| Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes) | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Genus: | Crotalus |
| Species: | C. cerastes |
| Binomial name | |
| Crotalus cerastes Hallowell, 1854 | |
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| Synonyms | |
TheSidewinder rattlesnake (Crotalus cerastes), also known as the "Horned Rattlesnake", is a species ofvenomouspit viper. There are three subspecies. It is called a sidewinder because it usessidewinding to move across sand.
The Sidewinder rattlesnake is a small species ofsnake, with adults measuring to about 43 to 76 centimetres (17 to 30 inches) long. The females are larger than the males, which is unusual for most snakes. The color of this snake is usually cream or yellowish-brown, and the belly is white colored.
In the southwesternUnited States of America it can be found indesert regions of easternCalifornia, southernNevada, southwesternUtah and westernArizona. In northwesternMexico, it can be found in westernSonora and easternBaja California.
The Sidewinder isnocturnal in hot months anddiurnal in cooler months. The Sidewinder uses its tail to attractlizards which it eats, but when it becomes an adult it stops eating lizards and starts eating desertrodents. They also feed on small mammals and birds.[3] They are venomous, but not generally fatal to humans. The venom causes localized pain and swelling.
A female Sidewinder Rattlesnake gives birth to around 5 to 18 young at a time. For 7–10 days the young stay with their mother in a burrow, they then shed for the first time and then leave the burrow. Sidewinders mature at the age of 2 or 3, then mate in April and May and sometimes in thefall. The female then has its 5-18 babies in the latesummer. 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.
There are threesubspecies:[4]
