Cougars, bears and poison oak are bigger threats than rattlesnakes...but, perhaps, I shouldn't mention them.

Lions and tigers and bears?

;-)

Oh, my!

Toto, we are not in Kansas anymore.. or in Oregon.. so now I can be on the look-out for our very own lizards etc.. thanks voyaging.

Actually, the only Lizards I worried about in Portland were the Lounge variety..... ba -da- bum...

The immediate Bend area has very few rattlesnakes, actually. However, you can find them in the area near Smith Rock, and in the canyonlands around that area, as well as in the open pine forests surrounding the town where they can get lots of sunlight.

If you go out further in the desert to more typical craggy rocky areas, where there are lots of crannies and sunshine, you can see some. Toward the Eastern end of the Gorge, out toward Sisters, and in the Columbia River Basin out east they are more common. Also in the Snake River and John Day areas, and SE Oregon.

They are Western Rattlers, which are much smaller and calmer than the Diamondbacks in Southern California, though. A much different deal.

I've spent a lot of time over the years outdoors, working and playing, in and around Bend, and have never seen a rattlesnake. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it if you're going to be in the local Bend area, but it is good to wear boots, both for the lava rock, and snake protection, just in case.