Here are a couple of Western Diamondback rattlesnakes we found out cruising around after dark; the objectives of both are quite different, I am sure.
This first is a fairly typical-looking Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox). The atrox I see in this area of Arizona tend to be a little more colorful than the dirt-grey variety I often encounter up near Phoenix.
Here’s another that was found less than 100 feet away, about 20 minutes later. It’s a neonate atrox that’s maybe a few weeks old.
Notice the button on the tail. A common myth is that baby rattlesnakes are born without rattles; this is absolutely false. This snake cannot yet rattle of course, since it takes at least 2 segments of rattle to make any sound at all.
Another myth is that baby rattlesnakes are somehow more deadly than the adults. I’ve heard lots of reasons … more potent venom, unable to control their release, etc; these must be taken with a bit of understanding and relation. I have observed that a greater proportion of young snakes are aggressive right out of the gate. I assume this is to do with the poor little things being only a few inches long and on the menu for just about everything in the desert. As for their venom being more dangerous … young diamondbacks can have more potent venom (The Venomous Reptiles of Arizona, Low / Schwalbe / Johnson). Although it is possibly more deadly drop-for-drop, a young atrox is not able to inject the same amount of venom as an adult. I see all over the place (including the CDC website, until earlier this year) that babies are more dangerous because they cannot control their venom yield. Everything a pencil-sized snake has just doesn’t compare to the danger posed by even a fraction of a large adult. It also has a smaller mouth, fang-size, and strike range. There are several factors to consider to gauge the overall danger a snake poses; not just venom. The point: leave rattlesnakes of ALL sizes alone and head the other way. Your uncle/neighbor/co-worker might be right about a lot of things, but he’s wrong on this one.
These tiny babies are out in force of many species at this time, and are pretty easily found as they wander around without an established home range. Cute little things.
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Tags: baby rattlesnake, baby rattlesnakes, baby snake, Crotalus atrox, Diamond back, rattle snake, rattlesnake, western diamondback
