The Mojave rattlesnakes are most active from April to September. During these months they are most visible due to the warm temperatures of the desert. In spring more snakes are seen because the snakes are hungry after winter hibernation and it is the mating season. Late, in mid-summer the newborns are roaming about. From November to April it is significantly colder, forcing the snake to find cover and hibernate.
Most snakes house themselves in old burrows made by rodents and other animals.
Rocks and desert brushes also provide shelter for them. It is speculated that this occurred when Gondwana was a single continent during the breakup of Pangea. Preceding the Collubridae group is the Viperidae, which represent an early divergence prior to the advent of the Collubrids, the more recent arrival. These more recent techniques are being used in an effort to identify evolutionary paths. The Mojave rattlesnake has a life span of 24 years, indicative of a healthy adaptation to its desert ecosystem.