Mojave Rattlesnake

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Mojave Rattlesnake Facts

Do Mojave rattlesnakes chase you?

In our experience, rattlesnakes appear to chase or attack in two situations: a mother protecting her babies or a snake trying to escape to shelter behind us. In our thousands of encounters with wild Mohaves and other rattlesnakes, we’ve never observed an attack and have found rattlesnakes to be rather timid creatures.

Are Mojave rattlesnakes aggressive?

Mojave Rattlesnakes are not aggressive.

This may mean that they can rattle and strike with more enthusiasm than other types of rattlesnakes, but this is a defensive behavior.

How poisonous is a Mojave rattlesnake?

Nicknamed the Mojave green, the Mohave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus) is the most venomous snake found on the monument. The venom, potent in neurotoxins that attack the nervous system and hemotoxins that attack the blood should make this snake high on anyone’s list to avoid.

How big does a Mojave rattlesnake get?

How big do Mojave rattlesnakes get? Adult Mojave rattlesnakes grow in size from two to four feet long. They can weigh between six and twenty pounds. Rattlesnakes have a cylindrical body with paired, heavy scales on their back that are diamond-shaped in cross-section.

Is a Mojave green a rattlesnake?

Crotalus scutulatus (common names: Mojave rattlesnake, Mojave green,) is a highly venomous pit viper species found in the deserts of the southwestern United States and central Mexico.

How far can a Mojave rattlesnake 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.

What type of venom does a Mojave rattlesnake have?

Mojave rattlesnakes inhabit desert areas of the southwestern United States and central Mexico. Specimens with type A venom, which cause a different pattern of injury than other rattlesnakes, have been reported in southern California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico.

What kind of venom does a Mojave rattlesnake have?

Crotalus scutulatus, AKA the Mojave Rattlesnake, is a pit viper known for its particularly powerful neurotoxic-hemotoxic venom, one of the most potent in the world.

How long does a Mojave rattlesnake live?

The Mojave rattlesnake lives for 12.5 years on average. In captivity, they survive for almost 20 years.

What do you do if you get bit by a Mojave rattlesnake?

“The best advice is to call 911 and get to a hospital as quickly as possible,” Vohra said. “You don’t want to spend a long time in the field and we don’t advise tourniquets or splinting. Don’t suck on the wound either. Just leave it alone and call 911.”

Is there an antivenom for Mojave green rattlesnake?

(There is no anti-venom you can take out in the wild. It is available only in a medical facility.) Medical staff will also observe the patient for some time to see if there is any allergic reaction to the anti-venom. Because rattlesnake bites are so rare, not all hospitals carry the anti-venom.

What eats a Mojave green rattlesnake?

These snakes are hunted, killed and eaten by other snakes like the California kingsnake but also roadrunners and other mammals and birds of prey.

Do Mojave rattlesnakes lose their rattles?

You can tell how old a rattlesnake is by the number of segments on its rattle. Rattlesnakes get a new segment each time they shed their skin. Unlike the rest of the skin, the section that covers the very end of the rattle doesn’t fall off.

How venomous is the Mojave green?

Snake venom expert Dr. Sean Bush, professor of emergency medicine at Loma Linda University School of Medicine, told HealthPop that the Mojave Green snake is known for having the most lethal venom of all North American pit vipers, a class of snakes that includes rattlers.

Are Mojave rattlesnakes protected?

Pit vipers, or rattlesnakes, are listed in the California Code of Regulations as detrimental to public health and safety, native wildlife or state agriculture and are not protected.

What is the difference between a Mojave rattlesnake and a diamondback rattlesnake?

The general rule is that Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes have a banding on the tail in a roughly 1:1 ratio of white to black, while Mojave Rattlesnakes tend to have tail banding at 2:1 white to black.

What does the Mojave green rattlesnake look like?

These snakes have a heavy body and a large triangular head. Their color varies from shades of brown to pale green depending on the surroundings. The green hue found among Mojave rattlesnakes has led to them being known as “Mojave greens” in some areas.

Can a rattlesnake strike if not coiled?

A rattlesnake snake that isn’t coiled at all can still bite, but it will have very little range and accuracy when it strikes. Indeed, rattlesnakes that are stretched out are generally trying to get away rather strike/bite.

Do rattlesnakes strike above the knee?

Without hesitation, I answer “Yes – yes, they do“. Most snakes can strike as far as 1/3 to 1/2 of the length of their body, which generally lands most snake bites between the ankle and the knee or on the foot. Likely, the second most common snake bite strike zone would be the leg, between the knee and thigh.

How far can a rattlesnake see?

A snake’s vision can detect movement out to about 40 feet; closer objects are seen more sharply. Fangs are covered by a protective sheath of tissue, and are normally folded back against the roof of the mouth. Rattlesnake fangs are hollow and connected to a venom gland, which lies behind the eye.

What is the most venomous rattlesnake in the world?

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the largest of its species in the world and the most venomous snake in North America. It has a distinct coloration pattern consisting of dark diamond-shaped dorsal blotches defined by a border of yellowish scales.

What does a green Mojave look like?

Are baby rattlesnakes born with rattles?

All rattlesnakes are born with a rattle, but they can permanently loose their rattles from an injury at the very tip of their tail just before their rattles start.

What is the most venomous snake in the world?

The inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) is considered the most venomous snake in the world with a murine LD ₅₀ value of 0.025 mg/kg SC.

Where do Mojave rattlesnakes live?

The Mojave rattlesnake, living in the deserts of the southwestern United States and central Mexico, is characterized by its lethal venom that can either shut down your body or tenderize your insides.