Crotalus oreganus abyssus
- Common names: Grand Canyon rattlesnake, canyon bleached rattlesnake.
is a venomous pitviper subspecies
found only in the United States
This is a medium to large (16" to 54") rattlesnake with dark blotches on a variety of base colors ranging from reddish, pink, yellow/green, light tan, to gray. The blotches usually become bands near the tail. The young usually have more prominent blotches and facial markings than the adults. Some adults have no body markings. The rostral scale
usually comes into contact with more than 2 internasal scales
Found in northwestern and north-central Arizona
The snake is found in a variety of habitats, including grassland, Great Basin
Desert scrubland, bottoms in the Grand Canyon
, rolling hills and bajadas in pinion-juniper woodland, and pine
It is primarily diurnal but can be active around the clock when conditions are favorable.
It feeds on squirrels, mice, lizards, and birds.