Sidewinder

Crotalus cerastes

Reptile

Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing sidewinders. These snakes are also called horned rattlesnakes for the enlarged scales above their eyes. While the raised scales aren’t actually horns, they’re believed to help protect a sidewinder’s eyes while burrowing in the sand. These snakes spend the hottest parts of the day buried or hiding out in small mammal burrows. Sidewinders are found in south western US and northern Mexico. They inhabit sandy areas and desert regions, and they frequently traverse over loose sand which is why they move the way they do.

The name sidewinder comes from their sideways, wave-like movement where they almost jump across loose soil. The sidewinder will move its head from side to side and propel its body forward and sideways using its belly scales. This method of movement isn’t unique to just these snakes, but because sidewinders live in places that facilitate frequent use of this type of movement, they got the fun common name.

Sidewinding is a costly way to move in terms of conserving energy, however, and for most of their time these snakes remain motionless. When they do make movements, it’s usually for a purpose, such as striking out towards a meal or trailing a potential partner. Male sidewinders will travel great distances in as straight a line as possible to find females receptive to breeding. Females release chemicals to draw the males in and they’ll mate with as many as partners as possible.

During the breeding season males eat more because they use a lot of energy to move around and females eat more to prepare for nourishing their young. Sidewinders gestate for 4-5 months and give birth to upwards of 18 live babies. After giving birth, mother sidewinders will remain with their newborns for up to three hours in order to protect them until they slither off on their own. This is hugely taxing on the mother and many female sidewinders die during this period. In the wild, female sidewinders only average 5 years of age while males can reach 13! Females are typically large than males, however, sidewinders are smaller snakes in general averaging about 2 feet (61cm) in length at adult size.

Like other rattlesnakes, sidewinders use venom to subdue their prey which includes snakes, lizards, birds, and small mammals. These snakes are mostly nocturnal, though during cooler months they will come out during the day. They are sit and wait predators, burying themselves in the sand to keep their presence hidden. When prey draws close enough, the sidewinder will strike and immediately release its catch. The animal will run off with the sidewinder in hot pursuit until the creature succumbs to its envenomed wounds. Humans don’t normally come into contact with sidewinders but bites, while painful and needing medical attention, aren’t considered fatal. Predators to sidewinders include kingsnakes, coyotes, and red tailed hawks, though, in the case of kingsnakes, if the sidewinders are able to smell them ahead of them, they’ll try and avoid them!

For more facts on sidewinders, check out the links in the description. Thank you to widget for today’s request! Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files!