Strange Sidewinder

Dedicated exclusively to field herping.

Moderator: Scott Waters

Post Reply
User avatar
Jeremy Wright
Posts: 144
Joined: December 14th, 2015, 4:56 pm

Strange Sidewinder

Post by Jeremy Wright »

Took a trip with a couple friends who love the outdoors but have never been herping. One has been dying to see a sidewinder since a kid, so I aimed to rectify that.

Here's a normal one.
ImageColorado Desert Sidewinder by JeremyFWright, on Flickr

ImageColorado Desert Sidewinder by JeremyFWright, on Flickr

And here's the completely weird one, unlike the dozens I've seen before. Greyish pink with some greenish yellow spots, and extremely reduced eye horns. He looks big with that rattle but he was at max 18 inches.

ImageColorado Desert Sidewinder by JeremyFWright, on Flickr

ImageColorado Desert Sidewinder by JeremyFWright, on Flickr

Any ideas on what this could be? Speckled x Sidewinder? I'm at a loss on the pattern and the missing eye horns. Anyone seen one like this? I don't want to give away locale but of you pm me I'll let you know.
All the best,
Jeremy
User avatar
nightdriver
Posts: 427
Joined: August 24th, 2010, 9:34 pm
Location: Los Angeles County

Re: Strange Sidewinder

Post by nightdriver »

It looks like the right eye has a horn but the left doesn't.(?) It almost looks like the left eye might have a small scar above it and it looks a little larger/more exposed than the snake in the first photo. As for pattern/color....maybe just an old snake, but probably within the normal range from my experience. Always eliminate the easiest explanation first.

But I could be totally wrong :thumb:

-nightdriver
User avatar
Jeremy Wright
Posts: 144
Joined: December 14th, 2015, 4:56 pm

Re: Strange Sidewinder

Post by Jeremy Wright »

nightdriver wrote:It looks like the right eye has a horn but the left doesn't.(?) It almost looks like the left eye might have a small scar above it and it looks a little larger/more exposed than the snake in the first photo. As for pattern/color....maybe just an old snake, but probably within the normal range from my experience. Always eliminate the easiest explanation first.

But I could be totally wrong :thumb:

-nightdriver
Thanks nightdriver! Yeah, upon closer inspection he goes have a horn on the right eye but it's deformed. Smaller and flatter than usual. I think this poor guys has just had some bad injuries.
-Jeremy
Post Reply