Halloween Trick or Treat?

[Bay_area]

nice performance
is it normal to have clutches so late in the year?

Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes, C. organus, usually have their clutch in late September in the wild. However, I guess some of them do not read the book that says that is when they are to have babies The ones I keep @ home generally give birth between June & July. One note, a rattlesnake can store the sperm for up to 5 years. I have had rattlesnakes that have not been with a male for 2 years give birth. I keep my adults seperate now because I do not want to produce anymore rattlesnakes, but still had babies this year. A friend of mine has a rattlesnake that has given birth during burmation & just after burmation.

Rattlesnakes usually "den" together & will return to the same den each year for burmation. This female must of got seperated due to pregnancy. Al Wolf, with Sonoma Reptile Rescue, will probly take these ones out & release them @ known dens if no one adopts them.

pic of mine giving birth a couple of years ago




the babes!

[Lori P]

Rhea, too much birthday partying?? :-) Or too much trickle-treating?? Wake up, wake up, it's a GORGEOUS day here in Va... the sun is chirping, the birds are shining... how about in NYC??

[RZL36]

I'm right across the bay in Jersey. It is really nice. Not too hot, not too cold. Sun shining. Perfect day to "work" from home.

[anji1971]

I am so tired right now I keep feeling like I'm gonna burst into tears any moment for no reason
and I'm at work, and you guys are the only thing keeping me from keeling over

Rhea, you poor dear!!! It does sound as though you over-celebrated slightly last night....... take a nice long nap when you get home......

[quote=Lori P;31532]....the sun is chirping, the birds are shining...

Lori, it sounds like you may have been up a bit too late last night, too.....!!!!

Yes, I finally figured out the multi-quote thing, too! Slowly but surely.......

[anji1971]

By the way, those rattlers are pretty neat!! The babies look so funny with their itty-bitty rattles!! But I'm glad you had to deal with them and not me.....YIKES!!!

[Lori P]

Oh, lol, silly me, I forgot to comment on the pics!! Those pics of the momma giving birth are AMAZING!!!!! Thanks so much for sharing them!! I printed them out and put them in my boss's inbox (the boss that has "snake issues"); LOL, he's gonna be soooooo annoyed!

[drache]

Rhea, you poor dear!!! It does sound as though you over-celebrated slightly last night....... take a nice long nap when you get home......

celebrate what?
I haven't celebrated my birthday since I left Germany
Halloween - remember?
I did enjoy my new neighbourhood"s Halloween displays and costumes
Mikhaila made a ravishing vampire
because of a make-up crisis, we ran really late and I don't have pics
Jeff took us to Sushi after, but by then I was too tired to have much of an appetite
I must remember to re-schedule my birthday next year

oops
I just realized - this is the rattlesnake rescue thread
rattlers do protect their eggs and give their young a bit of a head start, I think

[RZL36]

Crotalus babies do hang around for a few days. Not sure if it has any pedagogical purposes, but it is really interesting. Does anyone know of other species that do this?

[Lori P]

pedagogical

Oooooh GOOD WORD! I like, I use!! :-)

[adamanteus]

Certain Cobras 'seem' to protect their young for a short time....they certainly guard their eggs fiercely. I have experienced this first hand.

Rhea, Rattlers don't lay eggs, they're live-bearing.

I think (but don't really know) that young Rattlers may remain around the mother for protection, but this is merely a bi-product of the mother protecting herself, rather than any kind of maternal (or pedagogical, excellent word, Rich) instinct.