I was at the Omaha zoo a couple weeks ago, and they have several rattlesnakes in a large cage. One was a blacktail, and it was climbing a tree, 2 feet up when I saw it, and going higher. I've seen a few other pictures of "non-climbers" a good distance up, but nothing firsthand-how often do they climb?
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Wondering how common this is?
Ryan Shackleton
Jan 29, 2004 12:00 AM
Replies (4)
Rich G.cascabel
Jan 29, 2004 09:24 AM
Blacktails are well known for their climbing tendencies. I have personally seen a few in bushes aprox 3 ft. above the ground and there are many reports of specimens seen 6-8 ft. up in trees. Green and Hardy in their research have observed molossus to set up ambushes in trees that chipmunks were harvesting pinons from.
Lepidus are well known for climbing and waiting for lizards in trees. I have read two difrferent reports of people getting bit on the hand by leps in trees. One simply passed by too close and the other accidentally placed his hand on the lep. Both were researching rattlesnakes at the time if I remember correctly. Willardi have also been reported in trees. Jerry Feldner wrote up one of the first observations of one about 6 feet up.
rearfang
Jan 29, 2004 09:46 AM
Reminds me of an incident that occured a Lion Country. An EDB climbed up into the low branches in his cage and getting stuck at one point, died (probably from suffacation). Haven't seen much in the way of tree climbing rattlers except Pygmies. have seen them on saw Palmettos and also on low branches.
Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."
alkee42
Jan 29, 2004 12:20 PM
I have a pair of sidewinders that sit in branches off the ground quite often. They really dont have lots of room to climb vertically but I'm sure they would go quite a bit higher if they could because they are always trying to.
ph
Jan 31, 2004 08:20 PM
Like Rich said, blacktails are climbers. A couple of youngsters I have will spend lots of time sitting coiled on top of branches/foliage as they are still light enough to be supported by leaves and small branches.
I have also heard that speckled rattlesnakes will do the same and have found that to be the case with at least one of my specks as it would sit on top of branches/foliage like the blacktails do.
