No doubt, snakes are one of the most dreaded animals living on earth. A lot of people have a phobia for snakes. Various reasons have been attributed to this- some said they fear snake because its slithering movement on the ground, others are afraid because snakes are venomous and have the ability to swallow its prey whole. Whichever reason, the fact remains snakes are animals that majority of people fear snake. The most common of these venomous snakes are the Cottonmouth and Rattlesnakes. In this article, we shall be taking a look at some rattlesnake and Cottonmouth Snake basic facts.
Cottonmouth is a type of snake that is venomous. Cottonmouths are also known as Moccasins. The name Cottonmouth arises as a result of white coloring in their mouth. This white coloring becomes visible anytime the snake feels threatened and ready for an attack. Let us take you through some interesting facts you need to know about cottonmouth snake
Characteristics of cottonmouth snakes
The first feature you will notice about the cottonmouth snake is that it has a triangular shaped head- this is one of the peculiarities of most poisonous snakes. The head of the non-venomous snake is generally oval-shaped. This is an important distinguishing factor between the two categories of snake. Another feature of the cottonmouth snake is the facial pits. Facial pits are located at the space between their nostrils and eyes. Face pits are heat sensitive as it enables the snake to detect the heat emanating from a nearby prey.
In terms of body features, cottonmouths have a thick, round body and they have the ability to grow up to four feet. Cottonmouth snake comes in different colors, their young ones have a yellow-tipped tail which grows darker as the snake ages. The attractive color of young Cottonmouth attracts prey making it very easy and convenient for the young snake to feed. Adult Cottonmouth comes in various colors such as shades of black and brown.
The Habitat of Cottonmouth
Cottonmouths are naturally located in the Southeastern part of the United States and are mostly found around or inside a body of water. They are animals that are not easily seen around. Cottonmouth prefers places like streams, ponds, lakes swamps and Marshes. Cottonmouth stays mostly in water but sometimes move out of water for warmth. When they are not inside water, they prefer to stay on stones, branches, logs and near the side of the water source to receive warmth. Cottonmouth prefers to stay on the water in order to see anyone coming its way.
What you need to know about Rattlesnakes
Rattlesnake is a type of snake that is very poisonous. One of the most fascinating facts about the snake is its unique tail. It is important for you to know some interesting facts about the snake. Example of such facts includes the origin of the snake, habitats, habits of the snake and steps to take when bitten by the snake.
Where do Rattlesnakes live?
About 32 species of Rattlesnakes live in various parts of America from North America through to Central America and down to South America. These snakes are also present in Central Argentina and Southwestern Canada. States in Texas and Arizona have a large number of different species of Rattlesnakes.
General Habitat of Rattlesnakes
Most Rattlesnakes take shelter near open areas that have a lot of rocks. This is a strategy to get at its prey because this open area also shelters animals like lizard, mice and various kind of insect. Not only that, this area provides them with warmth. Apart from an open area near rocks, they also like to stay in forests, Marshes, Prairies, and deserts. One of the adaptive characteristics of Rattlesnake is that it can survive for a short while in a temperature that is below freezing point.
Interesting Facts about Rattlesnakes
The family name comes as a result of rattle found on their tail end. The Rattle is scaly and hollow bead-type in structure. The Rattlesnakes uses its rattle to chase away other predators. This feature makes them difficult to prey upon. Therefore, the Rattlesnakes have few predators because of its protective rattle located at its tail region.
What does Rattlesnake feed upon?
Rattlesnakes feed upon a wide range of creatures like small birds, lizards, Insects, rodents like and mice. In fact, they help farmers reduce rodent population. Therefore, the Rattlesnakes helps reduce farmers effort towards getting rid of rodents that constitute a threat to crops. Rattlesnakes do grip their prey until they die, the snake exhibits different ways of getting rid of its prey. Rattlesnakes bite its prey and wait for the prey to die from the effect of the poisonous bite. The snake uses its sense of smell, taste, and hearing ability to locate its wounded prey that is nearby.
