AZ Black Rattlesnake

We found this guy on our hike tonight in Marijilda Canyon. We thought somebody out there might want to see it. I've seen a lot of rattlers in my life but I've only seen the Arizona Black Rattler twice; both times in the foothills of Mt. Graham, near Safford. This time we had a camera!

[@jumex8267]

Jump 6 feet 😂😂 they can "strike" about a third of their body length my man!

[@Coldrainbeast]

You are right. I'm the silly goof that said that in the video. So, while there are isolated incidences of jumping/lunging rattlesnakes, as a general rule they do not jump.

[@cindys9491]

Looks like the rattler was trying to get away but kept his/her head raised in a defensive "strike position" as it slithered away just in case the people followed it.

[@Incessuserro]

"...they can jump six feet". The rattlesnake strike range is affected by their size, body posture, and facing position. Assuming their body posture and positioning are optimal, the average rattlesnake strike range is 1/3 of their body.

[@MarkRobinson-o3c]

Are they poisonous? Please let me know.😊

[@voodoodolly]

That noise i thankfully never heard, ( im from uk) but damn, that sound is totally terrifying. 😦😦

[@JKAUGUSTSON]

😂 They cannot jump six feet!

[@szaki]

Long time ago met a rattle snake, brownish in the Grand Canyon. I was walking down a narrow path to a creek to wash up, when there it was basking in the sun, curled up, looking at me, maybe 5-6 yards away. I stopped, my heart was pounding, than slowly backed off. Road was curving, so I didn't see what it was doing. Few minutes later walked back to see if it's still there, but it wasn't. So, I went slowly down, looking around , when I noticed it was on top of a dried bush, stretched out next to the dirt road I was walking. I continued walking , rattler was looking it me, motionless, so I just went by, nothing happened. On a way back, I was looking for the rattler but nowhere to to be seen now. So, I think, give the snake room, it'll avoid humans, much as possible or any confrontation that no use for it for food.

[@szaki]

At 0:50 rattler realized , your not attacking it, so it choose to get away. You are too big to eat, no use to waste venom on you, only in self defense.

[@keiththomas3141]

I run into this type of rattlesnake often. They're beautiful snakes. They do their own thing and don't bother anyone.

[@Coldrainbeast]

ok, so I was totally wrong. they can't jump. (where did I hear that?). but they can lunge a whole meter to attack.

[@mvanshaar]

Sweet encounter. was this recent?

[@Coldrainbeast]

Mvanshaar today

[@mvanshaar]

Sweet I've encountered a few of these guys and they are beautiful! The ones I saw were even more yellow.

[@Coldrainbeast]

We were standing pretty blame close, he must've been at least 3.5 feet long. At first I was close enough to touch him, but he got miffed so I backed off.