- Author: Sonia Rios
- Author: Roger A. Baldwin
Published on: April 28, 2020

The Western diamondback is the most dangerous of the nine rattlesnake species found in California because of their size and aggressive nature. (Photo: Clinton & Charles Robertson, Del Rio, Texas & San Marcos, Texas. CC BY 2.0 Wikimedia Commons)
First, remember that the desire to avoid any kind of an interaction is mutual. Rattlesnakes are an important part of the ecosystem, feeding on rodents, birds, and other small animals. Snake season in Southern California runs from April through October, but the warmer the weather, the more the reptiles are likely to be out and about. Rattlesnakes are California's only native venomous snake, with some adults reaching up to 6 feet long.
According to the California Poison Control Center notes, rattlesnakes account for more than 800 bites each year, with one to two deaths. About 25 percent of the bites are "dry," meaning no venom was injected, but the bites still require medical treatment.
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