How big do rattlesnakes get?

[gytalf2000]

What is the biggest species of rattlesnake? Exactly how big (length and weight) do they get? I know that the longest venomous snake is the king cobra (about 18 feet, I think!), but I have a vague recollection that some rattlesnakes, while much shorter, actually weighed more. Is that right? Any information would be appreciated!

[Shagnasty]

The Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake is the largest species of rattlesnake. Reports of specimens over 8 feet long have been reported but they commonly top out at 7 feet long.

[LiveOnAPlane]

Here’s some fairly current info from The Desert Sun:

Rattlesnakes are wide in proportion to their length and therefore relatively heavy. The heaviest rattlesnake ever captured was a western diamondback rattlesnake (known to herpetologists as Crotalus atrox) that weighed 24 pounds and was 7 feet, 5 inches in length.

A 4- to 5-foot rattlesnake typically weighs about 8 pounds.