Pygmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius)
The pygmy rattlesnake is a venomous pit viper in the family Viperidae. GBIF holds 927 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 11 states, most of all Florida (439), Oklahoma (108) and Texas (96). Its observation records peak in June.
Common names: pygmy rattlesnake, eastern pygmy rattlesnake, ground rattlesnake, leaf rattler, death rattler, more. Sistrurus miliarius, commonly called the pygmy rattlesnake, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Crotalinae (pit vipers) of the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the Southeastern United States.
From Wikipedia: Sistrurus miliarius, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the pygmy rattlesnake poisonous or venomous?
Yes. The pygmy rattlesnake is a pit viper (family Viperidae), like every rattlesnake, copperhead and cottonmouth in the U.S. Its bite needs emergency care: call 911 and keep the bitten limb still. Antivenom is given in hospital.
Snakes often mistaken for it
Species commonly confused with rattlesnakes and recorded in the same states: eastern hog-nosed snake (recorded in all 11 of its states), pine snake (recorded in 6 of its 11 states), Great Plains rat snake (recorded in 4 of its 11 states), gopher snake (recorded in 3 of its 11 states) and plains hog-nosed snake (recorded in 2 of its 11 states).
Which states have the pygmy rattlesnake?
Records are spread over 11 states; the top three, Florida, Oklahoma and Texas, hold 69% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state snakes | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | 439 | 2.1% | 9th of 49 |
| 2 | Oklahoma | 108 | 0.8% | 28th of 50 |
| 3 | Texas | 96 | 0.2% | 59th of 86 |
| 4 | Louisiana | 86 | 1.7% | 16th of 41 |
| 5 | Alabama | 52 | 0.9% | 31st of 44 |
| 6 | Georgia | 36 | 0.6% | 24th of 44 |
| 7 | North Carolina | 33 | 0.2% | 36th of 39 |
| 8 | Mississippi | 32 | 1.7% | 19th of 38 |
| 9 | South Carolina | 20 | 0.5% | 34th of 40 |
| 10 | Arkansas | 11 | 0.2% | 29th of 36 |
| 11 | Missouri | 11 | 0.6% | 28th of 36 |
When is the pygmy rattlesnake seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the pygmy rattlesnake run through most of the year, peaking in June with 11% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 16% of them.
Where the pygmy rattlesnake is recorded in each state
Florida
Florida holds 439 licensed records, the 9th most recorded of 49 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Florida run through most of the year, peaking in October; most licensed records come from Liberty County, Marion County and Miami-Dade County. Next come Wakulla County (28) and Franklin County (24).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 108 licensed records, the 28th most recorded of 50 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Oklahoma come from Johnston County, Cleveland County and LeFlore County. Next come Muskogee County (6) and Love County (5).
Texas
Texas holds 96 licensed records, the 59th most recorded of 86 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Texas come from Anderson County, Harris County and Brazoria County. Next come Hardin County (5) and Montgomery County (5).
Louisiana
Louisiana holds 86 licensed records, the joint 16th most recorded of 41 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Louisiana come from Saint Bernard Parish, Saint Tammany Parish and Iberia Parish. Next come Jackson Parish (8) and Plaquemines Parish (7).
Alabama
Alabama holds 52 licensed records, the 31st most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Alabama come from Baldwin County, Covington County and Chilton County. Next come Lee County (5) and Cleburne County (2).
Georgia
Georgia holds 36 licensed records, the 24th most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Georgia come from Charlton County, Ware County and Berrien County. Next come Clinch County (2) and McIntosh County (2).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 33 licensed records, the 36th most recorded of 39 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in North Carolina come from Hyde County, Scotland County and Carteret County. Next come Onslow County (2) and Beaufort County (2).
Mississippi
Mississippi holds 32 licensed records, the 19th most recorded of 38 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Mississippi come from Harrison County, Hancock County and Jackson County. Next come Lawrence County (3) and Noxubee County (3).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liberty County | Florida | 47 | 5.1% |
| 2 | Marion County | Florida | 46 | 5.0% |
| 3 | Johnston County | Oklahoma | 34 | 3.7% |
| 4 | Miami-Dade County | Florida | 28 | 3.0% |
| 5 | Wakulla County | Florida | 28 | 3.0% |
| 6 | Cleveland County | Oklahoma | 27 | 2.9% |
| 7 | Franklin County | Florida | 24 | 2.6% |
| 8 | Saint Bernard Parish | Louisiana | 22 | 2.4% |
| 9 | Anderson County | Texas | 19 | 2.0% |
| 10 | Collier County | Florida | 17 | 1.8% |
| 11 | Orange County | Florida | 17 | 1.8% |
| 12 | Charlton County | Georgia | 17 | 1.8% |
| 13 | Hyde County | North Carolina | 17 | 1.8% |
| 14 | Alachua County | Florida | 12 | 1.3% |
| 15 | Taylor County | Florida | 12 | 1.3% |
How recent are the pygmy rattlesnake records?
The pygmy rattlesnake record leans on older material: only 27% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 1975. The oldest dated record is from 1860; the busiest year was 1959, with 36 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1860s | 2 | 0.3% |
| 1880s | 6 | 0.8% |
| 1890s | 6 | 0.8% |
| 1900s | 6 | 0.8% |
| 1910s | 24 | 3.0% |
| 1920s | 16 | 2.0% |
| 1930s | 62 | 7.8% |
| 1940s | 31 | 3.9% |
| 1950s | 99 | 12.5% |
| 1960s | 104 | 13.1% |
| 1970s | 59 | 7.4% |
| 1980s | 51 | 6.4% |
| 1990s | 10 | 1.3% |
| 2000s | 48 | 6.1% |
| 2010s | 96 | 12.1% |
| 2020s | 173 | 21.8% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 109 counties where the pygmy rattlesnake is most recorded, 53 are also top counties for the northern cottonmouth, more than for any other snake.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Northern cottonmouth venomous | 53 |
| Eastern racer | 52 |
| Southern watersnake | 47 |
| Eastern hog-nosed snake | 43 |
| Rough greensnake | 43 |
| DeKay's brown snake | 40 |
| Mud snake | 37 |
| Corn snake | 36 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Viperidae with profiles here: Western rattlesnake, Eastern copperhead, Western diamondback rattlesnake, Prairie rattlesnake, Northern cottonmouth and Sidewinder.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.