The sidewinder is the most specialized of all rattlesnakes-it's perfectly built for life in the desert. Scorching hot sand is no problem for this stealthy predator. The sidewinder hurls itself sideways, barely touching the ground, as it searches for its favorite prey-small rodents and lizards-which it kills with a venomous bite.
Desert Camo: The colors of the sidewinder's scales-which range from tan and brown to pink or gray-help it blend into its sandy surroundings. The snake also has darker patches on its back and dark stripes that run backward from its eyes.
Around the Horns: The sidewinder is sometimes called the horned rattlesnake because of the horn-like scales over each of its eyes. These "horns" fold down to cover the snake's eyes, protecting them from sand when the sidewinder burrows underground.
Side Effects[]
The sidewinder's unique form of travel leaves very distinctive tracks in the sand.
Most snakes have a hard time gripping a loose, sandy surface, but not the sidewinder. It gets its name from the unique method it uses to move across the desert sands. Instead of slithering over the ground like other snakes, the sidewinder only uses two body parts to travel. The snake throws its head forward, then-using its chin as an anchor-pulls the rest of its body behind, touching just one loop to the ground and leaving wavy, parallel tracks in its wake. Not only does sidewinding look cool, it helps the snake stay cool since only two body parts are ever touching the hot ground.
Road Kill: The greatest threat to a sidewinder is the roadrunner, which shares its habitat. The bird will hop all around the snake, forcing it to make repeated strikes. When the sidewinder is too tired to strike again, the roadrunner uses its strong, sharp beak to kill the snake.
Makes Sense: Although it doesn't have ears, a sidewinder can "hear" with its entire body-by feeling vibrations through the loose sand.
Strike Force[]
Like all rattlesnakes, the sidewinder strikes from a coiled position, throwing the front third of its body forward and lunging in a lightning-quick attack. When a sidewinder attacks a rodent, it bites the animal to inject its venom and then releases it, tracking down the rodent once the toxin has taken effect. When hunting lizards, the snake bites and holds its prey until the venom kicks in.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The Sidewinder shares it's genus, Crotalus, with the Cascabel and Western Diamondback Rattlesnake.
- It shares it's species name, Cerastes, with the Desert Horned Viper.