5 Fun Facts About Rattlesnakes

1. They aren't as mean as you think.

In fact, rattlesnakes only attack humans when they are provoked. A lot of times the victim has stepped on the snake and didn't even realize. They also give plenty of warning. Not only do they rattle their tails, but they hiss as well. Although sometimes the rattle cancels out the hiss because it's louder.

2. Sometimes they don't have rattles.

A rattlesnake without a rattle, what's wrong with that picture? But even if it sounds weird it's true. Young rattlesnakes don't receive their rattle until they are about two weeks old, and even then it is only one section. The baby will grow another section each time it sheds its skin. And adults have been known to lose their rattle. Quick Tip: The second most distinctive physical characteristic of a rattlesnake is its triangular head. So if you don't see a rattle, look to the head for identification.

3. They don't eat very often.

Adult rattlesnakes eat about once every two weeks, and the time varies slightly depending on how big their last meal was. Even young rattlesnakes, who eat more often than adults, still only eat about once a week. By the way, rattlesnakes swallow their prey whole (just thought you might want to know that). 😉

4. Young rattlesnakes are more dangerous than older ones.

In some species of rattlesnakes the baby rattlers have more toxic venom than their older counterparts, and they don't know how to use it. What this means is that an adult might use conservative amounts of venom on you but a baby would go crazy with it. And keep in mind that baby rattlesnakes don't have their rattles so there would be no warning before they attack.

5. Different species have different kinds of venom.

Most species of rattlesnakes have venom composed predominately of hemotoxins. But some species of rattlesnakes such as the mojave, tiger, and speckled rattlesnakes have venom made up of mostly neurotoxins. The symptoms of the bite vary depending on which kind of toxin the venom is made out of. If it's hemotoxins then you'll experience extreme pain around the area of the bite, internal bleeding, temporary or permanent tissue and muscle damage, and sometimes even a loss of an extremity. If it's neurotoxins then you'd be looking at difficulty swallowing as well as speaking, skeletal muscle weakness, problems with your vision, difficulty breathing, and then respiratory failure. However if you are treated in a timely manner you cut down on your chances of the more severe symptoms considerably.