I'm a skeptic about this one (rattle snakes)

[snappleWhiteTea]

i don't thinks withing the time we have been killing snakes, that we are subconsciously producing non rattling snakes.
http://azstarnet.com/news/science/environment/article_fa6e379c-9240-11df-bc07-001cc4c002e0.html

 

[Terry D]

Snapple, This doesn't sound too far-fetched given adaptability of many organisms. Years ago I read somewhere about a particular population of rattlesnakes that are actually losing the rattle itself over time= indivs born without it.
Canebrakes are somewhat of a jinx-snake for me here in nw La. and although reported to be locally common, I've only found 1 near dead roadkill in my search for a live one. Strangely, that individual was over 3" long and fairly thick but only possessed what appeared to be the original "button" or teminal rattle. I chalked it up at the time to a possible injury to the tail early in life although no apparent scar was present.

Cheers,

Terry

 

[Malhavoc's]

Snapple, This doesn't sound too far-fetched given adaptability of many organisms. Years ago I read somewhere about a particular population of rattlesnakes that are actually losing the rattle itself over time= indivs born without it.
Canebrakes are somewhat of a jinx-snake for me here in nw La. and although reported to be locally common, I've only found 1 near dead roadkill in my search for a live one. Strangely, that individual was over 3" long and fairly thick but only possessed what appeared to be the original "button" or teminal rattle. I chalked it up at the time to a possible injury to the tail early in life although no apparent scar was present.

Cheers,

Terry

could of been removed by a scavanger since it was dead? (or person for that matter)

As far as this hypothesis, it has merrit and credibility, I mean, we can selectivly breed snakes for colours why not behavioral patterns aswell? however, the lack of data means its time for experimentation to prove or disprove it, meaning time to breed rattlers -

 

[Terry D]

Draken, I've caught quite a few eastern diamondbacks in Florida years ago- from several youngsters with only a button to large adults. I've seen indivs with rattles broken off almost entirely to those with 10 or more. Some experience with atrox also. I'm well aware of how they appear. The canebrake only possessed the initial button. It did not appear to have been damaged in any way. My guess, although this in itself may sound a little off in left field, is that the tail near the rattle was possibly damaged shortly after birth somehow stopping growth of the rattle itself. It was either that or a mutation.

I agree with the rest.

Terry

 

[pitbulllady]

I've caught many Canebrakes that had damaged or missing rattles, and very few, even those with full "strings", will rattle. I've picked up large specimens with the Midwest tongs and those snakes never once rattled even though they could. It's already been pretty well established that the reason the western species of Rattlers are so quick to "sound off" is that they evolved this mechanism to warm large herd animals not to step on them, bison in particular. Back east, we don't have large herd animals, AND the persecution by humans of these snakes has been much more intense than the wide, more open spaces out west, so it would not surprise me if these snakes do eventually lose their rattles altogether. Snakes that rattle give their locations away and are killed, while those that remain still and quiet usually go undetected. I've literally found myself standing within easy striking distance of large Canebrakes more than once, and had it not been for the either the snake's tongue flick catching my eye, or one of my dogs indicating its presence, I would not have known those snakes were there. Their camo pattern is a more effective means of staying alive than a warming rattle. That evolutionary trait that allowed them to avoid being trampled by large hoofed animals has the opposite effect when the potential threat is a human.

pitbulllady

 

[codykrr]

I have seen many timberback rattlers around here, and never heard one rattle until you start to pester it...IE move it pick it up with snake hook/stick.

Most of the time like PBL said the ones i have seen are hiding and have to know your there, they just choose to stay silent. Even the pygmy rattlers we have dont "buzz" until really agitated.

another possibility for Rattlers to not posses a rattle would be them rotting off, i remember reading somewhere extra humid environments affect the rattles on them.(if i remember correctly)

 

[Terry D]

Hey y'all, Interesting info on these "silent" canebrakes. By most accounts, the northern part of Bossier parish has a good population of the sp. I've only found a few dor's + the half-dead individual mentioned in my post above. I caught a large female eastern diamondback in Polk co. Fla. some years ago. Strangely, as warm as it was that day, she never rattled once during capture and also allowed me to tail her and put her in a sack with only one half-hearted strike. However, after sitting in the sack for about 45 minutes she came to life and rattled non-stop, later striking at everything. All of the rattlers that I captured in Fla. were either released onsite or donated to various institutions. I just liked to catch them. Not any more, though.

I've only seen a few pygmies. Again, only dor here in nw La. More duskies in Fla., though. I have good hearing but I have to lean over toward the ground to hear them. They sound somewhat like the whine of a bee but slightly different. Very low- for lack of anything else to compare the sound to.

Terry