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RE: Rattlesnake strike speed
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by BitisMeOnce on November 29, 2003
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I am under the understanding that a Rattlesnake can strike at an average of 175 MPH. This speed was quoated on one of the nature channels we watch frequently.
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RE: Rattlesnake strike speed
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by TomT on November 29, 2003
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I don't know how many miles per hour there are in a rattlesnake strike, but if you get a body part in the strike zone, and the rattlesnake has a mind to bite you... there isn't anyway short of a miracle that you'll escape without a bite...
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RE: Rattlesnake strike speed
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by LarryDFishel on November 29, 2003
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After being told a speed that I thought must have been a mistake (by someone who really knows his snakes but isn't much of a mathametician) I did some research (i.e. reading, not experiments (yet)) I found two schools of thought. Lots of people said anywhere from 45 to 175 miles per hour (which was what I always heard). Then there were the people who had actually conducted experiments, who said the average speed over a normal striking distance was around 7 feet per second for rattlesnakes which means probably around 14 fps near the end of the strike. That's about 10 miles per hour... The fastest speed anyone reported (who had actual data) was 21 fps for a gaboon. It sure looks faster though doesn't it?..
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RE: Rattlesnake strike speed
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by LarryDFishel on November 29, 2003
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P.S. The upshot of which is that with a little practice, someone with merely average reflexes can probably put their hand within striking range of a rattlesnake and retract it when it strikes without getting hit, so don't be too impressed when you see someone showing off this way. However I certainly don't condone this behavior, so don't even think about suing me if you try it just because I said it was possible.
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RE: Rattlesnake strike speed
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by Rugha on December 1, 2003
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I saw a show where they said a Puff Adder could strike at 21 FPS, which is very fast, maybe the fastest of any snake. 21 FPS = 14.3 MPH.
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RE: Rattlesnake strike speed
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by AdderallDiaires on September 10, 2017
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Rattlesnake strike speed is faster than 1/10 of a second. It can start and end the strike in the same time as the "snap" sound your hand makes when you snap your finger. It can also dodge a speeding bullet fired from up close if the timing is exactly right.
A fastball flies at 100mph or more and can travel to the catcher's mitt in 1/350~ of a second over 340 times slower than a rattlesnake strike. A curve ball flies at 1/500~ of a second.
The best baseball players in the world have 1/500 of a second to decide what ball they are about to swing at and where it's going to be. They can't actually see a fastball coming. Only electricity and lightning are faster than a rattlesnake strike. A fighter jet can hit Mach or the speed of sound. The strike has twice the intensity of the jet's g-forces.
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RE: Rattlesnake strike speed
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by agkistrodude on September 20, 2017
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Yeah, my rattlesnakes all produce sonic booms when they strike as they break the sound barrier. LOL! The usual speed of sound is given as about 1,125 f.p.s. It can vary do to things like temperature, humidity, etc. I believe Larry is correct at less than 15mph for a rattlesnake strike, which when covering only a foot or 3, looks like greased lightning. Take care, Marty
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