#rattlesnakes

[thagomizersshow]

A thing that kind of lightens the sting of seeing one of my favourite animals used as a right-wing symbol is that the rattlesnake on the "don't tread on me" flag looks so sad and starving.

Real rattlesnakes are chunky as all hell when healthy.

Also, that weird loosely coiled pose is just blatantly not what they look like when ready to strike. A real rattler ready to mess you up looks like a figure eight of pure muscle.

Conservatives once again ruin the chance to have a cool symbol by making it look stupid.

#reptiblr #reptiles #snakes #rattlesnakes

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

I thought you might enjoy this photo of a snake that I stumbled across. I have no clue what it is! I was walking my dogs at night and they proceeded to shove their noses directly into it because it was dark and I didn’t see it before that. Luckily I managed to drag them away and everybody ended the night safe.

Seen in Tucson, AZ

That is a western diamondback rattlesnake - and this experience really goes to show how tolerant most venomous snakes are of being bothered before they'll try to bite!

I definitely don't mean to scare you at all by saying that this is a venomous snake! There are easy ways to make sure your dogs don't run up on a snake like this again - being careful to avoid potential hiding spots that you can't see underneath (such as close to brushes/shrubs in this case) can help, and when I'm walking my dog when it's dark out, I prefer to carry a flashlight so I can make sure no snakes or other critters are hiding in our path.

#not a rating #wild snake pictures #snake identification #snake safety #rattlesnakes

[ruthlesslistener]

Hey hey hey. Do you wanna know a fact that makes me cry. Okay so timber rattlesnakes will guard their babies for a week after birth, but new research has shown that parental care still continues after the fact:

Babies under a year old will follow their mom's scent trail to the overwintering dens that the family uses, and will often den with their moms, siblings, and pregnant female relatives to survive the winter. They will almost always follow their mom's scent, but they will also sometimes follow the scent of another female closely related to them. It's not known if the female is deliberately laying down the scent trail, but its highly likely that she is. They also seem to recognize their littermates and will vastly prefer to congregate with them over non-kin individuals

Not only that, many rattlesnakes will also return to the same birthing dens and overwintering dens year after year, or will use sites close by if the original is no longer accessable. Moms guarding their babies also often be far more defensive than they normally are outside of breeding season, and will sometimes intercept their babies if they're moving towards danger, nudging them to the safety of their dens. There's also been many instances of rattlesnakes giving birth next to other rattlesnakes or pit vipers and raising their young peacefully in a communal 'nursery den', though studies into this behavior don't seem to have been done.

They have families, y'all

#snakes #rattlesnakes #timber rattlesnakes #gonna go cry over this now and forever #rattlesnake families.... #im referencing actual articles btw. crying and weeping they're so good

[euphorictruths]

Willow- Rattlesnakes and Rainbows

#rattlesnakes #snakes #rainbows #intuition #divine energy #healing #trust #guidance #111 #eyes #third eye #flowers #celestial #stars #mystical #mysterious #fine art #artists #beautiful #beauty #escape #pretty #art #dark #spiritual #dark art #earthy #nature #sun #consciousness

[snototter]

A timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) in Missouri, USA

by Douglas Mills

#timber rattlesnake #rattlesnakes #vipers #snakes #reptiles #crotalus horridus #crotalus #viperidae #serpentes #squamata #reptilia #chordata #wildlife: missouri #wildlife: usa #wildlife: north america

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Wild Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes

Also known by the nicknames the Texas diamondback rattlesnake, the adobe snake, and the buzz tail, to name a few, the western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) is found throughout the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. This species is one of the iconic symbols of the region, and particularly of the deserts and scrublands in which it lives.

C. atrox has several features that distinguish it from its eastern relative. The western diamondback is slightly smaller, reaching a length of 1.5 m (4.9 ft) and a weight of 6.7 kg (14.7 lbs) at full maturity. They are also lighter in color, typically sporting tan, blueish gray, or pink scales with a darker diamond pattern along the body which gives the species its common name. Lastly, the face has white markings around the eyes and nostrils, and the tail below the rattle is white with black bands. Males and females appear similar; the most reliable way to tell the difference is by the tail. Male tails are thicker, longer, and taper gradually from the body, while female tails narrow abruptly at the base of the body.

The rattle itself is a unique feature of rattlesnakes. It is made of a series of hollow keratin chambers. When a rattlesnake is threatened, a set of muscles at the base of the tail constrict and cause the keratin chambers to vibrate against each other to produce a rattling sound. These muscles move incredibly fast, at about 50 times a second, and a rattle can be sustained for up to three hours-- not that most animals stick around that long. This rattle is present at birth as a tiny 'button', but juveniles are unable to rattle until their first molt, when a second segment is added. Rattlesnakes continue to add segments at each molt throughout their lives, but it's not uncommon for the top segments to become loose and fall off over time.

Mating for the western diamondback rattlesnake occurs in the fall and spring, from October to March. During the winter, individuals hibernate in abandoned burrows or under rocks, though some may emerge prematurely to seek out mates. Once they locate a female, males engage in an elaborate courtship ritual in which they chase the female, 'dance' in front of her, and fight other rival males. If the female is receptive, copulation can last for several hours. Following a successful mating encounter, females gestate for 167 days. Rattlesnakes are ovoviviparous, meaning that the female incubates her eggs inside her body and then gives birth to live young. After hatching, juveniles only stay with their mother a few hours before striking out on their own. Individuals reach maturity at three years old, and can live to be as old as 25.

Due to their venomous defence, C. atrox has few terrestrial predators. Their primary threats come from hawks, eagles, wild turkeys, and roadrunners, the latter of which have specifically evolved to hunt rattlesnakes. In contrast, the western diamondback rattlesnake has a broad appetite and hunts a variety of rodents, birds, and lizards. They are ambush predators, able to detect their prey through smell and heat. Rattlesnakes have a 'pit' on each side of their heads that contain a heat-sensing organ; this organ is so sensitive that an individual can detect prey only 1/10 of a degree warmer than its background.

Of the rattlesnake species, the western diamondback is considered one of the more aggressive, and is responsible for a majority of the snake bites in the United States. Its venom can be fatal to humans, partially due to the large amount of venom delivered in a single bite. However, C. atrox does not seek out human encounters, and only strikes when cornered. Antivenom for this species is available, and if administered soon after being bitten the recovery rate for victims is quite high.

Conservation status: The IUCN has designated the western diamondback rattlesnake as Least Concern. This species is heavily hunted throughout its range, both for its perceived threat to humans, and for its valuable meat and skin.

If you like what I do, consider leaving a tip or buying me a ko-fi!

Photos

Ned Harris and Wayne Klement

Wes Edens

Geoff Gallice

Derek Dykstra

#western diamondback rattlesnake #Squamata #Viperidae #rattlesnakes #vipers #Colubrid snakes #snakes #serpents #squamates #reptiles #deserts #desert reptiles #scrubland #scrubland reptiles #north america #southern north america #central america #animal facts #biology #zoology

[solitarnee]

#polls #poll #my polls #snakes #rattlesnake #rattlesnakes #garter snake #boa constrictor #garter snakes #boa constrictors #snake #reptile #reptiles #t

[uncivilcivilservice]

Quick! Tell me your favorite Snake Fact :)

Have 3 snakes with cool abilities or behaviours!

1. Kapuas Mud Snake

Poorly studied, rarely seen colubrid snake found near rivers in Borneo

The only snake currently known to have the ability to change it's colour to match it's surroundings

They literally only found this out because they put one in a bucket, checked back a few minutes later and found it had changed to match the pale bucket

2. Olive Sea Snake

One of my favourite snakes, an elapid found in Indo-Pacific coral reefs

Has photoreceptive cells all along it's paddle-like tail so it can know if it's tail is exposed when it hides in crevices and coral

I can confirm this is a useful ability as my hognose will often just stick his head in the ground and assume he is hidden

Look at this wet limbless puppy

3. Arizona Black Rattlesnakes

One of the first species of snake observed to perform extended maternal care to their brood

Will not only forgo feeding in order to incubate their eggs (kept internally), but will continue to care for their young for weeks after they give birth

Most snake mothers only stay with their eggs for a couple of days after laying them

ABR mothers have also be observed grouping together to look after their young

Time-lapse of a momma ABR and her young below

#thank you for the opportinity to gush about snakes! #snakes #rattlesnakes #colubridae #sea snakes #answered #nature

[thatnostalgiccarp]

Critter fact #88:

Tiger rattlesnakes (Crotalus tigris) can be pink.

#Snake #Snakes #Rattlesnakes #critter facts #Tiger rattlesnake #Crotalus tigris

[sage-nebula]

Rattle pals.

#skelepal system #skeletons #snakes #halloween #my art #traditional art #rattlesnakes

[bloodybosom]

More Howell Dodd

#howell dodd #terror #pulp art #damsel #men’s magazine #bound #rattlesnakes #lingerie #pulp illustration #magazine illustration

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

What was the first snake that fascinated you as a child?

Definitely rattlesnakes! I'm from an area with a lot of timber rattlers, and they're just incredible snakes. I was always so curious as a kid about how they rattled, and so frustrated when adults couldn't give me a satisfying answer!

Here's how they rattle, if you're curious: rattlesnake rattles are made of interlocking segments of keratin (the same stuff that makes your fingernails and the rest of a snake's scales), and they have special vibrator muscles in their tails to quickly buzz the segments against each other.

#not a rating #rattlesnakes #snake anatomy

[nohiketoosmall]

Ranking Plush Rattlesnakes

Part 1: Ranking Plush Anacondas

Part 2: Ranking Plush Cobras

Part 3b: Ranking Plush Rattlesnakes (by Wild Republic)*

*Wild republic was switched to its own list because there were too many

Rattlesnakes are one of the most recognizable snake species and I've seen very many while looking up plush snakes. There are around 36 species of rattlesnake with numerous subspecies; I am not an expert on them but I will try to decipher which species the plushes are based on when applicable. Though I've complained about large-headed snake toys in other posts (based on my frustration with anaconda toys), rattlesnakes have distinctly large heads and thin necks, so I have high hopes for these plushes.

Note that if I note "via pinterest" or "via ebay" or other third-party websites that means I couldn't verify the origins- if it is not "via"d it is directly through the toy website or through Amazon if seller is the manufacturer. Often sites like ebay will show up in results after the source webpage is no long accessible, eg if a product was sold or discontinued.

"Rambo the Rattlesnake" by Tiger Tale Toys

Length: 4.5ft

10/10 I can't find any faults in Rambo here. He's pretty clearly a Western Diamondback based on the patterns and his face is adorable. He has a rattle in his tail! Also, I have to give the Tiger Tale Toys brand props for this description:

Rambo resides in the desert where he spends the hot summer days coiled in the shade to escape the intense heat. Rambo is a pretty misunderstood fellow, because while being highly venomous, he is not prone to attack like some other species in the pit viper family. Rambo prefers to hide and wait for danger to pass, only shaking his rattle as a warning when he feels very threatened.

I think its nice to teach people to be careful and respect rattlesnakes, which are very misunderstood.

Vintage Dakin Rattlesnake 1987 by Dakin via Ebay

Either 17in or 40in

10/10 This is the oldest snake I've found on my lists, from 1987, but labeled vintage as the modern plush/toy market tends to push up the timeline a bit. However, I love this little snake, they look SO happy. The Dakin company has a kind of dark and sad history I went down in a rabbit hole on but suffice to say the brand no longer exists.

Zoona Collection Diamondback Rattlesnake by RGU via stuffedark

16in

10/10 Listen, I know that I rated the last one 10/10 also. But have you considered that this rattlesnake is SO cute. Its stubby tail? The texture on the body? This makes me want to cry because I cant have it. Sold out as of 2011, but unclear when it was even manufactured. The RGU (Resort Gift Unlimited) website has a short history on its About Us page which suggests that it pivoted from making cookbooks to wildlife-oriented plushes, some of which came with books in 1995 (quite a shift).

Realistic Stuffed Rattlesnake by Aurora (1) via Pinterest

13in (probably upright)

6/10 You may remember the Aurora "Miyoni" Cobra was one of my favorites, but this one doesn't speak to me as much. It has a charming face and fangs that I really like, but I'm just not into the scale fabric used for this. They didn't really make an effort with the pattern. Maybe its also the pose- it just doesn't have rattlesnake vibes.

Rattlesnake Plush by Wildlife Artists

52in

5/10 Now, this is probably the platonic middle ground of rattlesnake toys. Is it realistic? Sorta, I guess. But the pattern looks kind of cheap and muddy and the tail is awful. Amazon reviews also indicated that this one is particularly thin when compared to other stuffed snake plushes, comparing it to the WildRepublic green rattlesnake, which was much thicker. One review stated this was "the best on the market" and I have to disagree.

Brown Rattlesnake by Wildlifetree via pinterest

60in

4/10 I do like this one a little but I just don't like the generic look of this one. I have mixed feelings on this "pattern" of fabric, it looks recycled from a dinosaur plush. In this case, the head also looks recycled from a dinosaur plush. Overall, its cute, but other than the rattle its just not rattlesnake-y or unique enough for me to rate it highly.

Rattlesnake Jake Plush by Paramount Pictures via worthpoint

? Length

8/10 I think its delightful they included his little hat, he also has his gun-tail and everything. It's another one thats not my thing at all, but I have to give it props- if I were a kid who was obsessed with the hideous(ly charming) characters from Rango, I would love Rattlesnake Jake with all my heart.

Diamondback Rattlesnake by Aurora (2) via ebay

48in

4/10 This is the snake that finally prompted me to look into the Aurora brand, AKA Aurora Gift. When I found the "Aurora Miyoni" toys previously they were pretty grainy pinterest photos and I didn't look into it much more. It does appear those two Miyoni collection snakes are discontinued, but it does have some other rattlesnake plushies, like this one. The Miyoni collection does appear on the website and has many other plushies, all with neck tags.

Mini Flopsie and Shoulderkins Rattlesnake by Aurora (3)

8in (flopsie), 6in (shoulderkins)

9/10 I grouped these all together seeing as they're all roughly the same except for pattern. The "upright" pose one is the shoulderkins brand, which have magnets in them to apparently "attach them to your shoulder" which is certainly an interesting gimmick. Anyways, I kept seeing that pastel rattlesnake while searching for other plushes so I was excited to see its still being made. Very cute and simple.

Rattlesnake Jumbo Plush Snakes by Kelli's (1)

56in

6/10 There was clearly an attempt made with the pattern to have some level of accuracy, but I just don't really like the end result. I guess the colors on the face just don't feel like they're placed right, particularly those white patches around the eyes. On the bright side it looks very chunky and huggable.

Blue Rock Rattlesnake Jumbo Plush Snakes by Kelli's (2)

56in

8/10 This ones product photo is notably better than the last one, although I assume their construction is identical. But I prefer how the patterns and colors are laid out on this one. I think the banded snakes tend to have a big advantage over the more complex diamondback pattern.

Shakers the Stuffed Rattlesnake by Aurora (4)

Length unknown

8/10 The "Yoohoo and friends" line of big-eyed stuffed animals appears to be Auroras very blatant attempt to compete with TY Beanie Boos, which are those TY toys you may have seen in stores with giant eyes. The huge eyes are hit-or-miss for me because they're often too close together, but I think this trans flag pastel snake is very cute. Yoohoo and friends appears to be named as such because it is a TV show (which looks just like the Littlest Pet Shop tv show that aired a while back)

Also, I found a cobra I missed; I'll have to go back later and do a post of snakes I've missed.

"Vintage Animaland Rattle Snake" via eBay

Unknown length

3/10 The eBay listing connected to this photo is no longer up, and I tried to reverse image search this and could not find any sources or even any other post with an image like this. Animaland appears to be a Build-a-bear style franchise where kids can stuff "skins" of stuffed toys with fiber in-store. Anyways, its pretty ugly, although it has the scale pattern which is fun.

Rattle Snake Plush by Wishpets (1) via eBay

48in

6/10 There are enough listings of this on ebay to indicate the accuracy of the brand. This snake is from 2007 and has good quality available used plushes, in fact. Its not persay an "accurate" pattern but I think its a simple, abstract pattern and a simply shaped face. A perfectly acceptable giraffe snake.

Pink Rattlesnake Plush by Wishpets (2) via eBay

32in

6/10 I think this one has a very shapely face, although it looks quite startled. Looking at the photos, it looks very huggable though. I think it would be cuter if it was cleaner. Like the other Wishpets one, the ebay listing shows the tag indicating this was produced by Wishpets in 2004.

Mini Rattlesnake by Folkmanis (1)

5in (diameter), length unknown

8/10 Like most mini snakes, this one has a round face, but the pattern is surprisingly accurate and detailed. This toy company makes puppets, and this one is small enough that it's just a finger puppet!

Rattlesnake by Folkmanis (2)

36in

2/10 I feel very torn about this one, because I like its fabric a lot, it seems very detailed and it has an open mouth with fangs. The tail includes an extra pocket so you can wiggle the rattle. That being said, this little shop of horrors-esque face is so horrifying I can't bear to rate it higher. Usually, the faces of these snakes are ugly because of /lack/ of complex sewing construction, but this one looks well made and detailed, which makes the end result even more hideous.

Grand Canyon Association Rattlesnake by Jaag via ebay

50in

7/10 Another nice giraffe rattlesnake, this time by Jaag. The pattern, I realize now, is a creative interpretation of the Grand canyon rattlesnake's pattern. Jaag makes toys for promotional purposes, and this ebay listing comes with the tags indicating it was made for the Grand Canyon Association. Although the Jaag website doesn't list its plushies for sale, they do list their partnership with GCA and this rattlesnake is in its "portfolio" section. The plush does not appear to be sold on the Grand Canyon website.

Plush Diamondback Rattlesnake by B J Toy via ebay

180in

6/10 This is the largest snake on this list, and I can't pretend that doesn't factor into the rating. It does look a little understuffed, but still huggable. I like the creative interpretation of the pattern, which is something I was planning to explore in my models. I mostly wish he was thicker so he could be a proper pillow. Overall, an acceptable snake. Ebay seller posted tag to confirm this is by BJ toy circa 2009.

Green Rattlesnake by Adventure Planet (1) via ebay

60in

4/10 this is basically just the brown snake from Wildlifetree way above. One listing stated this was from Aurora, but this one shows the tag as Adventure Planet. Given that this is so similar to the brown one though, I don't know if these companies share patterns or factories and just tag plushies separately. So who knows, maybe there's an Aurora version out there.

Rattlesnake by Fiesta toys (1) via ebay

73in

6/10 It does look pretty huggable but the body is quiete thin, and the pattern is just a bit contrast-y. The area around the eye is green, which is a little odd. I don't know what it is about this plushie but there are so many pictures of it on ebay that are uniformly terrible, this is the best listing I could find. I'm disappointed- the Fiesta cobra was way more exciting.

MLB Arizona Diamondbacks by Fiesta toys (2) via ebay, pinterest

length unknown, probably different between these two plushes

7/10 I am not from Arizona, nor do I care about Major League Baseball, but a brightly colored and patterned snake is what I was hoping for from the Fiesta line. This is the second snake on this list with a hat and I'm all for it. According to Wikipedia, in the 1990s the team colors were purple, black, teal, and copper, and this is a bit more "gold" than copper to me. Both these plushes are from the 90s, according to the limited information I could find, and I did wonder at first whether the color faded but it seems unlikely that both these snakes would fade so similarly. Anyways, the color scheme resulted in a very fun snake, so I'm not mad. Nowadays the team's colors are red, beige, and black, which is much more boring. I ended up finding a version in those colors and it didn't even have the rattle.

Rattlesnake Diamondback by Collectible Wildlife Gifts

73in

5/10 Just another boring snake. Doesn't really have an interesting pattern (definitely not a diamondback, as this is one of the rare species labeled toys), its scales are too big and fishlike for me. It also doesn't look fluffy and huggable. Despite being a quite large snake, its head has the same boring construction as some of the smaller snake plushies- I'm less forgiving of the plain, egg-shaped head when the snake is large.

Black-Tailed Rattlesnake Plush by Adventure Planet (2) via eBay

67in

7/10 This snake is pretty simple, but I have to give it props for actually attempting a specific species- and a species I haven't seen any other company attempt, at that. I think this is a perfectly fine interpretation of a black-tailed rattlesnake, although I'd note the /tail/ is supposed to be black, not the rattle. I consider this acceptable due to design constraints, and I think they made a good attempt. The tag even includes fun facts. The face is quite round but the eyes have a cute grumpy expression.

Wild Eyes Rattlesnake by Animal Planet

length unuknown

0/10 This one is just as bad as the cobra version and I hate it; why would Animal Planet do this to me?

Desert House, Cactus Puppet house, Green Rattlesnake by Unipak (last one via ebay)

5.5in, 5.5in, 8in

10/10 tiny rattlesnakes with desert themed friends. I think it's very charming they included the rattlesnakes, since they're typically looked over. I'm not sure about the accuracy, especially of the red one, which looks to me most like a pygmy rattlesnake, but their range doesn't seem to be desert. I will accept this discrepancy because I think it's cute.

One discrepancy that does bother me- the website has separate listings for both 8in and 5.5in green & brown snakes, but the product photos don't include the rattle, just a plain tail. Despite this, I found the above ebay listing with the 8in rattlesnake that clearly has a rattle. I don't know exactly what is up with this, or which photos are accurate. But this is a wholesaler anyways, not a website that sells directly to customers- you'd have to find this product in stores (or resold on ebay) to purchase them. Still, I find it weird that there's a discrepancy between the product photos.

2 Pcs Rattlesnake by NicelyNice

54in

7/10 I like the construction of these guys, with the big chunky head and tail, and even the little "eyebrow ridges" above their eyes. But I have some misgivings about these photos; the company operates through ebay directly, and almost all the product photos are photoshopped. The material looks cheap, and even though the color pattern looks good, I'd be concerned that the actual snake is uncomfortable to hold, or that the image would be grainy. The theoretical snakes in this photo are like a 7/10 but I feel like the final product might not look as nice.

Klapper Isken Rattlesnake Puppet by Ikea via ebay

58in

4/10 I mean, this is... a snake. But there's not really many positives about this. Abstract patterns can certainly work, but not with the color combination, and it feels too simple for such a large snake. I'm not a fan of the fangs or the rattle. The one thing I'd give it props for is an embroidered eye, so its more cuddle-able, but I think the pupil is a bit large and looks odd.

Plush Rattlesnake 2000 by Animal Alley/Toys r Us via ebay

length unknown / 14in diameter

5/10 I have very mixed feelings about these. Aesthetically, I really like the choice of colors, and the face has these cute rounded cheeks. Visually the snake looks like a good size and very cuddly. But the color pattern bothers me from an accuracy perspective. Now you might say- I clearly am fine with abstract snake patterns. But it bothers me when there appears to be an attempt at a pattern, like this, but it's mimicking another species. The closest snake I could find was a red-bellied mudsnake (to the first)- the bottom of both plushes is red with black spots. The fact that the first is not an abstract pattern but an intentional choice with semi-realistic coloring (navy blue could be interpreted as grays) makes it feel innacurate.

So that's all the rattlesnakes I have for now. There are tons and tons of snake plushies with rattle tails and I'm sure I'm missing a few, I left out some of the more carnival-y style ones. But this post is already so long and I did so much research I'm posting it now!

As always, let me know if you have any other hidden gems or you have any of these plushies, or if you've every tried to make your own!

#reptiblr #snakes #wildlife #rattlesnakes #diamondback rattlesnake #stuffed animal #plushie

[antiqueanimals]

Montana Outdoors. July/August, 1976. Illustration by O. C. Howard.

Internet Archive

#reptiles #snakes #rattlesnakes #O. C. Howard

[daisydoox0-blog]

This spicy Timber Rattlesnake showed me on what he thought of me and my dog with his spicy teefs. Thankfully, my reflexes came through in the end after my dog jerked the leash.

#timber rattlesnake #snakes #photography #animals #nature #cute animals #rattlesnakes

[snototter]

A timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) in South Carolina, USA

by Noah K. Fields

#timber rattlesnake #rattlesnakes #vipers #snakes #reptiles #crotalus horridus #crotalus #viperidae #serpentes #squamata #reptilia #chordata #wildlife: south carolina #wildlife: usa #wildlife: north america