How big do sidewinders get?

How big do sidewinders get?

It is a nocturnal inhabitant of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico (see Sonoran Desert), where it feeds upon rodents. Adults average slightly more than 50 cm (20 inches) but can attain 80 cm. Sidewinders give birth to 5–18 young in the fall.

Are sidewinders aggressive?

The sidewinder rattlesnake is indigenous to desert regions across southeastern California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah, western Arizona and northwestern Mexico. Sidewinder rattlesnakes are venomous, but of little threat to humans, except for young children.

Do sidewinders give live birth?

Rather than laying eggs as many snakes do, female sidewinders retain the eggs inside their bodies until they hatch and then give birth to live young. Sidewinders burrow underground and give birth in a natal burrow, typically in litters of between 5 and 18 young.

How do sidewinder snakes survive?

As a protection against the blowing sand, the sidewinder snake has a protective scale above each of its eyes. The snakes is able to fold the scales down over its eyes when it burrows into the sand, thus providing an additional measure of protection from the sandy environment that sidewinder snake inhabits.

What does a sidewinder eat?

In the wild, sidewinders eat almost exclusively rodents and lizards, with kangaroo rats, whiptail lizards, and fringe-toed lizards being favorite prey. At the Zoo, they do fine on a steady diet of mice.

How far can a sidewinder strike?

Rattlesnake Striking Distance In most cases, a snake can strike up to a distance between 1/3 to 1/2 of its body length. For example, if the snake is four feet in length, its strike can likely reach no more than two feet. When rattlesnakes feel threatened, they will rattle their tails to make noise.

Do sidewinders have a rattle?

Sidewinders are distinguished among rattlesnakes by their horn-like superocular scales on their heads. This hornlike structure is why sidewinders are also called horned rattlesnakes. They also have a rattle on their tails; the number of segments of the rattle equates to the number of sheds the individual has completed.

How fast can a sidewinder snake move?

29 km/hMaximum
Sidewinder/Speed
This species of rattlesnakes is known for its ‘sidewinding’ style of movement on desert sand. The sidewinding gait makes it easier to cross moving sands and other surfaces. The sidewinder can achieve speeds of up to 18 mph (29 kph).

What does a Sidewinder eat?

What is a sidewinder exercise?

Start with your feet about shoulder-width apart, bend at the knees and hold the kettlebell to the center of your legs just a few inches from the ground. Pull up with both hands and over to one side of the body till your reach your shoulder’s height. Return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.

Do sidewinders live in burrows?

Sidewinders are terrestrial snakes and rarely climb into vegetation. In order to stay cool, sidewinders spend most of their time in rodent burrows, the rest time is spend lying coiled up partially buried in the sand waiting on prey. These snakes take their common name from an unusual form of locomotion.

Do rattlesnakes chase you?

While dangerous, rattlesnakes (and most snakes in general) are not aggressive and won’t chase you. They only strike when they’re threatened or accidentally touched by someone who can’t see them while walking or climbing.

How long do Sidewinders live in the wild?

After the two to three hour birth, the young stay near their family for a few days and then separate for the rest of their lives. The average life span of the Sidewinder can vary. In captivity they can live twenty to thirty years; but in the wild some do not live as long due to vehicles, predators, or diseases. [9]

How long does a sidewinder rattlesnake live in the wild?

After the two to three hour birth, the young stay near their family for a few days and then separate for the rest of their lives. The average life span of the Sidewinder can vary. In captivity they can live twenty to thirty years; but in the wild some do not live as long due to vehicles, predators, or diseases.

What kind of snake is a sidewinder snake?

Alternative Title: horn viper. Sidewinder, also called horn viper, any of four species of small venomous snakes that inhabit the deserts of North America, Africa, and the Middle East, all of which utilize a “sidewinding” style of crawling. The sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes) is a rattlesnake.

What kind of behavior does a Sidewinder have?

Newborn sidewinders have unique homeothermy (thermoregulation) behavior that has not been observed in any other type of snake. Following birth, the neonates mass together in their natal burrow.