Tuesday, August 10, 2010

RATTLESNAKE MATING OR COMBAT DANCE

Sharon a friend of mine at work loves to visit Skyline drive and shared this photo her partner took of two Timber Rattlesnakes (one dark phase and one yellow phase) engaged in either mating or a combat dance right next to Skyline Drive. Sharon is pretty sure it did not appear to be a combat dance so she is voting for mating.
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Male rattlesnakes engage in an almost ritualized combat dance in which they do not hurt each other but rear up off the ground and then try to push each other down to the ground. Almost like a game of thumb wrestling. The winner gets to mate with the nearby female. Here are two links to a video but if you google there are others:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5fsLBRO_Cg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwoFPiYRm-g

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2 comments:

  1. UnknownAugust 12, 2010 at 7:32 AM

    That's an awesome catch. I bet it was fascinating to watch.

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  2. Leolady1March 30, 2011 at 6:49 PM

    You can't beat these two Timber Rattlesnakes for color and size in comparison with our Diamondbacks here in Arizona. April 2010 when my husband and I drove into our driveway we saw this ritual combat dance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8rQO-9J5Zg

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