Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have noticed that the adult size of the White Speckled Rattlesnake of AZ seem to be smaller. I saw a female that was about three or four years old at about two feet long. Anyone comment on this?

>>I have noticed that the adult size of the White Speckled Rattlesnake of AZ seem to be smaller. I saw a female that was about three or four years old at about two feet long. Anyone comment on this?

I have no info for you, but I'm curious about what you base your age estimate on...
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What goes up must come down...unless it exceeds escape velocity.

I have 2.2 White Specks... yes, they are considered by many to be a "dwarf" form...staying smaller than the rest. I have some South Mountain Blue Specks that are ginormous compared to my whites.

Amazing creatures and one of my favorites!

Graham
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Thanks for your response. I have 1.1 and the female is about two feet long. I have been told that I could breed her but I think that she is too small. Any opinion on this size for breeding? I have had rattlers for over 46 years and that would be the smallest that I have ever bred. Thanks again.

They will breed very small. I have had a couple that were eating small rats and got to be the same size as other specks.

Dan

Thank you very much for your response. I am planning to feed them rats. The male is only about 18 inches. Before I got them, they spent a week in the same enclosure and I am hoping that they did not breed. I would like the female to be a little bigger than two feet. But I have been told that they are big enough to breed for this locale.

The true ivory phase from a known mountain range for those who are aware of this locale, do indeed stay small. My female gave birth to two healthy neonates and she is just a tad over 2 feet. My adult ivories don't take anything larger than a small adult mouse. The other locale specks get far larger.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center

>>Thank you very much for your response. I am planning to feed them rats. The male is only about 18 inches. Before I got them, they spent a week in the same enclosure and I am hoping that they did not breed. I would like the female to be a little bigger than two feet. But I have been told that they are big enough to breed for this locale.
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

Thank you very much Rob. If she gives birth, I will feel better about the situation.

Two feet long is plenty large enough to be reproductively active with these snakes. In my small group I have a proven female who gave birth when she was less than 20" long and only 2 years old.

My male is over 33" SVL and is the largest one that I have personally seen and I have had him for more than 6 years. I have a CB female that is about 21" SVL that gave birth last August. She will be 3 this year. They don't necessarily stay super tiny but don't get really big.

This is great information and just what I was looking for. Thank you.