FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
Rattlesnakes, as beautiful as they may look, are a dangerous species. Inhabiting the plains and desserts of Canada, Mexico, Argentina, and some American states, the rattlesnake species exhibits various unique survival tactics and adaptations.
This set of snakes tends to grow from 1.6-8.2 ft (0.5-2.5 m) long. They are marked with various skin patterns, including diamonds, rhombuses, or hexagons, accompanied by their beautiful light-shaded background skin covered in gray or light brown scales.
The rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) is known for its shy and timid behavior. They tend to avoid any kind of aggressive behavior unless they are provoked. If poked or mishandled, it will take just seconds for the rattlesnake's mood to turn aggressive. A rattlesnake's bite is dangerous and its venom can be fatal. but thankfully advancements in medicine mean that it is normally treatable today (time, obviously is essential though and any bite should be treated with urgency). Despite medical treatments, bites from rattlesnakes longer than 3.3 ft (1 m) are more dangerous and are more likely to be fatal.
Discover some fun facts about rattlesnake animals and some baby rattlesnake facts in this article. If you like these, you can also check out our facts about the sea snake or the olive ridley sea turtle too!
Rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus) are venomous snakes belonging to the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus in Crotaline subfamily (the pit vipers). All rattlesnakes are vipers.
A rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) belongs to the Reptilia class of animals.
Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes belonging to the Crotalus and Sistrurus genera in the Crotalinae subfamily. There are between 65-70 subspecies of rattlesnakes among the 36 known species.
They are commonly found in the forests, swamps, deserts, and grasslands of California and Arizona in the United States.
Rattlesnakes can be found in Central as well as South America, in places like Arizona and California. As well as Arizona and California, they are also found in Mexico.
Although rattlesnakes are not territorial in nature, they occupy set home ranges that offer a supply both of food and suitable mates. You might spot two rattlesnakes with each other during their mating season, otherwise, they are hardly be observed in pairs or groups.
A rattlesnake's age can be worked out by counting the number of rattles at the end of her body. Each rattle approximately accounts for two years. Technically the lifespan of a rattlesnake ranges from 10-25 years, but whilst some live for just 10 years others can last for 37 years and more.
The prime season for mating in rattlesnakes is either during spring or early summer. While the southern species prefer mating in spring the northern species prefer early summer. Although most snakes are oviparous, rattlesnakes are ovoviviparous. Their eggs are incubated inside the mother's body and she releases them only when the infants are ready to hatch. The mother abandons her newborn after merely a week or two and the young spend their first few weeks shedding their skin. Finally, after four to six years young rattlesnakes become adults. This happens a little later for females, at 7-13 years of age.
Although the rattlesnake species is not endangered, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), three subspecies need immediate attention. These three are Santa Catalina Island rattlesnakes (listed as Critically Endangered), long-tailed rattlesnakes (listed as Vulnerable), and the Tancitaran dusky rattle-snake (listed as Endangered).
The rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) species can grow long up to 8.2 ft (2.5 m) in length. They have thick and scaly bodies with triangular heads. Their color scheme varies from black and gray to brown and olive, with patterns like the diamond or spots imprinted on them. They are similar to pit vipers. As their name suggests they can be identified by the rattling sound made by their segmented body as well as their tails. However, newborn rattlesnakes do not possess this feature (a rattlesnake only attains it after it sheds its skin for the first time).
The rattlesnake species is not very cute because they are dangerous animals and their venom can cause serious illness in humans as well as in their prey. A bite from the fangs of this snake species can be very dangerous.
The rattlesnake species uses various ways and different signals to communicate. For instance, when a rattlesnake flicks its tongue it means that it is collecting the chemicals from its surroundings. They use their vomeronasal systems to track down prey and predators, as well as to communicate with their fellow snakes. Leaving behind pheromones helps these snakes to communicate their age, gender, or reproductive status as snakes are technically regarded as deaf to any airborne sounds that are produced.
The average length of a typical rattlesnake ranges from 3-6 ft (91-183 cm). However, some can be found outside of this average range, for example, some adults have been able to reach the length of 8.2 ft (2.5 m). In general, they weigh between 2.2-4.4 lb (1-2 kg) but more specifically, western diamondback rattlesnakes have an average weight of 10 lb (4.5 kg) and eastern diamondback rattlesnakes (highly venomous snakes) weigh approximately 34 lb (15.4 kg).
Rattlesnakes are pretty fast when it comes down to speed. The average speed of a rattlesnake is 9.68 ft per second and 2.95 m per second.
The average body mass of a rattlesnake is roughly 2.2-4.4 lb (1-2 kg).
Both genders have the same name. Despite this, one of the best ways to differentiate between a male and a female rattlesnake is by looking at the complexities and minute details of their tails. While males tend to have thicker and longer tails, females have a more narrow structure of tails.
Baby rattlesnakes are simply known as baby rattlesnakes.
A rattlesnake's favorite prey includes small rodents and lizards. This snake only looks for prey when they're hungry and an adult rattlesnake can go weeks without eating depending on how large its last meal was. Interestingly, younger rattlesnakes tend to eat more often (about once a week) than older rattlesnakes.
Rattlesnake bites are venomous and their bites can be fatal. However, these snake bites can be treated now and their venom is not as strong as some other snakes' venom.
As fascinating as rattlesnakes are to watch, they are very dangerous. Therefore they cannot be kept as pets.
One of the most interesting facts about rattlesnake creatures is that although this snake has a bad reputation, it is very helpful to the wider ecosystem. These snakes eat lots of rodents hence eliminating rodent-borne diseases from areas.
Rattlesnakes tend to shed their skin between three and four times each year and they don't have many predators. The only predators this snake has are eagles, hawks, owls, raccoons, roadrunners, bobcats, and coyotes.
Rattlesnakes are nocturnal in nature, so they prefer exploring, laying eggs, and hunting during the nighttime.
One of the best rattlesnake facts for kids is that it is tough to determine the age of the snake if you do not know when it was born. However, one way to figure out the age of any rattlesnake is by counting the number of rattles on its body. Each rattle usually accounts for two years of life, so a snake with 14 rattles will be roughly six to seven years old.
Almost all snakes have teeth (an upper jaw as well as a lower jaw) but not all are equipped with fangs (only the poisonous ones). One peculiarity about rattlesnakes is that they are born with highly functional fangs and venom, making them capable of killing from birth. The exact number of teeth a rattlesnake has varies depending on the different subspecies.
The famous rattlesnake sound is created by the segments of a rattlesnake when it shakes its tail. This produces the signature rattlesnake sound and only happens after the rattlesnake sheds its skin for the first time.
There are many different types of rattlers of snake, including the pygmy rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake, western diamondback rattlesnake, West Coast rattlers, Mojave rattlesnake, South American rattlesnake, Cascabel rattlesnake, and the copperhead rattlesnake.
Although the entire species is not endangered, a few subspecies are at risk. For example, the eastern Massasauga rattlesnake has been marked as a 'Threatened Species' under the Endangered Species Act. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is also at risk of becoming 'Endangered' under the same Endangered Species Act. This eastern diamondback rattlesnake also qualifies as 'Endangered' according to the United States Fish and Wildlife Services.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other reptiles including the sand lizard, or bog turtle.
You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our angry snake coloring pages.
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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