Appearance

This diminutive pit viper has a gray to grayish brown back, with dark, oval-shaped spots along the back and sides. Some individuals have a reddish stripe running down the center of their back. A dark gray to black strip runs from the eye to the jaw. These snakes have a skinny tail and a very small rattle, which sounds like the buzzing of an insect.  The belly is light colored with dark blotches. The babies look like adults, but have a yellow-tipped tail. The Pigmy Rattlesnake has keeled scales, a single anal plate, and facial pits.