Pygmy Rattlesnake
Sistrurus miliarius · Viperidae (Pit Viper)
Also called: Ground Rattler, Pigmy Rattlesnake
A small but venomous pit viper with a rattle so tiny it sounds like a buzzing insect. Bites are painful but rarely life-threatening due to the small venom yield.
What the Pygmy Rattlesnake looks like
How to identify it
- 1Small, stout body with a row of dark dorsal blotches
- 2Often a rusty-orange stripe down the spine
- 3Tiny rattle that is barely audible
- 4Broad head and vertical pupils
Snakes it's confused with
Harmless; upturned snout and no rattle.
Behavior & danger to humans
Easily overlooked and quick to bite if stepped on; venom is painful.
⚠️ Danger: Venomous. Bites rarely kill but always need medical care.
Related snakes
VenomousEastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
Crotalus adamanteus
The largest venomous snake in North America and arguably the most dangerous. Its hemotoxic venom destroys tissue and blood cells, and a defensive bite is a medical emergency.
VenomousCopperhead
Agkistrodon contortrix
Responsible for more venomous snakebites than any other US species, but its bite is rarely fatal. Excellent camouflage in leaf litter leads to surprise encounters.
VenomousCottonmouth (Water Moccasin)
Agkistrodon piscivorus
A semi-aquatic pit viper named for the white interior of its mouth, which it gapes as a warning. The only venomous water snake in North America.
VenomousEastern Coral Snake
Micrurus fulvius
A relative of cobras with potent neurotoxic venom. Famous for the rhyme 'red touches yellow, kill a fellow' that separates it from harmless mimics.