick body.
(courtesy of ehow.com)
Re: Snake seen while hiking near Hood River
Absolutely no doubt it's a Western rattler. We have only one subspecies in this part of Oregon: (Crotalus oreganus oreganus) - you can call it the Northern Pacific rattlesnake.
Another subspecies - (Crotalus oreganus lutosus), the Great Basin rattlesnake, lives in the southern part of eastern Oregon.
Another subspecies - (Crotalus oreganus lutosus), the Great Basin rattlesnake, lives in the southern part of eastern Oregon.
- Grannyhiker
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Re: Snake seen while hiking near Hood River
I'm sure we are all going to get up really close to make sure that pit is on the face! The flat triangular head is enough for me; I'm not getting any closer!
Beautiful snake, though! They also provide an important function in keeping down the rodent population.
Also a good argument for keeping the dog on leash on the eastern slopes of the Cascades.
Beautiful snake, though! They also provide an important function in keeping down the rodent population.
Also a good argument for keeping the dog on leash on the eastern slopes of the Cascades.
- adamschneider
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Re: Snake seen while hiking near Hood River
I was lucky enough to see THREE rattlesnakes this year: one in April at Memaloose Hills (Oregon), one in May on the Dog Mountain Trail (Washington), and one in June at Castle Crags (California). Only the Dog Mountain one rattled... although I think the Memaloose Hills one was TRYING to but couldn't because it was just a baby and had nothing to rattle!