i hav a question about baby rattle snakes

[SnakeKid22]

i was wondering if rattle snakes are born with rattles...Are they?? i want to tell the difference between baby rattlers and other snakes that look like them.
if u hav an answer thank you.

[Magnum]

No, they aren't born with rattles. They are born with a hard end to their tail that is considered the first rattle, but they don't get their second one until around 2-3 weeks old. I would be very careful messing with any pit viper. I have seen first hand what they can do to the human body and it's very painful, gross, and life threatening.

[kyukidojen]

I second that - be very, very careful... A newly hatched rattle snake packs enough venom to do plenty of damage - and even though it is small, it can still find a place to sink in those teeth if you threaten it (especially on your hand) - the venom causes major tissue damage, so you really need to watch yourself.

As a snake-nut myself, i'm wondering this - why do you want to know the difference?

[Jonergin]

Correct me if I'm wrong here but I believe that Rattlesnakes get a new section of the rattle each time they shed successfully. That would be how you can tell if its an old one or not; albeit that they do get into situations where they might lose a few bits of it.

[emroul]

Yep, jonergin, you're right. Each time a rattlesnake sheds, it gains one more "button" to its rattle. And babies are born with only one button that makes no noise when they try to "rattle" it. It takes 2-3 buttons at least before you hear any sort of buzz from it.

[I_Love_Iggy]

Rattlesnakes as babys look alot like kingsnakes. I remember Ellen Degenerous asking this question on her show lol. But yeah the only way to tell them apart really when their babys is by the eyes. The rattle snake has the usual slitted eyes, while the king has the round eyes.

[Goldfishlove]

you should put your thread in other pet forums they can help you there more