Description, features, types, lifestyle and habitat of the rattlesnake. Rattlesnake. Description, features and habitat of the rattlesnake Why are they called rattlesnake?

Every rattlesnake is venomous, but not all have the tail rattle that gives its name to this vast subfamily with more than two hundred species.

Description

Rattlesnakes (in the broad sense of the term) include one of the subfamilies included in the viper family. Herpetologists classify them as Crotalinae, at the same time calling them rattlers or pitheads (due to a pair of thermolocator pits planted between the nostrils and eyes).

Surukuku (they are also formidable bushmasters), temple keffiyehs, jararaks, millet rattlesnakes, urutu, American spearhead snakes - all this crawling variety belongs to the subfamily Crotalinae, consisting of 21 genera and 224 species.

One of the genera bears the proud name Crotalus - real rattlers. This genus includes 36 species, including miniature dwarf rattlers, about half a meter long, as well as diamondback rattlers (Crotalus adamanteus), reaching up to 2 and a half meters. By the way, many herpetologists consider the latter to be the classic and most beautiful rattlesnakes.

Appearance of a snake

Pit snakes differ from each other both in size (from 0.5 m to 3.5 m) and in color, which is usually polychrome in nature. The scales can be painted in almost all colors of the rainbow - white, black, steel, beige, emerald, reddish-pink, brown, yellow and more. These reptiles are rarely monochromatic, not afraid to show off intricate patterns and bold colors.

The main background often looks like an interweaving of thick stripes, streaks or diamonds. Sometimes, as in the case of the Celebes keffiyeh, the predominant color (bright green) is only slightly diluted with thin blue and white stripes.

Rattlesnakes are related by a wedge-shaped head, two elongated fangs (through which the poison passes) and a tail rattle made of ring-shaped keratinous structures.

Important! Not all reptiles are equipped with rattles - for example, copperheads do not have them, as well as the Catalina rattlesnake, which lives on the island. Santa Catalina (Gulf of California).

The tail rattle is needed by the snake to scare off enemies, and its growth continues throughout its life. A thickening at the end of the tail appears after the first moult. During subsequent molts, fragments of old skin cling to this growth, leading to the formation of a raised ratchet.

When moving, the rings are lost, but most of remains to serve as a tool to intimidate/warn the enemy. The vibration of the raised tail, topped with a rattle, indicates that the reptile is nervous and you better get out of its way.

According to Nikolai Drozdov, the sound of the vibrating rings is similar to the crackling sound produced by a narrow film film projector and can be heard at a distance of up to 30 meters.

Lifespan

If rattlesnakes lived the entire lifespan allotted to them by nature, they would not leave this world before 30 years. At least, this is how long pitheads live in captivity (with and without food natural enemies). In the wild, these reptiles do not always reach twenty, and the vast majority die much earlier.

Range, habitats

According to herpetologists, almost half of the rattlesnake (106 species) lives on the American continent and quite a lot (69 species) live in South-East Asia.

Cottonmouths are named as the only pitheads that have penetrated both hemispheres of the earth.. True, there are significantly fewer of them in North America - only three species. Two (eastern and common copperheads) were found on Far East of our country, in Central Asia and Azerbaijan. The eastern one is also found in China, Japan and Korea, whose inhabitants have learned to prepare excellent dishes from snake meat.

The common copperhead can be seen in Afghanistan, Iran, Korea, Mongolia and China, and the humpback can be seen in Sri Lanka and India. The smooth copperhead lives on the Indochina Peninsula, Sumatra and Java. The Himalayan prefers mountains, conquering peaks up to 5 thousand meters.

IN Eastern Hemisphere There are a variety of keffiyehs, the most impressive of which is considered to be a resident of Japan - a one and a half meter tall haba. Mountain keffiyeh is found on the Indochina Peninsula and the Himalayas, and bamboo keffiyeh is found in India, Nepal and Pakistan.

IN Western Hemisphere Other pithopolas, called bothrops, are also common. The most numerous rattlers in Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay are considered to be jararaks, and in Mexico - urutu.

Rattlesnake Lifestyle

Pitheads are such a diverse community that its members can be found anywhere, from deserts to mountains. For example, the water muzzle “grazes” in swamps, wet meadows, and the banks of ponds and rivers, while Bothrops athrox prefers tropical jungles.

Some rattlers almost never leave the trees, others feel great confidence on the ground, and still others prefer rocks.

On hot afternoons, rattlesnakes rest under boulders, fallen tree trunks, under decaying leaf litter, at the base of tree stumps and in burrows left by rodents, gaining vigor closer to dusk. Night activity is typical for the hot season: in cool seasons, snakes nimble in daytime days.

Reptiles that feel chilly during the cold season, as well as pregnant ones, often take sunbathing.

This is interesting! Many rattlers remain faithful for years to the once chosen hole, in which their numerous descendants continue to live. The hole seems to be passed down by inheritance for tens and hundreds of years.

Huge colonies of snakes live in such a family lair. The first foray, hunting, mating and even seasonal migrations take place near the burrow. Some species of rattlers spend the winter in large groups, keeping each other warm during hibernation, while others stay apart.

Diet, prey

Rattlers, like typical ambush predators, take a position and wait for the prey to approach within throwing distance. A signal of an upcoming attack is the S-shaped bend of the neck, in which the head of the rattlesnake looks towards the enemy. The length of the throw is equal to 1/3 of the length of the snake's body.

Like other vipers, pit vipers kill prey with venom rather than using chokeholds. Rattlesnakes feed mainly on small warm-blooded animals, but not only on them. The diet (depending on the area) contains:

• rodents, including mice, rats and rabbits;
• birds;
• fish;
• frogs;
• lizards;
• small snakes;
• insects, including cicadas and caterpillars.

Adolescent snakes often use their brightly colored tail tip to lure frogs as well.

During the day, rattlesnakes find prey using their normal senses of vision, but an object frozen without movement may not be noticed. At night, temperature-responsive pits come to their aid, distinguishing fractions of degrees. Even in pitch darkness, the snake sees the thermal contour of the prey created by infrared radiation.

Enemies of the rattlesnake

This is, first of all, a person who destroys reptiles in the excitement of the hunt or out of unjustified fear. Quite a few rattlers have been crushed on the roads. In general, the population of pitheads, like other snakes, on the planet has decreased significantly.

Factors that reduce the number of rattlesnakes include night frosts, which are deadly for newly hatched juveniles.

Rattlesnake Reproduction

Most viviparous rattlers mate after wintering (in April-May) or later, depending on their range. Often, summer sperm is stored in the female’s body until the following spring, and only in June does the reptile lay eggs. There are from 2 to 86 (Bothrops atrox) pieces in a clutch, but on average 9-12, and after three months the offspring are born.

As a rule, before laying eggs, females crawl 0.5 km away from their burrow, but it happens that snakes hatch right in the family nest. After 2 years, the female, having regained her strength, will be ready for the next mating.

At the age of 10 days, rattlers shed their skin for the first time, during which a “button” is formed at the tip of the tail, which eventually turns into a rattle. Around the beginning of October, the snakes try to find their way to their native hole, but not all succeed: some die from the cold and predators, others go astray.

Male pitheads reach sexual maturity at 2 years of age, females at 3 years of age.

Currently, rattlesnakes are called the subfamily of pit vipers. These snakes have a pair of infrared (heat-sensitive) dimples located between their nostrils and eyes. This is where the name of the subfamily comes from.

Nowadays, 175 species of the subfamily of pitheads have already been described, 69 of them live in southeast Asia, and 106 in America. This subfamily is the only one living on the American continent. The copperhead lives in Russia - in the Far East and Central Asia.

Many people die due to the fact that the behavior of pitheads is quite aggressive, and the poison is quite strong.

Features of a rattlesnake

Like other representatives of the viper family, pit vipers have a pair of poisonous teeth, hollow and relatively long, from which poison is secreted. The shape of the head is usually triangular, the pupils in the eyes are located vertically.

The name of the subfamily “pitheads” comes from a pair of thermoreceptor dimples located between the nostrils and eyes. They sense infrared radiation very well, and snakes use them to recognize their prey due to the temperature difference environment and the victims themselves.

These receptors perceive even slight, about 0.1 degrees, changes in air temperature. The snake recognizes rodents and birds even in complete darkness, since their temperature is much higher for it. These dimples, like primitive eyes, help the snake select a victim and attack it very precisely.

Since pitheads, like other snakes from the viper family, prefer to hunt at night from ambush, this quality is simply necessary for them. Among the variety of snakes, only boas have a similar sensory organ. The length of rattlesnakes varies: from 50 cm - ciliated viper to 3.5 m - bushmaster.

The name “rattlesnake”, widespread in Russia, comes from a couple of species of pitheads that live in North America having a “rattle” at the tip of the tail. It represents modified scales. Which form movable segments. Special rattling sounds are created when the segments collide when the tip of the tail oscillates.

Rattlesnake habitats

Representatives of pitheads live from humid jungles and high mountains to deserts, there are even aquatic species. Some snakes live on the ground, others live in trees, and some climb to a height of more than 1 km. above sea level.

Apart from some species that are active around the clock, snakes of this subfamily prefer to live night look life to avoid sun and heat burns and go hunting when most of their prey is active. During the daytime, pitheads prefer to hide in rodent burrows or under stones. To find the most optimal place to rest, snakes again use their heat-sensitive dimples.

When danger approaches, the rattlesnake assumes a threat pose - using powerful muscles, it coils its body into a tight spring, which is ready to strike at any moment. terrible force turn around. The tail part is folded into a spiral ring, from the center of which a rattle rises vertically, producing a characteristic rustling sound. The front part of the body takes the form of a fairly high column.

Newborn snakes do not have a rattle; it grows as they grow older. In newly born cubs, the tip of the tail is crowned by one large, almost round, scute. Rattlesnakes, like other relatives, molt; in the first year this happens especially often - up to 6 times. With the completion of each moult, one additional keratinized skin segment is added to the snake’s rattle, since the loose skin is unable to come off completely from the tail; it is torn off from the skin. In adult snakes, the molting process occurs once every 1-1.5 years. While crawling between rocks and through thickets, some of the rattlesnakes accidentally lose their rattles, breaking them off. Then they gradually grow again.

For a certain time before the start of molting, the cornea of ​​the eyes becomes opaque and cloudy, protecting snake eyes, which lack eyelids, from damage. The snake temporarily loses its sight and navigates during this period with the help of its tongue, but prefers to hide in a shelter until its vision is restored. But even snakes that have lost their sight can hunt using a thermolocator, which can detect objects that have a temperature different from the temperature of the surrounding air. Apart from rattlesnakes, only some species of vipers have similar abilities.

Rattlesnake bite

The rattlesnake uses its teeth primarily to grab and hold its prey. Sign poisonous snake is a pair of large saber-shaped teeth, larger than the rest. Inside they have channels for the passage of poison, used to kill prey during the hunt and to protect themselves when danger arises. For the most part, rattlesnake venom is extremely dangerous to humans.

It is a well-known fact that a snake sheds its keratinized outer layer during molting. The same thing happens with poisonous teeth. But even at this time, the snake produces venom that spreads along the folds of the gums. Consequently, a snake bite, even in the absence of poisonous teeth, is dangerous, since the poison can enter the human blood through the skin.

In some cases, after being bitten by a rattlesnake, people saw four wounds, rather than the usual two. Then they made erroneous conclusions about the emergence of a new four-toothed species of snake. In fact, for about a couple of days the snake bites with both old teeth that have not yet fallen out and new ones that have not yet fallen into place. Usually, when bitten, a pair of large dots-wounds are clearly visible - traces of poisonous teeth and two rows small dots, left by non-poisonous teeth.

It is difficult to predict how a rattlesnake bite will affect a particular person and how the venom will act. This is influenced by many factors. The main ones are the quality and quantity of poison, the location of the bite (the closer it is to the head, the more dangerous), how deeply the snake teeth penetrated the human skin, in what mental and physical condition there was a person at the time of the bite. But in any case, a person needs to be provided with immediate and qualified medical assistance.

First aid should be provided thoughtfully, since the uncontrolled application of various objects to the bitten area - from hot iron objects and coals from a fire to cold earth does not help, but only aggravates the patient’s condition.

It happened that a person who was bitten by a rattlesnake had his fingers cut off, or even his entire hand, but this cruel method did not justify itself at all. It is often believed that poison is a poison for the body, and they try to disinfect it with an alcohol solution. But this can only have the opposite effect - the vessels dilate, the absorption of the poison accelerates.

The most effective remedy is a special serum made from snake venom. Also, snake venom is used in small doses, with the addition of other elements, as a medicinal drug. For example, rattlesnake venom is successfully used to treat leprosy, and water snake venom is used to stop severe bleeding.

Rattlesnake venom

To receive regularly a large number of poison, special serpentarium nurseries are created in which they keep thousands of snakes, regularly collecting poison from them. Only snakes do not live there for long, only about six months, although in a zoo with good care they can survive about 10-12 years.
Rattlesnakes generally adapt quickly to captivity. Despite the fact that at first they may refuse to take food, they gradually become accustomed to the staff, the snakes begin to take food from special tongs and can even allow themselves to be touched. But snakes are insidious creatures; they can bite very unexpectedly, even if they have been behaving approximately for a long time.

Sometimes a rattlesnake can go hungry for a long time - up to nine months. Even if, for example, a live rat is introduced to it, the snake does not show any interest, and the potential victim is also not afraid of the snake, only being excited by the noise of the rattle. Once upon a time there was even such a case: a rattlesnake was killed by rats. When snakes are hungry, they bathe, drink water, shed their old skin, and only after all this are they ready to eat.

Although snakes are poisonous, they also sometimes become prey for many animals (ferrets, hedgehogs, martens, weasels) and birds (crows, vultures, buzzards, spotted eagles, peacocks). They are not susceptible to the effects of snake venom at all, or it is very weak for them.

The more the territory of America was populated, the smaller the population of snakes on it became, as they began to be eaten by pigs, who are not afraid of snake bites because they enter the subcutaneous fat, where there are practically no blood vessels into which the poison can enter. In the states of Florida and Georgia, people also eat rattlesnakes, claiming that the meat tastes like chicken.

Since ancient times, South American Indians have noticed the toxic effect of snake venom on humans and animals and began to use it in war and hunting. The main weapon of the Indians has always been bows and arrows. The main part of the poison for arrows is curare (juice from the roots of chondrodendron and stirchnos), and snake venom is added to it. The poison is applied to the tip of the arrow and retains its properties for a long time. If the arrow hits large bird or an animal, even slightly touching the animal, it will die in a couple of minutes. Paralysis of the body's motor system occurs and breathing stops.

Snake cult among Indians

The cult of snakes is widespread among the Indians of South and North America. Rattlesnakes are sacred animals, considered intermediaries between people and gods. Since ancient times, when drought and crop failure occur, the Indians have performed a snake dance. During it, they swing large two-meter snakes like whips, throw them to the ground, and calls are made to enter into negotiations with the deity. The crowd sings, asking the gods to send them grace in the form of rain and harvest. Snakes are also worshiped by the people of East India and North Africa, there are even special holidays dedicated to them.

Rattlesnake, rattlesnake belongs to the subfamily Rattlesnakes or pit vipers (Crotalinae) of the viper family. It’s worth immediately clarifying that the subfamily Rattlesnakes is very numerous and includes more than 170 species. However, only two genera of snakes in this subfamily have a rattle at the end of their tail: the True Rattlesnake (Crotalus) and the Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus). These are the ones we will talk about.

Where does a rattlesnake live?

The rattlesnake can be found primarily in North America. There it lives in dry deserts among low bushes, as well as in rocky areas near rivers and lakes. The rattlesnake settles in rodent burrows, which it expands if necessary. Can live in shelters among rocks.

Appearance and biological features

The body length of a rattlesnake is usually 60-80 cm, but there are species about 1.5 m long. The color of the snake's scales is dark gray with brown and black spots and stripes, but again different types The picture may vary greatly. The belly is yellowish with dark specks. The head of a rattlesnake is triangular in shape. On it, between the eyes and nostrils, there are several thermoreceptor pits. They are very sensitive to infrared radiation and help the snake detect the prey due to the difference in the ambient temperature and the body temperature of the prey itself. Due to the presence of these pits on the head of the rattlesnake, the subfamily to which it belongs is called Pitheads.

Rattlesnakes can only see up close. Their vision and hearing are poor. But they are very sensitive to vibrations of the earth, air and heat. The small nostrils of the rattlesnake perceive odors well. In addition, the snake is able to catch them with its tongue, which has special sensitive receptors.

Rattlesnake rattle

The most important and basic distinctive feature rattlesnake - a rattle at the end of the tail or rattle. What kind of device is this and why is it needed? The rattlesnake's rattle is a cutaneous formation consisting of several horny plates very similar to cones. These cones are slightly flattened and empty inside, and they are connected to each other in such a way that they can move freely and rub against each other. It is due to the friction of the horny plates that the rattlesnake produces a characteristic rustling sound.

The rattle on the tail of a rattlesnake is formed as follows. During molting, the skin on the tail does not completely peel off, and its remains curl up, forming a ring (cone). Many believe that the number of these rings can determine the approximate age of a rattlesnake. However, such calculations will be very inaccurate, since a rattlesnake can molt more than once a year, and the next segment on the rattle is not always formed after each molt. In addition, rattlesnakes often lose rattles from their tails, breaking them off in narrow crevices between rocks. After which they have to be regrown.

There is an opinion that the rattlesnake is very dangerous, aggressive, tenacious and fast as lightning. This is not entirely true. And, as usual, on the site "" we will destroy interesting myths and tales about animals, replacing them with scientific facts.

In fact, the rattlesnake is quite cowardly and, when it encounters a large animal or person, it never attacks first, preferring to remain unnoticed. And the rustling of a rattle on its tail does not mean at all that it is preparing for
attack. This indicates that the rattlesnake has been caught by surprise and is very nervous. The snake seems to be warning that it does not want to enter into conflict, but if it is disturbed, it will certainly defend itself. But when a rattlesnake hunts, it does not betray its presence in any way and rushes at the victim without warning.

By the way, the speed of her body movement during the throw is greatly exaggerated. She rushes at the victim a little faster than the average person punches.

And she is not that tenacious. For example, a temperature of 45 °C can be fatal for her.

But the venom of a rattlesnake is really very dangerous and can be fatal to humans. The bite of a rattlesnake is so strong that it can easily pierce strong leather shoes with its teeth. However, these circumstances are mitigated by the fact that the rattlesnake lives mainly in uninhabited desert areas, where a person often has no need to walk and where it is not difficult to spot a snake. The rattle of a rattle will always warn you that you have invaded the rattlesnake's territory.

There is also an interesting fact about the “suicide” of a rattlesnake. A wounded rattlesnake that senses doom is believed to attempt suicide by biting itself. Indeed, being in a panic, the rattlesnake seems to go crazy, begins to jump up and bite everything around it, even its own body. However, her own poison does not pose a danger to her.

What does a rattlesnake eat?

Rattlesnakes living in captivity refuse to eat for a long time. There are cases where snakes
were starving longer than a year and didn’t even pay attention to the rats and mice running nearby. Under natural conditions, she eats once a week, eating food equal to half her own weight. Consumes small mammals, amphibians and birds. Hunts them at night, attacking from ambush.

Quite often, rattlesnakes themselves become food for mammals, birds and even fish. Ferrets, martens, weasels, eagles, peacocks, and crows eat snakes, since their poison has a very weak effect on them. There was also information in the media about how one Californian fisherman caught a trout that had a 60 cm long rattlesnake in its stomach.

Domestic pigs are also not afraid of rattlesnake bites. Thick layer subcutaneous fat protects blood vessels, and snake venom cannot enter the blood. And the pigs themselves are also not averse to eating rattlesnake. Farmers take advantage of this feature and release a herd of pigs into the field before plowing it.

It will be interesting to watch a short video taken by eyewitnesses who accidentally encountered a rattlesnake on their way in the mountainous area. From a safe distance, the snake does not look aggressive, but the loud hiss puts extraordinary pressure on the psyche and scares people away.

The rattlesnake is considered one of the most dangerous reptiles. She is a representative of the pit family. This animal lives mainly in the countries of Southeast Asia, America and Russia.

How does a rattlesnake groom itself? The animal's head has a triangular shape, the pupils of the eyes are vertical. The length of an adult individual can reach more than one and a half meters. Feature representatives of this species - the presence of two long hollow teeth, from which a deadly poison is released. On the head of reptiles, between the eyes and nostrils, there are two thermoreceptor pits that allow them to recognize the prey by the difference in temperature. These amazing receptors are able to respond to even the slightest changes in air temperature (0.1 degrees). This feature allows animals to hunt quite successfully even at night.

The rattlesnake got its name from the rattle located at the tip of its tail. It consists of movable modified scales. During the vibration process, they hit each other, producing a characteristic “rattle” sound.

All families of pitheads feed mainly on small vertebrate mammals. They can lie in ambush for quite a long time, waiting for the victim to get as close as possible, and then suddenly attack it. For wintering, rattlesnakes choose places where they can feel comfortable, basking against each other, throughout the entire hibernation period. In autumn, reptiles try to crawl out into the sun as often as possible to bask in its rays.

Almost all representatives of the pit family are viviparous. A few minutes after laying the eggs, the young offspring rupture the shell and are born. Adult snakes tirelessly ensure that no one approaches the nest with their offspring. When young, snakes' tails have bright color, contrasting with the color of the entire body. At the same time, in young animals there is no rattle at the tip of the tail; it appears much later.

Like many other scaly reptiles, rattlesnakes molt periodically. After each skin change, an additional new keratinized segment appears on the animal's rattle. In young snakes, molting occurs quite often - up to six times a year. For adults - once every year and a half. Before the animal starts molting, it loses its transparency and becomes cloudy. At this time the snake is unable to see. She spends almost all her time in hiding until her vision returns. The tongue helps the snake navigate in space, and the thermolocator helps it get food. The reptile uses its teeth to grab and kill its prey.

When a rattlesnake senses danger, it coils itself into a tight spring, ready to unfold at any moment with enormous force. At the same time, the tail part resembles a spiral-shaped ring, in the center of which there is a rattle-rattle that makes a frightening rustling sound. The front part takes the form of a high column.

Rattlesnakes are primarily nocturnal. After all, it is in dark time day, most of their victims are active. In addition, night hunting allows animals to avoid heat and sunburn. During the day, reptiles hide under stones or in rodent burrows.

The snake venom contained in the salivary glands animal and transmitted through a bite. It is a thick liquid transparent color, containing a huge amount of biologically complex active substances. Once in the blood, the poison instantly affects all blood vessels and cells human body. Therefore, it is very important to provide a person with qualified medical care in a timely manner.

The rattlesnake can usually be found in Northern. Most often it settles in burrows and can live among stones. This species of snake belongs to the viper family and the pit viper subfamily.

If you look closely, it will become clear why such a species as the Pitheads is classified as rattlesnake, photo They will tell you for themselves - between the nostrils and eyes you will see several dimples.

They help snakes find prey because they contain thermoreceptors that analyze the temperature of the environment. They quickly detect the slightest change in temperature if prey appears nearby.

It's like second sight, which helps you quickly find and attack the victim. Rattlesnake poisonous. She has several elongated teeth, from which poison is released when bitten.

Why is the rattlesnake? This name comes from several species that have a “rattle” on their tail. It consists of moving scales that make sounds when the tail oscillates.

Rattlesnake Habitat

These easily and quickly adapt to any terrain. There are species that live in jungles, others in deserts, some even in water or in trees. Rattlers don't like straight lines sun rays, so they try to lead a nocturnal lifestyle.

During the day, they most often hide in holes or under stones, but at night they begin their hunting period. The victims, as a rule, are small rodents. Moreover, according to research, rattlesnakes constantly improve their hunting skills.

That is, they develop and progress. They can return to the same ambush site for years to hunt. During the winter, snakes hibernate, and usually all gather together to warm each other.

Danger of Rattlesnake Bite

Who didn't watch? movie "Rattlesnakes"! That's where it started panic fear in front of the rattlers. Rattlesnake Infestation really started to scare people. After all rattlesnake bite poisonous, and the serum may not be on hand. If we talk about the danger of a bite to a person, it depends on many factors.

Of course, qualified medical assistance and serum, which is produced on the basis of poison, are necessary. It is believed that the closer the bite is to the head, the more dangerous it is to life. The bite site should not be treated with alcohol, as it will only speed up the effect of the poison. In general, it is better not to apply anything to the wound; you need to wait for help. Everything will depend on the location of the bite, the amount of poison, and the speed of medical care.

However, it is worth saying that I use snake venom in small doses as medicine. For example, in diseases such as leprosy, when severe bleeding needs to be stopped. Even though snakes are poisonous, they still often become victims of other animals.

Many animals and birds are not affected by the poison, for example, pigs, ferrets, vultures, crows. And people, through their activities, reduce the population of rattlers, because in many countries they are even eaten, and bags, wallets, and shoes are made from leather.

Rattlesnake lifespan and reproduction

The lifespan of a rattlesnake is usually 10-12 years. However, some individuals can live much longer. In the serpentarium, where the poison is collected, snakes live very short lives, and the reasons are unknown, but in the zoo, with proper care, the life expectancy is the same as in the wild.

In essence, it is believed that smaller snake size, the longer it lives, basically the average size individuals range from eighty centimeters to a meter. True, there are snakes that reach one and a half meters.

Rattlers are viviparous, and the offspring hatch from the eggs almost immediately after the mother lays them. Moreover, an interesting fact is that baby snakes are already born with a bright rattle on their tail. They use it to attract victims, although at first it is not so big.

With each molt, the size of the rattle will increase, however, it will not be possible to determine the age of the individual from the scales, since they are lost, and the number of molts varies among snakes.

Interesting facts about the rattlesnake

These snakes are non-confrontational. They are not the first to attack humans; they usually only defend themselves. However, every year about a hundred people die from bites of these animals. Individuals overheat and die already at +45 degrees. The teeth of the rattlesnake are very sharp; they can easily pierce leather shoes.

Scientists have noticed that when she is near death, she begins to behave very strangely. She rushes at everyone, tries to bite everything that gets in her way, even her own body. It is assumed that the snake is trying to commit suicide, but this has not been proven; perhaps it is trying to cure itself with the help of its own poison.

Rattlesnakes are amazing. It's a pleasure to watch them. Nowadays, many different films and series of programs have been shot about these amazing animals. In order to watch an interesting, educational film, just enter the key phrase in the search bar: “ Rattlesnake video».

Among the proposed options, everyone can find an educational film about rattlesnakes for themselves. In our country, these snakes can only be found in zoos, which is undoubtedly encouraging. It’s good that these insidious predators are not found in our area, and you can admire them in the zoo, or while watching a movie on TV.