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That's why we put all our great pet stuff in one place. We've got photography tips, videos, photos of amazing pets, and even pet games! Rattlesnakes get a new segment each time they shed their skin. How often a rattlesnake sheds, she explained, depends more on how much it's had to eat, rather than how old it is. But that can rise to three or four times if there is plenty of prey available.
That number typically slows down to once or twice a year when they reach adulthood. Plus, rattles often break off in the wild, sometimes after attacks by other predators or other times when they are damaged by a life of slithering over harsh, often rocky terrain. Rattles that have been broken in the past often appear thick at the end, while rattles that have gone undamaged will taper to a point.
Most people think of rattlesnakes as hunters out on their own with only a single impulse in life -- to kill. But rattlesnakes can be very social with each other, and can actually be caring parents. We noticed that female rattlesnakes tend to hang out with one another. Taylor has observed males and females spending time together in the time leading up to the mating season, which she thinks may be related to mate guarding.
Even more surprising is that female rattlesnakes tend to hang out together when they are pregnant, and potentially give birth together. Mother rattlesnakes look after their young for a period after their birth until their first shed. Search-Icon Created with Sketch. KQED is a proud member of. Always free. Sign In. KQED Inform. Save Article Save Article. Deep Look. Josh Cassidy. Adult rattlers eat about every two weeks.
Rattlesnake bites can be dangerous but are very rarely fatal to humans. With proper medical treatment, including antivenin, bites are usually not serious. Their venom is extremely potent. Some rattlesnake species have venom that contains neurotoxins. She explained that neurotoxins act faster than hemotoxins and attack the nervous system. Nevertheless, Viernum reinforced the idea that fatalities from rattlesnake bites are rare if treated in a timely manner.
According to DesertUSA , there is some evidence that rattlesnake venom is becoming more neurotoxic across the board, which may be an evolutionary strategy, as some rodents are evolving to be more resistant to hemotoxins. Rattlesnakes are pit vipers, in the same family Viperidae as cottonmouths, copperheads and other vipers. Rattlesnakes are in the genus Crotalus , and are closely related to pygmy rattlesnakes, which are in the genus Sistrurus.
Sometimes called a canebrake rattlesnake, these snakes found in the Eastern United States. According to the New Hampshire Fish and Wildlife Department , they are large, regularly growing up to 5 feet 1. However, it is hard to see the brown pattern on some snakes, and they look uniformly black. On others, the background is tan and their bands are clearly brown. According to the Florida Museum of Natural History , timber rattlesnakes in the Sunshine State and other parts of the South are lighter colored with a reddish brown stripe running down the center of their backs.
According to National Geographic , these are the largest venomous snakes in North America, reaching up to 8 feet 2. They are found from North Carolina to Louisiana.
They have a visually striking yellow-bordered black diamond pattern. At up to 7 feet long 2 m , this is the largest of the Southwestern rattlers and considered the most dangerous. Its back is covered with dark diamond-shaped patches lined with lighter scales, and according to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum , its rattle has a unique black-and-white, raccoon-like color scheme.
Unlike many other rattlers who flee, the Western diamondback will stand its ground, coil, and hiss when threatened.
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