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Sorry, but most of your post is the BIGGEST LOAD OF MISLINFORMATION Ive read to date. I seriously hope people dont take 1/2 of this post to heart. First off, just because a snake is wet doesnt mean it cant rattle. Secondly, babies are not deadlier than their mama. If you cut open a pregnant rattlesnake, those babies are just as fragile and defenseless as any other developing life form. Theyre not going to squiggle out (especially if theyre only a few weeks into the gestation period) and bite people and kill them. Posts like yours are one of the biggest reasons people wrongly fear and despise rattlesnakes. You should be ashamed.
And people, if you want to know truth regarding rattlesnakes, dont listen to anonymous, off-the-wall posts such as this. If you have questions, Ill try and answer them. If I dont feel qualified to answer, I can take them to my friends/experts over at VenomousReptiles.org Home - The SHHS is Venomous Snake Headquarters or Field Herp Forum.
Last edited by Poncho_NM; 03-29-2014 at 10:44 PM..
What are your credentials for being a rattlesnake expert?
I know Pintada Kid has spent a lifetime out in the mountains and he has gotten quite an education for himself through his experiences.
Seems to me that just because we believe differently that is not a reason to put the other guy down. I imagine his experiences are vastly different than yours.
What are your credentials for being a rattlesnake expert?
I know Pintada Kid has spent a lifetime out in the mountains and he has gotten quite an education for himself through his experiences.
Seems to me that just because we believe differently that is not a reason to put the other guy down. I imagine his experiences are vastly different than yours.
Im not an expert, and Ill be the first to admit it. But I have spent plenty of time researching them and tracking them in the wild, also spending more time than I care to admit talking with experts, etc.
Anyways, Ive heard rattlesnakes rattle in the middle of a downpour, so Im not sure where on earth he got that info from? Its just misleading info that I must dispute. And babies? If you slice open a rattlesnake's stomach that happens to be gravid, do you really think babies will shoot out and bite you? I mean, cmon, this isnt science fiction. Even if the babies are minutes from birth, theyre still not going to want anything to do with you. Ive caught small Crotalus atrox in AZ, they just want to be left alone.
The most important thing I will say for now is DONT KILL RATTLESNAKES ANYWAYS!
Steve O your one of those people who likes to let rattlesnakes live and you have your own opinions about rattlesnakes. I dont know if you have studied Rattlesnakes or gone to College to learn about them. But Reminds me of a Saying my Grandfather had for people who thought they were Educated. He use to tell me in Spanish >>>>>> AQUI VIENE UNO DESOS QUE SABES MAS Y ENTIENDE MENOS. My Grandfather grew up in the Mountains of N.M. and couldnt read or write or talk in English but he was VERY intelligent and knew animals better then anyone
I respect your Grandfather, I do. But if you and your Grandfather believe that rattlesnakes dont rattle when theyre wet, then I can tell you youre absolutely incorrect. Heck, rattlesnakes dont rattle when theyre bone dry 1/2 the time either. Its all up to the snake if they want to rattle or not, especially if they think theyre being threatened. Ive seen a rattlesnake rattle at me in Missouri, deep in the throes of a massive downpour. Your Grandfather might know animals, but so do I.
And if your Grandfather really knew animals, why would he feel the need to kill them, unless to use their meat, skins, etc?
Also Steve so you can quote me your knowledge of rattlesnakes how do you tell the Gender of a Rattlesnake and have you ever used Rattlesnake Fat or ate Rattlesnake meat? Do you pick them up Alive? Have you gotten bit? Are there Coral snakes in N.M? pintada kid at webtv.net
Sorry to hear about your Grandparents.
To tell the gender of rattlesnakes you have to probe them with a special tool. There is no way to sex them simply by looking at them. In some cases you can tell a female, but only if she is gravid. My eyes cant differentiate a gravid female over a male who just had a large meal. Anyways, there are scales on the underside of the snake that hide the genitalia. In females, a special probe is used and will insert much deeper than on a male snake. The males' "area" is much more shallow and hides their hemipenis, which can be coaxed out if you understand how to do it as to not hurt the snake.
I wont kill rattlesnakes, so Ive never used their fat. I have eaten rattlesnake once in Arizona (at the cheesy Rawhide tourist trap lol), and it was good! I would never kill one unless it was absolutely necessary. And no, I dont pick them up alive, thats what tongs and hooks are for. Ive ordered some hooks from Pet Supplies, Reptile Supplies, Dog Supplies, Cat Supplies & Small Pet Supply Products and Midwest Tongs.Com, which have nice instruments to use to relocate venomous snakes. As for coral snakes in NM? Im not sure. There are species in TX and AZ, so I think its a safe bet to say that NM might have a species of coral snake. If you want, Google "Micrurus species in New Mexico" or something similar.
I have never been bit, knock on wood. I wear snake gaiters while out in the bush and take every step with precaution and it has paid off well.
Also a Rattlesnake can Die in the Sun. A Rattlesnake can eat another Large Rattlesnake and their young
Yes, like any animal on earth (and humans, too), a rattlesnake can die in the sun. However, they prefer good amounts of sunshine as theyre ectothermic and rely on outside air temps to regulate their body temperatures... hence the reason you see many sunning themselves on rocks on chilly mornings and on warm roads late at night.
Hey SteveO just had a 4 foot bullsnake for you off of my back patio and I thought of you. I stepped out onto the patio at a safe distance to make sure it was a bullsnake and not a rattler and my kids think I'm some kind of brave crazy person LOL.
The rain has brought out everything. Yesterday, during the rain, a mole took shelter on our patio, then today, just before I saw the snake, I killed a 3.5 inch centipede in a bedroom. That sucker put up a huge fight. They must have tenacious nervous systems. And now the snake. Maybe he's out to dine on all of the homeless gophers and other rodents who had their homes washed out in the rain.
Hey SteveO just had a 4 foot bullsnake for you off of my back patio and I thought of you. I stepped out onto the patio at a safe distance to make sure it was a bullsnake and not a rattler and my kids think I'm some kind of brave crazy person LOL.
The rain has brought out everything. Yesterday, during the rain, a mole took shelter on our patio, then today, just before I saw the snake, I killed a 3.5 inch centipede in a bedroom. That sucker put up a huge fight. They must have tenacious nervous systems. And now the snake. Maybe he's out to dine on all of the homeless gophers and other rodents who had their homes washed out in the rain.
Very cool! Ive never seen a bullsnake in person. Im heading down to Kankakee County, IL this weekend to hopefully find some.
And yes, after a rain, especially in the desert, things become much more active. And a 3.5" centipede? Thats just a juvenile. Ive seen Scolopendrids in NM and AZ that were 7-8"!
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Even if the babies are minutes from birth, theyre still not going to want anything to do with you. Ive caught small Crotalus atrox in AZ, they just want to be left alone. 
Anyways, there are scales on the underside of the snake that hide the genitalia. In females, a special probe is used and will insert much deeper than on a male snake. The males' "area" is much more shallow and hides their hemipenis, which can be coaxed out if you understand how to do it as to not hurt the snake. 
