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Country Living Wildlife - RattlesnakeA chance encounter with a rattlesnake can ruin your whole day! That's the main reason I've included these guys on my Country Critters Bad Guys List. Although they are venomous snakes and can be dangerous to humans, they're not on the list because they go out of their way to hunt, harass or harm people. They are there because they are one member of the wild animal kingdom that people need to know about and be cautious of; they can hurt you!
Its heavy body and blunt tail with one or more rattles at the tip make this snake easy to recognize. It has a triangular-shaped head and a distinct neck region. If you get close enough (I wouldn’t!), it also has openings between the nostrils and eyes (a heat-sensing pit used to navigate) and the eyes are hooded with elliptical pupils. Their color is various shades of brown, depending on species, and normally have a series of diamond-shaped patterns on their backs. The diamond patterns are more distinctive in some species than others. They are usually well camouflaged with their surroundings, making it harder for predators, including humans, to spot. Additional identifying characteristics include a series of dark and light bands near the tail, just before the rattles. Most species can grow to from 18 inches to 4 or 5 feet in length.
The most distinctive thing about these snakes are the rattles found on the tip of the tail. If they feel threatened, they will raise the tail and vibrate it. The sound of the rattles (similar to a castanet) is meant to warn whatever is threatening them. Rattlesnakes generally add a new rattle segment each time they shed their skin, once or more a year. Rattles may not always be present. They are sometimes lost through breakage and are not usually developed on young snakes. These snakes can also strike without sounding the rattle if startled or quickly cornered. If confronted by humans, rattlesnakes prefer to retreat as most wildlife does, but will strike if they don’t have a way out.
These snakes are also important and often beneficial members of the food chain, preying on rodents (rats, mice, small rabbits, squirrels or gophers), smaller reptiles and insects. They inject venom through fangs to immobilize or kill their prey. They can regulate the amount of venom injected or even withhold it altogether. They have been known to follow stunned prey to complete the kill, and they can strike at distances up to two-thirds of their overall body length. The venom attacks the blood system, destroying tissue, degenerating organs and disrupting blood clotting. Although a snakebite in a human is usually very painful, it often causes more stress problems due to terror than it does physical damage. Their primary predators are kingsnakes, certain birds (roadrunner, hawk, eagle), pigs and humans. Herpetology, the study of reptiles and amphibians, is a major academic discipline as well as a serious hobby for many people. There are ardent hobbyists who collect and study rattlesnakes, both for enjoyment and development of antivenom for treating snakebites. Many herpetology hobbyists work or volunteer for fish and game authorities in catching and relocating venomous snakes. Before embarking on a hobby as a herpetologist, though, it is wise to check local laws and ordinances. Some areas outlaw venomous snake possession or at least require some form of license or specific insurance policy. There are also obvious risks in owning these reptiles, and any bite can result in heavy medical care costs.
Tips on Avoiding Snakes and Surviving a Snake Bite Rattlesnakes are also a popular food in some southwestern cuisines and are sometimes sold in specialty meat shops. It has a flavor that has been described as similar to chicken or frog legs and a chewy texture similar to alligator. We hope that the information contained on this page will help keep from ruining your whole day by a chance encounter with a rattlesnake! These guys can be dangerous if surprised or confronted, but they don’t go out of their way to hunt, harass or harm people. They are a member of the wild animal kingdom, and anyone enjoying country living needs to know about them. A rattlesnake can hurt you if you’re not informed!
More Than Rattlesnakes at Country Critters Return to Modoc Country Living Home Page
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The rattlesnake is California's only native venomous snake, and one species or another can be found in just about every part of the state. There are over fifty different species worldwide, and about eight of them inhabit some part of California. Those species include the Western Diamondback, Sidewinder, Speckled, Red Diamond, Southern Pacific, Great Basin and Mojave which are found in southern areas of California, south of San Louis Obispo. The Northern Pacific rattlesnake is most common in northern California, including Modoc County. They inhabit virtually any and all climates and environments, from sea level to prairies and inland deserts to Sierra peaks above 10,000-foot elevations. They are not just restricted to living in uninhabited country areas. They have also been found in urban and suburban wooded areas such as golf courses, river areas and parks.
