 Nothing seems to strike terror into the hearts of the uninitiated more than the word
rattlesnake. However, once you get to know a little bit about these gentle monsters they become much less intimidating.
There are several species of rattlesnake that could be encountered in our area. The species shown to the left is the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake which is the most common. These snakes can grow to over seven feet in length but the average is much smaller. Other less common species are the prairie rattlesnake, the black-tail rattlesnake, and the rock rattlesnake.
Rattlesnakes bite for two reasons;
When they feel threatened the snake will try to avoid a confrontation at all costs. The venom they carry is primarily used to obtain food. They do not want to waste it on defense unless absolutely necessary. Frequently, when they do strike out in defense, the bite is "dry" - no venom is injected. All snakes, rattlers included, are our allies in nature. They help control disease carrying rodents and prevent their populations from overrunning the environment. Remember, rats and mice are in direct competition with humans for food. They consume or destroy huge quantities of grains and other food products every year. Were it not for snakes and other predators that kill rodents, starvation would be even more prevalent within the human population.
So, should you be one of the few to encounter a rattlesnake in the wild, just leave him alone. As he crawls away to shelter, whisper a big
"Thankyou" for his services to mankind. |
It is quite rare to encounter a rattler abroad during the daylight hours. Most move about only at night. The Banded Rock Rattlesnake,
shown on the right, hides itself on rocky upper slopes of mountains and is rarely seen. Rattlesnakes are very close
to the bottom of the food chain. Just about everything in the desert will attempt to make a meal out of this creature - coyotes, bobcats, skunks, badgers,
hawks, eagles, roadrunners and even tarantulas. Rattlesnakes fear just about everything, with good reason. They want nothing more than to be left alone.
Believe me when I say that the rattlesnake is much more in fear of a human than a human of the rattler. Should you ever experience
a rare encounter with a rattler, simply stop, give him his space, and he will look for an escape route and leave.
