

Sometimes, humans will trap and kill the rattlers as they emerge from the den to prevent them from spreading out into their communities. Some cases have emerged where thousands of rattlesnakes have been found in the same den. They often hibernate with dozens or hundreds of other rattlers in large dens. When temperatures drop and food becomes scarce, rattlesnakes will hibernate. Rattlesnakes Hibernate Together in Winter With up to 1,000 Snakes! However, when the snake bites, the fangs fly forward on the “hinge” and deeply sink into the prey’s flesh.įortunately, rattlesnakes only envenomate their prey anywhere from 60% to 80% of the time. These hollow fangs are kept retracted into the upper part of their mouths most of the time. The triangular heads of a rattlesnake hide a deadly set of fangs.

Rattlesnake Fangs Are on a Hinge Western diamondback rattlesnakes have retractable fangs that they replace when they break. In particular, Arizona is home to 13 of the 36 recognized rattlesnake species in the world. However, the greatest number of different species live in the Southwest United States. Rattlesnakes can be found from the lower sections of Canada to the southernmost portion of South America. Most Rattlesnake Species Live in the American Southwest Moreover, they can make their rattles move for two hours at a time or more!Īlso, the snakes can rattle more in warmer weather than cold weather owing to their cold-blooded nature.

That is some serious work on the part of the snake. When used as part of its threat display, the rattle on the end of the rattlesnake’s tail can shake between 50 and 100 times per second. The rattlesnake’s rattle is very interesting. The Muscles Controlling a Rattlesnake’s Rattle Activates 50 Times Per Second The longer the rattle you see on a rattlesnake, the longer it’s been alive! However, some rattles do break off over time, so you can’t count the rattles as an accurate method of telling the age of the snake.Īlthough some sensationalists have said rattlesnakes are evolving to be quieter and deadlier with no rattles, no solid evidence of that has been seen. Every time the rattlesnake molts, it grows another section of its rattle. The rattles on a rattlesnake are made of keratin. A Rattlesnake’s Rattle Grows Every Time it Molts Unfortunately, not all of those costs are covered by the hospital or insurance. Other cases of people being charged over $100,000 to recover from a rattlesnake bite are somewhat common. One individual in Florida was billed over $1.6 million after needing over 70 vials for a severe bite. A single vial of antivenom can cost about $20,000, and you will need several vials to recover from this severe injury. If you get bitten by a rattlesnake, you are going to pay the price for recovery. Rattlesnake Antivenom Can Cost $20,000 Per Vial Recovering from a snakebite can cost you thousands of dollars. An even better plan is to stay away from the snake entirely. Your best bet is to safely kill, decapitate, and then bury the snake without getting close to it. Several cases have emerged where rattlesnakes have bitten and envenomated someone after they believed the snake was dead.
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Rattlesnakes can deliver a fatal bite to human beings up to an hour after they are “dead.” These snakes have a very slow metabolism, so many of their bodily functions remain active even after they have been fatally wounded. A Life-Saving Rattlesnake Fact: They Can Bite Long After They’re Dead The 9 Best Children’s Books About Snakes 9.
