The Western Rattlesnake's Diet

The Western Rattlesnake is a medium to large snake common in the western United States, Mexico and Canada. There are many subspecies of the snake. It is a venomous snake that feeds on a variety of prey, including birds, reptiles and rodents.

  1. Hunting

    • The Western Rattlesnake is a "pit viper," a classification which includes a number of different snakes. The snake has two heat-sensing organs called Loreal glands on its face which allow it to track warm-blooded animals. In hot weather, the snake tends to hunt at night, but will hunt in the daylight when the weather cools.

    Venom

    • The Western Rattlesnake paralyzes and kills prey by means of venom injected through its formidable fangs. This is in contrast to some other snakes, which squeeze their prey to death. The Western Rattlesnake's venom is potent to the point that it is dangerous to humans as well as the animals it preys on.

    Prey

    • The Western Rattlesnake preys on a variety of animals. Eighty percent of the snake's prey is rodents such as rats and mice, but Western Rattlesnakes will also eat most anything available to them, including nesting birds and other snakes. The diet of a Western Rattlesnake varies depending on the region the snake lives in. A snake in British Columbia, for example, eats differently than one in Arizona.

    Eating

    • The Western Rattlesnake swallows prey whole. Like other snakes, the Western Rattlesnake can swallow prey of greater diameter than its own body. The snake's detachable jaw and expandable ribcage allow this action.

    Digestion

    • The snake digests food slowly, often bearing a lump of recently eaten prey which is plainly visible along the snake's length. However, the snake's venom helps to begin breaking down prey even before it is swallowed.