Is the sidewinder venomous?

The sidewinder is venomous. Venom is less potent than that of the larger rattlesnakes and the yield is small, but a bite is still a medical emergency requiring hospital treatment.

How do you identify a sidewinder?

Raised horn-like scale above each eye. Moves by throwing the body sideways in loops, leaving parallel J-shaped tracks.

Where do sidewinders live?

They are found in 4 US states, in habitats including desert.

Sidewinder

Venomous

Crotalus cerastes · also called horned rattlesnake

The sidewinder is a small desert rattlesnake with two unmistakable features: horn-like scales over the eyes, and a looping sideways gait that leaves distinctive J-shaped tracks in sand. Both the horns and the movement are adaptations to loose dune sand and burning surface temperatures.

Before anything else

Back away and leave it alone. A snake that can see you leaving has no reason to bite. Most bites in the United States happen to people who picked up, cornered, or tried to kill a snake.
Never handle a snake to identify it. Every identification on this site can be made from a photo or from several feet away.
If someone is bitten, call emergency services now. Keep the limb still and below the heart, remove rings and watches, and go to hospital. Do not cut, suck, apply ice, or use a tourniquet — all of these make outcomes worse.
Do not try to catch the snake for identification. A photo from a distance is enough, and hospitals treat symptoms rather than species.

In the US, the Poison Help line is 1-800-222-1222. This site is a reference, not medical advice.

Venom: Venom is less potent than that of the larger rattlesnakes and the yield is small, but a bite is still a medical emergency requiring hospital treatment.
Adult length: 17–31 inches (43–79 cm)
Markings: Pale sand-coloured with faint darker blotches. A raised, horn-like scale sits above each eye.
Habitat: desert
Family: pit viper
Range: 4 US states

How to identify a sidewinder

Raised horn-like scale above each eye.
Moves by throwing the body sideways in loops, leaving parallel J-shaped tracks.
Small, pale and sand-coloured. Rarely exceeds two and a half feet.
Often buried in sand with only the eyes and part of the back showing.

What it does when it sees you

Mostly nocturnal in hot months. Buries itself in sand at the base of shrubs during the day, which is why people encounter them by nearly stepping on one.

What the sidewinder is confused with

One test settles each of these.

Speckled rattlesnake

Speckled rattlesnakes lack the raised horns above the eyes and do not sidewind.

Where it lives

Arizona California Nevada Utah

Not sure it was a sidewinder? Identify it step by step →