Sidewinders can reach a traveling speed of 18mph.

Sidewinder rattlesnakes are relatively small at 18 to 32 inches long. They live in a desert habitat. These snakes are named for their unique movement. They have powerful venom and eat rodents, birds, and lizards.

3 Sidewinder Amazing Facts

• The hornlike structures on this snake’s head are why it’s sometimes called a horned rattlesnake
• It gives live birth to its young in a burrow
• It sometimes uses its tail as a lure to attract prey such as lizards and birds

Where to Find a Sidewinder

Sidewinders are North American snakes living in the United States and Mexico. They live in a desert habitat in the southeastern part of California, southwestern Utah, southern Nevada, and the western portion of Arizona. In addition, they are found in western Sonora and Baja California in Mexico.

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This snake is active during the day throughout the cooler weather months. Alternatively, it’s nocturnal during the warm weather season. Depending on their home region, some sidewinders go into brumation for the cold weather season.

The mating season of this pit viper starts in April and extends into July. This is when these snakes are especially active. One of the most intriguing facts about this reptile is male sidewinders sometimes travel for hours to find a female.

Types of Sidewinders

The sidewinder belongs to the Viperidae family. It has two subspecies of sidewinder that are very similar in appearance. The main factor that differentiates the three total subspecies is location.

The two other subspecies are:

• Sonoran Desert Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes cercobombus)-This snake makes its home in Sonora, Mexico, and southern Arizona. It’s a little different in appearance from the Crotalus cerastes in that it has black on the bottom of its rattle.
• Colorado Desert Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes laterorepens)-The range of this pit viper extends from the southeastern part of Mexico into California. It also lives in the Colorado River valley.

Sidewinder Scientific Name

Crotalus cerastes is the scientific name of the sidewinder rattlesnake. It’s also called the horned rattlesnake. Its Latin name cerastes translates to the word horn.

It’s in the Viperidae family and Reptilia class.

Sidewinder Population and Conservation Status

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species states this rattlesnake has a stable population of over 100,000 adults. It’s reported as Least Concern.

How to Identify Sidewinders: Appearance and Description

When you think about a sidewinder you may envision a very large snake moving sideways through the desert sand. But this snake is surprisingly small at 18 to 32 inches long.

It has a triangular-shaped, a flat head, and a hornlike structure above each of its eyes.

This snake is a pit viper, so it has a pit or hole on each side of its snout. The sidewinder uses these pits to detect the location of its prey. These pits are sensitive to the infrared radiation given off by rodents, birds, and other animals.

The scales of a sidewinder have a rough, sturdy texture. This is an adaptation helping the snake to move through the hot sand of its desert habitat. The scales of this snake are light in color from tan to pale gray. It has a pattern of darker brown or gray spots on its back. There is a dark stripe near each eye of this pit viper. Its neutral coloration is another adaptation that helps it survive in the desert. They blend into their habitat very easily!

It has a line of segmented rattles on its tail. Like other types of rattlesnakes, the sidewinder shakes its rattled tail as a warning to threats to move away. One of the most interesting facts about this snake’s rattles is they are hollow. It’s the segments of the rattle hitting one another that creates the warning sound.

How to identify a sidewinder:

• Tan or light gray base color
• Dark brown or gray splotches on its back
• Hornlike structure above each eye
• A triangular, flat head
• A dark brown or black stripe next to each eye

Sidewinder Venom: How Dangerous Are They?

Sidewinders can deliver venom through their bite. But they are shy snakes and are more likely to give a warning by rattling their tail or trying to escape with great speed.

If you’re bitten by a sidewinder, the first thing to do is call an ambulance. This snake’s venom causes serious symptoms if the bite is not treated.

While waiting for emergency medical services, move to a shaded area and stay as still as possible. If you have jewelry or a watch on the wounded limb, take it off in case there’s extreme swelling. Wash the wound gently with soap and water without dipping it under water. Put a bandage over the injury.

If possible, take note of the time of the bite so you can tell medical professionals how long the venom has been in your system.

Sidewinder Behavior and Humans

Sidewinders are shy snakes. So, if it bites it usually happens accidentally. Someone may step on the snake without seeing it or reach into an area where the snake cannot escape. The snake bites because it’s frightened.

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