Venomous · North Carolina
Carolina Pygmy Rattlesnake
Sistrurus miliarius
Small rattlesnake with dark blotches and often a rusty stripe along the back.
Venomous. Keep your distance and do not handle. This page is a field guide, not a definitive identification service.
At a glance
Size
Usually 15-25 inches.
North Carolina range
Coastal Plain, sandhills
Habitat
pine flatwoods, sandhills, wetland edges
Diet
Frogs, lizards, small snakes, mice, and insects.
Pattern
spots
Venomous
Yes
How to identify it
Small rattlesnake with dark dorsal blotches, a row of side spots, and often a rusty-orange stripe along the back.
Where to look in North Carolina
Found mainly in the southeastern Coastal Plain and Sandhills.
Pine flatwoods, Sandhills, wetland margins, and pocosins.
Regional maps show broad physiographic provinces, not county-level records.
Photo guide
Use the gallery to check pattern, body shape, and context—not just overall color.
