Department of Energy Argonne National Laboratory Office of Science NEWTON's Homepage NEWTON's Homepage
NEWTON, Ask A Scientist!
NEWTON Home Page NEWTON Teachers Visit Our Archives Ask A Question How To Ask A Question Question of the Week Our Expert Scientists Volunteer at NEWTON! Frequently Asked Questions Referencing NEWTON About NEWTON About Ask A Scientist Education At Argonne Young Snake Rattles 
Name: Amy Rene B.
Status: student
Age: 10
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 11/2/2003
Question:
Are rattlesnakes born with their rattles?

Replies:
If I recall correctly they have a primordial rattle that does not rattle. As the molt a new segment is added until they can actually make a rattle...rattle :-)...Since a rattle snake can shed its skin (molt) as much a 5 times a year ( in some places) the rattle can add as many as 5 segments a year. But the rattle can lose segments also...so there is no accurate way of telling a rattle snakes age from its rattle.

pf

Timber rattlesnakes, the most common species in much of the United States, are born alive, may be about a foot long at birth. "Each is equipped with venom, fangs, and a single tiny ratlle segment called a button." Tyning, A Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles (Stokes Nature Guides).

J. Elliott

Click here to return to the Zoology Archives

NEWTON is an electronic community for Science, Math, and Computer Science K-12 Educators, sponsored and operated by Argonne National Laboratory's Educational Programs, Andrew Skipor, Ph.D., Head of Educational Programs.

For assistance with NEWTON contact a System Operator (help@newton.dep.anl.gov), or at Argonne's Educational Programs

NEWTON AND ASK A SCIENTIST
Educational Programs
Building 360
9700 S. Cass Ave.
Argonne, Illinois
60439-4845, USA
Update: June 2012
Weclome To Newton

Argonne National Laboratory