What Do Rattlesnakes Eat?
Although most outdoor men and women do not find it to be anything less than vicious, the rattlesnake is a relatively shy creature compared to other snakes, such as the Black-legged Snake and the Brown Snake. These large venomous snakes are between three and five feet long (without rattle) and are among the largest venomous snakes found in Missouri, averaging about three feet long.
Rattlesnakes Hibernate
The rattlesnake cannot dig itself out, so it relies on naturally occurring holes to provide a home in the winter months when it hibernates. These rocks are also a great place for rattlesnakes to sunbathe and find the kind of prey they need to eat. Although they are not usually associated with other snakes, rattlesnakes hibernate in the same areas as other reptiles and amphibians.
They eat quite large prey and take a long time to digest, so they often go two to three weeks without a meal. Some of their prey can be digested for up to a week, and some of them can be consumed in a single meal for just one day.
Store Their Venom For Predatory Bites
This could be because snakes store their venom for predatory bites and defensive attacks, which is particularly evident when they are hungry. When juvenile snakes eat different prey, the venom can be more dangerous, so drop it – drop it.
Of course, many people around the world have long been eating snakes, even venomous ones. If you are not sure whether the snake you have encountered is a rattlesnake, or you cannot identify it, the DWR advises leaving it alone and treating it remotely if it is venomous, or striking it knee-deep. Although you may be squeamish about feeding a rodent to a snake (since rodents are now commercially available, already dead and frozen, and you only have to defrost and offer them), snakes are pets. They are waiting for the rodent, but they are not pets in the traditional sense of the word.
Dangerous When Provoked
Rattlesnakes are dangerous when provoked, but they also do an enormous service to humans and are eaten by other predators, who in turn eat them.
Domestically bred rattlesnakes can survive for up to three years if fed only once a year, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Depending on the size of the prey eaten, the snake feeds on a variety of different types of prey, including small, medium and large snakes. Smaller, younger snakes are typically eaten once or twice a week, while larger, more mature snakes are usually eaten once or twice a week. In some cases, a snake can eat two or three times a day, depending on its size and prey.
Unfortunate Encounters With Rattlesnakes
In rural outbuildings, where snakes seek prey, there are many unfortunate encounters with rattlesnakes. Other bites occur when a protective rattlesnake is accidentally spotted, for example in an open field or under a tree. The living conditions that rattlesnakes prefer differ from species to species, as open, rocky areas can offer many rattlesnakes a better chance of survival from predators that eat them. Rattlesnakes have a wide range of prey, from small, medium and large snakes to large, large and small snakes.
In one case, the body of a small rattlesnake was shown in the intestines of the bull snake, but there is no information on whether the swallowed rattlesnake had already died or whether it was even a species. It is not possible to know what species or how many snakes were killed, and the explosion may have created an even better cave for future rattlesnakes.
According To Current Taxonomy
According to current taxonomy, prairie rattlesnakes and western rattlesnakes are called “rattlesnakes” because they occur in oxgrassland ecosystems, but also because they could be associated with other rattlesnakes, such as those in Texas.
Also, not included are two snakes that have no rattles and are therefore not called “rattlesnakes”: the pygmy rattlesnakes and the Massaasauga snake. Both belong to the genus Sistrurus, but there is a difference in taxonomy between the two species. The other two snake species not included in this discussion are Massasaugas and Pig Rattlesnake, both of which are from the genus Sistsrurus. All are related to another rattlesnake, the Pygmy Rattlesnake (Crotalus), which itself is a member of the genus CroTalus and is one of the most common snakes in North America, along with other snakes such as the pythons.
What Rattlesnakes Eat Is
What rattlesnakes eat is similar in that they feed mainly on small lizards and small rodents, but some can also be prey for other snake species, including copperheads, black snakes and garter snakes. Young snakes feed mainly on small ladders, while adults normally eat small mammals such as birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, birds of prey, insects, rodents and reptiles. The eastern masseauga rattlesnake eats a variety of small reptiles such as jumping mice, leeches, spiders, snakes and other small animals.
