yet as mentioned before they are the most venomous rattlesnakes, comparable to cobras.Sidewinders are the most intriguing of all rattlesnakes. They zip across sand leaving a side-winding trail behind. The reason they wind is to minimize the amount of their body that comes in contact with the ground; which is normally sand and very hot to the touch. If Sidewinders did not use this method of winding their body temperature would get to high. Sidewinders yield a small amount of venom, normally about 20-35 mg. A lethal dose is around 50 mg, which most Sidewinders are incapable of carrying. There are one species of and two subspecies of Sidewinder Rattlesnakes, the Colorado Sidewinder, The Sonoran Sidewinder and the Desert Sidewinder.Prairie Rattlesnakes (also known as Western Rattlesnakes) have subspecies as well; they include the Grand Canyon Rattlesnake, the Hopi Rattlesnake, the Arizona Black Rattlesnake, and the Great Basin Rattlesnake. These snakes are mainly found in or around Arizona. The Arizona Black is normally found at elevations above 6000 feet. They are black in color, which helps them to absorb heat to maintain body temperature. These snakes commonly yield about 75-160 mg of venom. The lethal dose is about the same as their yield. Rattlesnakes are a very necessary part of nature. Without them rodents would overrun and maybe even takeover most of the rattlers normal habitat as well as human habitats. Most rattlesnake bite victims, approximately 90%, are doing something to the snake they should not be doing. Ten percent of bites are considered legitimate bites, which normally occur by someone stepping on the snake. Bibliographyhttp://www.atasteofeldorado.com/rattlesnakes.htmlhttp://www.venomousreptiles.orgJacobs, James Q. Rattlesnakes of Arizona, http:// www.geocities.com...
