western diamondback rattlesnake
...n often provide refuge for many vermin such as rats and mice. Sites such as these in rural settings may attract rattlesnakes and other snakes as well (coloherp). Western diamondback rattlesnakes range from western Arkansas westward through eastern and south-central Oklahoma, Texas (except the extreme east and northern panhandle), central and southern New Mexico and Arizona, possibly extreme southern Nevada, southern California, and southward into Mexico to extreme northeastern Baja California (coloherp). The Western Diamondback is a stubborn snake and has a tendency to stand its ground. As with all rattlesnakes, this species is venomous. It is considered to be one of the most dangerous snakes in the world. Bites are serious and possibly deadly if medical treatment is not reached immediately (sdnhm). Rattlesnakes are a nocturnal species, however in springtime if the night temperatures are cool, they will be active during the day. This species is also known to bask in the afternoon sun. In the winter, the snakes live in a den for protection. The dens are usually found facing south in rocky outcroppings (coloherp). If a short period of warmth occurs, it can interrupt the winter dormancy of the snakes. In colder areas, they come by the hundreds; in warmer areas, by the dozens. They emerge in spring, sexually driven, hungry and mean (desert usa). Their diet consists primarily of small mammals such as shrews and mice for juveniles. However, as they reach adult size their diet becomes more generalized and consists of any appropriately sized mammal. Rabbits are even taken by very large individuals (houstonherp). The Western Diamondback eats every two to three weeks and swallows its food whole (the big zoo). The food is digested as it passes through the body. Its annual water consumption is about its body weight. In very dry areas it also absorbs water from its prey. This species can be of great benefit to man by consuming destructive rodents. Rodents that are known to carry the plague and Hantavirus are known to exist in the western United States (coloherp). Even though the Western Diamondback is a fierce predator, it is also the prey to several animals. The predators include hawks, bald eagles, roadrunners, and wild turkeys (the big zoo). Juvenile diamondbacks are the most targeted of these predators. Even some other snakes will kill and eat them. These snakes include the kingsnakes and whipsnakes. If a deer, cow, horse, or other large animal sees the Western Diamondback as a threat it might trample it to death (desert usa). The Western Diamondbacks usually mate between the months of March and May (kingsnake). During the courting period, the male becomes obsessed with the female. During the spring, the males are known to fight each other for the females. The two male intertwine their bodies and spiral upward. The winner is the first combatant to force the other down to the ground. Most of the time both of the snakes will fall over and continue to wrestle while on the ground (coloherp). The winner claims his prize, which is the desired female that watched the fight. Courtship involves the male actively tongue flicking the dorsal surface of the female's body. As the courtship ensues, the male's head begins to move to and fro in a jerky yet rhythmic motion. Soon after this activity, the male will align his cloaca (The common cavity into which the intestinal, genital, and urinary tracts open in vertebrates such as fish, reptiles, birds, and some primitive mammals) with the female's (coloherp). If the female does not desire ...