How do sidewinder snakes reproduce?
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.
Are baby Sidewinders poisonous?
Sidewinder rattlesnakes are venomous, but of little threat to humans, except for young children. The toxin is capable of killing an animal weighing up to 30 pounds; in a larger animal or grown human, it typically causes transient pain, swelling, and general symptoms of illness.
Are Sidewinders aggressive?
Generally not aggressive, rattlesnakes strike when threatened or deliberately provoked, but given room they will retreat. Rattlesnakes live from sea level to the inland prairies and desert areas to the mountains at elevations of more than 10,000 feet.
What kind of speed can a sidewinder snake travel?
There are reports of sidewinders being able to travel at up to 18 mph (29 km/h) while sidewinding. Sidewinders are also capable of moving in the usual snake-like manner. However, sidewinding is the method of locomotion most commonly used by the species.
What’s the difference between a male and female Sidewinder snake?
Unusually for rattlesnakes, female sidewinders are slightly larger than males. The sidewinder is cream or sandy yellow/brown in color. The scales on the back and sides are keeled (ridged) and almond-shaped.
Where are the Sidewinders located in the US?
In the Circle, Sidewinders are distributed primarily to the west and north of Tucson, from the Tucson Mountains westward to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, and northward to Coolidge, Florence, and the deserts around Phoenix.
How often do mourning doves mate in a season?
This is a difficult task for a single bird and often unsuccessful. In due course, the surviving dove will find a new mate. Since they nest several times a season, (2 – 3 is normal) it’s possible they will raise a successful brood in the same season. While it’s sad to lose these birds in your yard, be comforted knowing they will mate again.
How old do Sidewinders get when they mate?
Sidewinders mature at the age of 2 or 3, then mate in April and May and sometimes in the fall. The female then has its 5-18 babies in the late summer. These babies are born 6-8 inches long. Males live a little bit longer than females, males live to about 13 years old and females about 11 years old.
How long can a sidewinder snake live in the wild?
Sidewinders are sturdy snakes, and can live for a long time. A well-cared-for Sidewinder can live for at least twenty years in captivity, maybe even thirty. This life expectancy is lower in the wild, due to predators and harsh weather. Male Sidewinders are not expected to live much longer than a decade in the wild.
What kind of conditions does a sidewinder live in?
Also, there are two further breeds of Sidewinder. These are the Sonaran Desert Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes cercobombus) and Colorado Desert Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes laterorepens). As you will be able to tell from their names, these snakes typically enjoy dry, arid conditions.
Unusually for rattlesnakes, female sidewinders are slightly larger than males. The sidewinder is cream or sandy yellow/brown in color. The scales on the back and sides are keeled (ridged) and almond-shaped.
