The Northern blacktail rattlesnake occurs in rocky areas in and near the Guadalupe mountains.  I have only found two since living in Eddy county and one was in neighboring Otero county, but still in the Guadalupe mountains.  The one pictured above was found on the road to Sitting Bull Falls on June 10, 2002.  It shares the same habitat as western diamondback rattlesnakes and mottled rock rattlesnakes.  The two that I found were different color phases.  The neonate above was the yellow with bold crossbands and the one I found at El Paso Gap (Otero county) was a less defined pattern on a greenish background color.  Adults grow to about 36" and larger ones can be up to 48".  Babies eat lizards and nestling rodents while adults feed primarily on rodents.


                                                                  

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