Rattlesnakes preying

Chizar D. Walters A., Urbaniak J., Smith H., et al. (1999). Discrimination between envenomed and non-envenomed prey by W. Diamond-backed rattlesnakes (C. atrox). Copeia 3, 640-648. 

Experience can further hone behaviors that are already present in naive animals. From 28 to 138 days of age, neonate rattlesnakes [Crotalus viridis and C. horridus) recognize and attack prey. They also show chemosensory searching and trailing. The initial trailing is Jerky and erratic, but after several feeding experiences becomes more methodical (Scudder etal., 1992). 

Two phenomena of reptilian prey searching are well investigated responses of various snakes to the odors of invertebrates, and rattlesnakes trailing of envenomated small mammals. 

Timber rattlesnakes, Crotalus horridus, are ambush hunters. They assume the ambush posture after smelling prey odors. In the laboratory, these snakes recoil the front part of their body into the ambush posture after flicking their tongues... 

The rattlesnake C. viridis searches for the particular odor it had experienced when striking the prey. In one experiment, snakes were induced to strike perfume-treated mice. Then they were exposed to perfumed, but non-envenomated, carcasses. The snakes preferred a carcass with the same odor as the originally struck mouse. In a second experiment, snakes preferred the carcasses of mice on the same diet as the ones they had struck. Thus rattlesnakes form a... 

Chiszar, D., Melner, T., and Lee, R. (1990). Chemical cues used by prairie rattlesnakes Cro-talus viridis) to follow trails of rodent prey. Journal of Chemical Ecology 16,79-86. 

Duvall, D., Scudder, K. M., and Chiszar, D. (1980). Rattlesnake predatory Behavior mediation of prey discrimination and release of swallowing by cues arising from enveno-mated mice. AnimalBehaviour 18,674-683. 

Graves, B. M. and Duvall, D. (1985). Avomic prairie rattlesnakes [Crotalus viridis) fail to attack rodent prey. ZeitschriftfurTierpsychologie 67,161-166. 

Lavin-Murcio, P., Robinson, B. G., and Kardong, K. (1993). Cues involved in relocation of struck prey by rattlesnakes, Crotalis viridis oreganus. Herpetologica 49,463-469. 

Melcer, T. and Chiszar, D. (1989). Striking prey creates a specific chemical search image in rattlesnakes. AnimalBehaviour 37,477-486. 

Smith, T. L. and Kardong, K. V. (2000). Absence of polarity perception by rattlesnakes of envenomated prey trails. Journal of Herpetology 34,621-624. 

Consequently, the purpose of our experiments was to see if blood alone carried chemical cues used during poststrike trailing by the rattlesnake to relocate its envenomated prey. 

Chiszar, D., Radcliffe, C, W., O Connell, B., and Smith, H. M., 1981, Strike-induced chemosensory searching in rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis) as a function of disturbance prior to presentation of rodent prey, Psychol Rec. 32 57-62. 

Chiszar, D, Walters, A, Urbaniak, J., Smith, H. M., and Mackessy, S. P., 1999b, Discrimination between envenomated and nonenvenomated prey by Western diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus atrox). Chemosensory consequences of venom, Copeia 1999 640-648. 

Gillingham, J. C., and Clark, D. L., 1981, An analysis of prey searching behavior in the western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), Behav. Neural Bio. 32 235-240. 

Robinson, B. G., and K. V. Kardong, 1991, Relocation of struck prey by venomoid (venom-less) rattlesnakes Crotalus viridis oreganus. Bull. Maryland Herpet. Soc. 27 23-30. 

Relocation of the envenomated prey is crucial to the survival of the snake. Therefore, multiple cues could be used by the rattlesnake during relocation to insure... 

Twenty-three northern Pacific rattlesnakes Crotalus viridis oreganus) were used as the test animals. All individuals were housed in separate 10 gallon aquaria and kept on a 12h/12h l d cycle at 30°C. Water was provided ad libitum, and the aquaria were lined with newspaper. Prey items used during all experiments were Swiss-Webster mice obtained the day of the trial from a large breeding colony. 

Furry, K., Swain, T., and Chiszar, D., 1991, Strike-induced chemosensory searching and trail following by prairie rattlesnakes (Crolalus viridis) preying upon deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) chemical discrimination among individual mice, Herpelologica 47(l) 69-78. 

Brock, 0. G., 1980, Predatory Behavior of Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus) Field Enclosure and Y-maze Laboratory Studies, Emphasizing Prey Trailing Behavior, unpublished doctoral dissertation, Florida State University. 

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