Could This Hybrid Rattlesnake Be the World’s Largest Rattlesnake?

Venom Central is a YouTube channel that covers tips, techniques, and safety protocols. They’re all about monster rattlesnakes, bushmasters, Bothrops, cobras, and more. They engage in proper husbandry, meaning the care, feeding, and breeding of these snakes, and share how-to videos, like how to breed venomous snakes. They share their observations about snake behaviors and offer plenty of education using their 40+ years of experience in herpetology with a specialization in rare venomous snakes.

Don’t Miss This Massive Rattlesnake in the Below Video

Check Out the MONSTER Hybrid Batwing

The video opens with several shots of the snake handler with large snakes that span the length of his body. Then, you get a few shots of slow-motion feeding strikes. He goes on to explain that his buddy brought him a large batwing rattlesnake that is an absolute beast.

He shares that some snakes have made records for their length while others have for their weight. This batwing, however, has him questioning whether it might be the world’s largest. He even references the Guinness Book of World Records and says that as of 2014, there is no documented record for the largest or the heaviest venomous snake.

He goes on to present a female batwing Crotalus hybrid eastern diamondback x canebrake. You can hear the tell-tale rattle in the background, and he explains where she came from and how she was bred. The next snake he shows is a batwing Crotalus hybrid eastern diamondback x timber rattlesnake.

The third snake he brings out may be showing hyper vigor because it did come out of the same litter but is significantly larger. This is the second male batwing Crotalus hybrid rattlesnake. It’s massive. He holds up its tail with his left hand and uses a snake hook in his right hand to hold up the front part of its body. You can hear him struggle with the weight of the snake as he holds it up to the camera for you to be able to appreciate.

“His body is as wide as my hand… I mean, that is just ridiculous,” he says before he shows off the batwing’s enormous tail and rattle. He continues showing it off at different angles with bewilderment and excitement in his voice. He is cautious, however, not wanting to stress it out. It weighs a whopping 18 pounds and measures a little over 6.5 feet long.

After showing off what may just be the world’s largest rattlesnake, the video captures several slow-motion feeding strikes just before he ends the video with a proper outro.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Joe McDonald/Shutterstock.com