Scientific name: Crotalus durissus terrificus

Biology

Vigorous and robust specimen which can reach 1,80m. It can be easely distinguished because of it´s rattle that produces a very characteristic noise once the animal is excited.

Each rattle is result of 2-3 skin shedding, it can occur several times in a year. it is rare having more than 14 because it frays and breaks. The color is light nut-brown on the back with darken holes (like diamonds) limited by white and yellow scales. Rattlesnakes belong to the family of the pitvipers. This group of snakes differ from other venomous snakes by having an opening between the eye and the nostril, the so-called pit.

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With this pit the rattlesnake can detect differences in temperature of 0.003C.

These heat pits are a few mm deep and contain thousands of nerve ends. This enables the snake to find prey in the dark.

They have two folding fangs in the upper jaw in the front of their mouths.

These hollow teeth are folded in while the snake is in rest.

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During an attack the snake opens its mouth and folds out the fangs and will stab a prey animal and inject its venom.

This venom is pumped by the venom glands through the fangs at high speed into the body of the prey.

This will quickly spread the venom through its body, where it will immediately start to digest the prey from the inside.

Reproduction

Viviparous, females give birth to between 4-20 live young.

The babies are able to take care of themselves immediately and require no parental care.

They are from 22-30 cm long when born and are already venomous.

They reach sexual maturity after three years.

Before the copula, a combat dance takes place, pre-mating ritual between the males to fight for a female. In this dance there is no aggression between them.

The opponent male tries to knock down the other until this one goes away.

Venom

Neurotoxic
Neuromuscular blocker
In hunting, while it is killing the snake's prey the venom is also a digestive fluid

Feeding
Small mammals like rats, mice

Habitat
Arid rocky habitats, they are crepuscular.

Distribution View Map
Central and South America including Peru, Central Bolivia, Paraguay, North Argentina, in Brasil from Mato Grosso until Rio Grande do Sul