Although rattlesnakes are opportunistic feeders, mice and other small rodents comprise the bulk of the diet of many species (e.g., Diller and Johnson, 1988; Rowe and Owings, 1990; Macartney, 1989; Duvall et al., 1990a, b). Rodents are procured by means of an envenomating strike, during which variable quantities of venom are injected into prey (Hayes, 1991a, b, 1992, 1993; Hayes et al., 1992). Adult mice are usually released immediately after being struck, presumably to avoid retaliatory injury (Kardong, 1986a). Envenomated prey may subsequently wander several meters or more before succumbing to the venom (Hayes, 1992). Dispatched prey are then relocated by strike-induced chemosensory searching (SICS), which allows the snake to follow the trail of and relocate the envenomated rodent (reviewed by Chiszar et al., 1983; Furry et al., 1991). Rattlesnakes also feed on birds, but to a lesser extent
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
William K. Hayes (1992) studied this question.