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First Rattlesnake!!! The Urocoan has landed!
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by ginny on June 23, 2006
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Hi guys. Just wanted to let you know i got my first rattlesnake on tuesday. It's a Crotalus d. vegrandis, 4 weeks old and settleing in nicely and feeding on pinkies. I'm looking forward to observing pit-viper behaviour first hand. I find neonate behaviour so interesting and prefer to aqquire my snakes at a young age so i can learn about them as they grow. Obviously she has shed only the once since birth and as yet only has a button as a rattle, and will add segments as she grows. How long will it take for her to grow a functioning rattle and do these snakes act very defensively and use their rattle much, say for instance every time you approach the enclosure? I would'nt mind this at all as i want my snake to act in a "classic rattlesnke" manner!! Does anyone have any interesting anecdotes of these snakes in captivity that they'd like to share? Also, taxonomically, has the Urocoan been relagated its own species status or is it still a sub-species of Crotalus d.durissus? I'm also having trouble trying to find out the exact venom properties of the Urocoan, is it the same as Crotalus d. durissus or do the sub-species all have slightly different venom? According to Mark O'Shea, Crotalus d. durissus venom differs in populations found in the north and south of south america but does he refer to the Urocoan which is found in the north? Also i've read that these snales grow to between 5o-62cm in the wild but can grow bigger in captivity but how much bigger?
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RE: First Rattlesnake!!! The Urocoan has landed!
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by Snake18 on June 24, 2006
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Hy,
The urocoan rattler has gained species status. It is Crotalus vegrandis. I`m not sure about the other C.durissus subspecies. As far as I know, all neo-tropical rattlers have prdominantly neurotoxic venom proprieties. The rattlesnake will gain a rattle every time it sheads. I only have personal experience with Crotalus atrox (western diamondback) but I can tell you that this guys has more than doubled in weight and in lenght in one year. I bought him when he was about 35-40cm long and had only 3 rattle buttons. I fed him fuzzies at first but now, 1 year later it is about 80 cm long (2.5 feet), has about 9 buttons and feeds on large adult mice. It has the width of 4 of my fingers put together. Personaly, I have never seen a snake grow so fast.
You`ll have a blast with your rattler, just be carefull !
Best regards, Alex S.
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RE: First Rattlesnake!!! The Urocoan has landed!
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by SimplySnakes on June 24, 2006
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Hello Ginny,
I bought my first Urocoans about one month ago. They were one week old and have shed once already. The first meal they took was the day after I recieved them and have eaten once per week since. They are now feeding on smaller fuzzy mice pinks and have gained about one and a quarter inch in length. Doubled their body girth, and are getting ready to shed. I noticed that when they bite the pinks they almost imediatley start reacting to the venom. It takes about 25-30 seconds before they begin to die. These little snakes are very hot. Congrats on your new snake and hope you enjoy it. I will posy some pics of mine in the photo section this weekend so you can see them.
Paul
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RE: First Rattlesnake!!! The Urocoan has landed!
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by ginny on June 24, 2006
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Thanks Alex. Wow dont they grow fast!! Dont worry i'll be careful!! Hey Paul, I feed all my snakes dead prey but that venom sure is quick. I looked at your profile and that is one amazing collection you have!! 14 Eastern Diamondback Rattlers not to mention the rest! Dont the EDB's get to 8 feet in length? How on earth do you manage to house a collection like that? Do they have their own house??? Thanks for the input, Mark.
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RE: First Rattlesnake!!! The Urocoan has landed!
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by Snake18 on June 24, 2006
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Oh,
At first, when the rattler would bite mice, they would die almost instantaneusly. I mean 2-3 seconds after the bite. But now they die slower...
Wierd
Alex S.
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RE: First Rattlesnake!!! The Urocoan has landed!
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by Cro on June 24, 2006
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Sounds like the WDB is learning to control how much venom is needed.
I am guessing a young snake does not know this, but has to learn this with experience.
It could be that there is somewhat of a fear response when you first started feeding him, as he did know what a mouse was, or if it was dangerous to him, so he gave a larger dose of venom the first times he was fed.
Now he knows the mice are not a threat, but just food.......
Just some speculation.
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: First Rattlesnake!!! The Urocoan has landed!
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by SimplySnakes on June 24, 2006
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The Easterns take up alot of space. I have them grouped in large cages in either pairs ortrios of females. The rattlesnakes have been my favorite snakes since the first one I kept. My plan is to phase out the other colubrids (about 70) that are not on my profile. This way I can focus on the rest of the rattlesnakes I have been meaning to keep. The easterns eat alot too, it's like having 14 5-6 foot burmese when it comes to weekly feeding, rats are costly. They are not just normals however, I have amelanistic, 50% patternless, and other weird patterns or morphs. I also do rescues that end up in my collection because of their locations being found. Last year I received from a trapper a juvenile found in a retirment community on a screen porch. I think you are going to love the Urocoans just like am. Good to talk to you.
Paul
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RE: First Rattlesnake!!! The Urocoan has landed!
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by ginny on June 24, 2006
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Hi Paul. Last week i bought myself a copy of "The venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere" to help me with my research on Crotalids from the Americas. Youre right , rattlesnakes are definately an interesting group of animals and i have to agree, the EDB has to be the best of the bunch. I love its head and the colours are gorgeous. Austin Stevens caught a fully grown one on a tv programme that he does and it looked awesome. What can you tell me about rattle development in rattlesnakes, When will the Urocoan actually use its rattle as a warning? Thanks, Mark.
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RE: First Rattlesnake!!! The Urocoan has landed!
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by Snake18 on June 25, 2006
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Mark, all rattlesnakes (except for the Santa Catalina Rattlesnake) use their rattle to warn potential threats of their presence. It`s a defensive response. It depends on the animal. My Western Diamondback starts rattling every time I go near its cage, that`s how defensive it is. In about one year you will hear a pretty loud noise from your vegrandis. Like I said in my previous message, rattlesnakes gain a button on their tail every time they shed. So, the more it eats, the more it groes, the more buttons it has on the end of its tail, the more noise it makes when it rattles.
Take care!
Alex S.
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RE: First Rattlesnake!!! The Urocoan has landed!
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by SimplySnakes on June 25, 2006
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Mark,
The baby Urocoans I have only have one rattle and a button. They rattle as soon as I start to open the cage. You cannot hear it well yet because it is so tiny. If I get close enough to them it sounds like a small beetle. Each time they shed a rattle segment will be added and as soon as they get big enough to have a few segments the sound should increase. Not all snakes kept in captivity will rattle. After they get used to seeing their keepers, they may not feel threatened. Some that I have do not rattle at all until hooked to a safe box for cage cleaning. Basically my Easterns all sound of as soon as the door to the room is opened. If they are in hide boxes they will remain silent. I have a female EDB with 17 segments and the rattle is not complete. Still, when that snake sounds off it is loud. It is unnerving to visitors when there are several rattlesnakes going off in the room at the same time. I think it is great though! Thats just me. Enjoy this wonderful creature.
Paul
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