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RE: Rattlesnake Non-rattling Study
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by 23bms on February 19, 2010
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Regarding (northern) timbers and non-rattling:
I have been observing timbers, primarily in nw NJ, but also through PA, WV and into VA, since the mid 60's.
Rattling can be loosely generalized as follows.
Temperature sensitive!!!!
Did anyone miss that?
Temperature!!!!!
Hit a den on a high 80 degree spring day and a significant number rattle and dive so fast you can hardly get a glimpse. The same applies to the distributed individuals through out the rest of our short summers. On a low 70 or upper 60 day almost every individual lies still. On the cooler days most rattlers only partially emerge. A few coil tightly - and quietly - in sunny pockets. If you happen to stumble upon one in 'transit' from one locale to another the normal response on being approached is to freeze - if it is cool. On the other hand, if it's hot, there may be some rather spectacular histrionics. There are, of course, gradations of behavior between these extremes.
Northern timbers live in a generally hostile climate. The activity season is short and many of those days offer only a very few hours of tolerable (if that) temperature. The temperature correlation to rattling, in the general population is so close that only an inexperienced observer can miss it.
This is not to argue that there are not differences between individuals. Of course there are. However, the generalization holds true. (Please note that I have not used or implied the concepts of 'All' or 'Every'.)
I've also spent a fair amount of time in the southwest. The behavior patterns down there simply reinforce the conclusions I've reached up here.
The species and individual differences, though extant, are less important than the environmental factors. On a cool night in the AZ desert a Western Diamondback will, more often than not, react with as much discretion as a timber on an equally cool spring afternoon in PA. The southwest, too, is a hostile climate. There, much of the day, the temps are too high, and during much of the rest, too cold.
All that being said, I would not be surprised if there proved to be some validity to the selection theories that maintain that the innately irritable are being destroyed at a greater rate in heavily pressured populations, thus reducing their incidence and leading to a gradual evolutionary behavioral modification. Not being a specialist, I am not sure how one could construct a study with adequate controls to determine this. Hopefully, if it were done, it would be with a bit less predetermination and self serving bias than the politically motivated - and demonstrably fraudulent - 'anthropomorphic global warming' climatologists have demonstrated. (And, yes, I do have enough background in the latter to be judgmental.)
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RE: Rattlesnake Non-rattling Study
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by 23bms on March 9, 2010
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re: Please fill out your profile. Thanks.
Done. I reluctantly decided to reincarnate on this site. Not sure why.
I have been tramping the hills up here, on and off, since the early 60's. My comments were based on innumerable, though random, observations over that period, probably subconscious fusions of impressions garnered over that time. There are plenty of Timbers that rattle. However, given the difficulty of spotting them in areas where you KNOW they are (often 98% obscured under leaves or brush), I wonder how many I have obliviously walked past, despite being focused and somewhat hunched over from a lifetime of walking around staring at the ground looking for snakes.
If I had to pick a favorite species, it would be northern Timbers. I have spent many hours perched on a well placed, if uncomfortable, rock watching the activities at dens in the spring and fall. I have also enjoyed many serendipitous encounters while wandering the hills during our all too brief summers.
I don't know what effect human pressure has had on the inclination to rattle or not. My GUESS would be that, in areas of likely human encounter, those given to announcing themselves would, over the long run, have serious problems transmitting their genes to future generations. Then again, if it's 90 degrees out, darn near everything rattles regardless of the situation. Those studying rattling phenomenon might find it interesting to stake out dens in the spring and fall and note the behavioral differences based on temperature.
A serious study would be fascinating IF one could find some way to control, or even hypothetically account for, the variables. A challenge for herpetologists! Just don't show me another crappy computer model that derives universal truths from a few subconsciously chosen (ie biased to provide the intended result) parameters that represent a tiny, and likely unrepresentative, fraction of the totality.
All in all, one of the most interesting threads I've seen here in a long long time.
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RE: Rattlesnake Non-rattling Study
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by Cro on March 10, 2010
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Jon, good to see you back.
This is a very interesting thread, and I agree, that some very interesting studies could be conducted, that would take into account the seasonal variations of temperatures, and how that effects the nature of these snakes to rattle.
Looking forward to you sharing your observations.
Best Regards
John Z
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RE: Rattlesnake Non-rattling Study
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by 23bms on March 12, 2010
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Again regarding northern Timbers, there are some hyper types that rattle and dive (if sluggishly) even in cool weather. The diving is certainly a useful survival trait (unless the observer has dynamite), whatever the temperature and assuming an appropriate access is available. The rattling? Unfortunately, I have never thought to systematically note whether the divers rattled or not. My recollections tend toward 'briefly' if at all with most being non-rattlers.
With a little luck, I'll be able to make a few trips up to my favorite dens this spring. I'll try to pay more attention. Retirement, in spite of the physical declines, has its benefits.
Incidentally, up here you are more likely to hear a Black Racer or Black Rat vibrating its tail than a rattler. I wonder how many Racers and Rats have died because of that.
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