Black Mamba vs Rattlesnake: Who Would Win in a Fight?

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What happens if we pit the most dangerous snake in the Americas against the most dangerous snake overall? That’s what we’re going to figure out by examining a black mamba vs rattlesnake battle.

The rattlesnake is an iconic venomous reptile that lives in the western hemisphere. It’s a common sight in the Southwestern United States, with about half of all rattlesnake species being found in Arizona alone. Fortunately, good antivenoms and proper medical infrastructure have limited the deaths caused by this snake.

In parts of southern and eastern Africa, the most dangerous snake alive resides. The black mamba isn’t often seen, but its bite has a 100% mortality rate if left untreated. Determining the winner of this battle will require some close examinations of important data!

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Comparing a Black Mamba and a Rattlesnake

What Are Key Differences Between a Black Mamba and a Rattlesnake?

The key differences between a black mamba and a rattlesnake include their size, venom, and head shape. The black mamba is a long, thin snake that can measure up to 9.5ft and 4.5lbs, possesses a powerful neurotoxic venom, and has a coffin-shaped head, but a rattlesnake has a triangular head, a hemotoxic venom, and grows upwards of 8ft long and 10lbs in weight.

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These differences are important to understand, but they do not tell the whole story. We are going to take a closer look at other key factors and get a fuller understanding of this matchup.

What Are the Key Factors in a Fight Between a Black Mamba and a Rattlesnake?

The biggest factors in any fight are usually size, speed, and offensive powers. That remains the same in this case, but we must also consider unique qualities as well. We’re going to assign advantages in five categories to these snakes and then make our final determination.

Black Mamba vs Rattlesnake: Size

The rattlesnake is heavier but often shorter than the black mamba. The larger black mambas can grow anywhere from 9.5ft to 14ft in length, giving them a length advantage over the rattlesnake. However, rattlesnakes can weigh twice as much as black mambas or more owing to their thicker bodies.

We’re going to call size a draw between these two reptiles in terms of size.  

Black Mamba vs Rattlesnake: Speed and Movement

The black mamba is much faster than most rattlesnakes. This snake can move at blazing speeds of between 7-12 mph and supposedly up to 20 mph. The rattlesnake moves at about 3 mph in most cases. The exception is the sidewinder rattlesnake which can move at 18 mph. That’s over short distances, though.

Black mambas have the speed advantage.

Black Mamba vs Rattlesnake: Venom

The black mamba has deadlier venom than the rattlesnake. Black mambas have a neurotoxin that is deadly enough to kill between 10 and 20 humans with a single bite. They inject over 100g of their venom on each bite, and they envenomate with each bite.

Rattlesnakes only envenomate in about 60%to 80% of their bites, and they use a slower-acting hemotoxic venom.

Black mambas have the advantage in venom. Getting bitten by them is almost assuredly going to kill an animal.

Black Mamba vs Rattlesnake: Physical Defenses

Most of the time, black mambas use their speed to get away from confrontations. They are also known for being very aggressive, and that’s enough to make other animals think twice about fighting them.

Rattlesnakes are good at hiding and they have camouflage to help them blend in. They also have a threat display that uses their iconic rattle, and they curl up into a striking position from which they can launch very fast attacks.

Black mambas have the advantage for defenses because a good offense is the best defense.

Black Mamba vs Rattlesnake: Combat Skills

Rattlesnakes and black mambas are both ambush predators. They wait for their prey and then deliver a powerful envenomated bite. The black mamba can raise over a third of its body off the ground to give it a lot of distance with which to strike. It can move at a faster speed than the rattlesnake, too. The snake also bites several times to make the most out of its attacks.

Rattlesnakes are very fast and have powerful venom. They’re also pit vipers that can detect the heat from their prey to help them home in on their bodies before striking.

Both snakes kill in roughly the same way, so we’re going to call basic combat skills a tie.  

Who Would Win in a Fight Between a Black Mamba and a Rattlesnake?

A black mamba would win a fight against a rattlesnake due to its length and potent venom. A fight between these two would be decided by the ability to land that first strike and make it deadly.

The rattlesnake would most likely deliver a bite with venom, but it might not be able to land the first hit. The black mamba is a thin, fast target that can strike from farther away and has the speed to land a bite on the rattlesnake’s body.

The other most important factor, in this case, is the potency of the snakes’ venom. A rattlesnake’s hemotoxic venom can assuredly kill other snakes. However, it is not as fast-acting or as deadly as a neurotoxin.

If both snakes landed a bite at the same time and were roughly the same size, the rattlesnake would die first. The more likely outcome is that a black mamba would land a strike using its superior speed, essentially killing the rattlesnake before it could counter. Even if the fight did see both animals striking one another, the rattlesnake would die first. We’re calling this a win for the black mamba.