Rattlesankes Losing Their Rattle?

[M.D. Holloway]

Consider this...

According to various reports, the behavior of rattlesnakes has changed in recent years such that the venomous critters have begun striking at people without the customary aural "warning" — namely sounding the tiny rattle consisting of dry, molted scales in the tip of their tail.

Some experts disagree as to whether this claim is true or false. Steve Reaves, owner of Tucson Rattlesnake Removal in Arizona, says it's true. Some rattlesnakes have stopped rattling for one simple reason, he told Associated Press in July 2010: to avoid being killed by humans. Those born with a genetic predisposition to stay quiet have a better survival rate wherever they come into contact with people, Reaves explained. Jerry Feldner of the Arizona Herpetological Association agrees, as does herpetologist Daryl Sprout of Dallas, who told KLTV 7 News in Tyler, Texas that "natural selection is already beginning to prefer snakes that do not bring attention to themselves and therefore draw incoming fire from humans." Also in agreement with the general proposition is Gene Hall of the Texas Farm Bureau, though he, like the author of the message above, attributes the behavioral change to the threat posed by snake-eating feral hogs, not people.

Other herpetologists dismiss the whole thing as a myth. Stephane Poulin, Curator of Herpetology at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, says he he's noticed no major changes in rattlesnake behavior over the past quarter-century. "Overall, rattlesnakes just don't rattle very often," he explained in an Associated Press interview. "Most of the time they use their camouflage and try not to be seen." Another naysayer is biologist Randy Babb of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, who says the existing research suggests rattlesnakes simply don't rattle that much in the first place. According to Keith Boesen of Arizona's Poison and Drug Information Center, there's no evidence that rattlesnakes striking without warning constitutes a "recent phenomenon."

What the experts do agree on — and what readers of this article should take to heart — is that whatever the reason, rattlesnakes don't always sound a warning before striking. When you're in rattlesnake country the best way to avoid an unfortunate encounter is to stay alert, keep your eyes peeled as well as your ears, and never assume these poisonous pests will announce their presence in advance.

[vash]

they dont rattle where i live..

maybe i cant hear it over my screaming (like a little girl)..but i dont kill them.

[on2wheels52]

The ones in the movies and on tv always rattled. That should be enough evidence to settle any debate.
Jim

[juanbenae]

hey, wait a minute.... i thought,,, nevermind

[Por_sha911]

It was my understanding that in the fall, the snakes begin to get a glaze over the eyes as they prepare for winter. Since they are less able to see, they are more likely to strike without warning at anything that moves. Maybe someone can tell me if this is fact or fiction.

[id10t]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

It was my understanding that in the fall, the snakes begin to get a glaze over the eyes as they prepare for winter. Since they are less able to see, they are more likely to strike without warning at anything that moves. Maybe someone can tell me if this is fact or fiction.

Glaze over eyes and bad eyesight indicates being close to shedding, which happens a few times per year depending on how much the snake is eating...

[944Larry]

I've run up on several down through the years having always worked outdoors. I can't remember any of them rattlin'. Maybe you have to get closer than what I got before I spotted them.

[Flieger]

I've seen a few and never heard them rattle.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Flieger

I've seen a few and never heard them rattle.

I've never seen a rattler...but we've got copperheads. I'm sure I wouldn't hear one rattle either. I can't hear a thing while my shorts are filling with poo

[Flieger]

If you don't mess with them, they won't mess with you. I just let them be and enjoy watching them from a respectable distance.

[Flieger]

Before:


After:

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by KC911

I've never seen a rattler...but we've got copperheads. I'm sure I wouldn't hear one rattle either. I can't hear a thing while my shorts are filling with poo

Try a water moccasin going straight for your canoe.

Copper heads, so far I've always spotted the guys first, moved away, gone to either of my gun owning neighbors, and then we go back and blow its head off.

Closest encounter is when I was a kid, I threw my compass at it, then ran. Probably a good thing I missed...snake got its head blown off by my dad a few minutes later when I switched from saying there was a nake outside, to an army camouflage nake.

We've had two baby snakes with similar coloring at work, caught them, kept them for a while, they turned out to be corn snakes. We currently have a several foot long king snake that we feed and keep at work. We figure he's good security at night.

We had two, but the bigger one kept getting all the food, so eventually the 2 1/2" foot one left. I have no idea how big the large guy is.

[Evans, Marv]

The ones I've seen around my place haven't rattled when I was close. The way I knew they were there was a rustling noise they made when they moved suddenly when I got close. Here is one I saw a couple of weekends ago when I was working on an overhang for my equipment shed. It was about 30 in. long & about twice as big around as a broom stick. I just ignored it & it disappeared not too long after we inspected each other.

[Tervuren]

I don't actually "know" but my observations of the snakes I've seen at work, is that the non poisonous ones seem to be more aggressive, or at least, less likely to run. The poisonous ones try to fade away.

Watching a strangler get a fast moving target is freaky. Happens so fast. The snake gives itself altitude, rears back, keeps its eye on the target, waits for the target to move, and BAM, almost half the snake's length away its bit the target's neck, then the rest of the snake follows and wraps around its victim. Its game over as the victim is crushed/strangled.

I'm glad there aren't snakes big enough to eat me around here running wild...I'm not sure one that big would have the same speed, but the strength has to be incredible. It gets you, game over.

[Flieger]

[Cory M]

I just saw a rattle snake with no rattle at the zoo, the description said it was unique to Santa Catalina Island. Here's some info:

ARKive - Santa Catalina Island rattlesnake videos, photos and facts - Crotalus catalinensis

I see rattle snakes weekly while biking and running on local trails. Usually Southen Pacific and Red Diamond, very rarely Speckled. Usually they are just sunning themselves laying across the trail, some coil up and rattle, one or two have struck and missed. Once I rolled right over the middle of a four footer, I just saw movement under my feet and when I turned around he was not very happy!

[Joeaksa]

We see them from time to time around here...

[Laneco]

Of all the rattlesnakes I've come across in my outdoor adventures, I can only recall one that actually did rattle. It had chosen to sun itself in the middle of a trail during a mountain bike race. At some point, someone probably did run over it. By the time I got there, it was REAL pissed off and started rattling when I was probably 8 or 10 feet away.

Kind of a funny conversation - you always try to warn the person behind you when you're riding.


So I yelled, "RATTLESNAKE!"
The next rider answers, "What?"
I yell again, "SNAKE!!!!"
The rider again answers, "What?"
Followed by a very loud scream of absolute terror! Pretty high pitched shriek for the size of the fellow who made the noise!

angela

[944Larry]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

I don't actually "know" but my observations of the snakes I've seen at work, is that the non poisonous ones seem to be more aggressive, or at least, less likely to run. The poisonous ones try to fade away.

Watching a strangler get a fast moving target is freaky. Happens so fast. The snake gives itself altitude, rears back, keeps its eye on the target, waits for the target to move, and BAM, almost half the snake's length away its bit the target's neck, then the rest of the snake follows and wraps around its victim. Its game over as the victim is crushed/strangled.

I'm glad there aren't snakes big enough to eat me around here running wild...I'm not sure one that big would have the same speed, but the strength has to be incredible. It gets you, game over.

stay away from the Everglades. There are supposed to be some big enough down there to get you.

[JavaBrewer]

I encounter 5 or so rattlesnakes a year in the local hills where I run and hike. I used to think that my heavy footsteps would alert them but honestly I have jogged up and surprised more than a few. I shy away from running on single track trails this time of year and stick to wide (5'-6') trails where I can better see the ground and surroundings. Better safe than sorry.