第 0526 號，共 1 402 號

Black-tailed rattlesnake

Crotalus molossus

需要看醫生很少致命，但被咬了需要看醫生。

咬吃：肉

The black-tailed rattlesnake is a venomous pit viper that lives in the south-west of the United States and in Mexico. It is known as one of the calmest rattlesnakes, and it relies on camouflage rather than confrontation.1

分布在

South-western United States (Arizona, New Mexico, west and central Texas) and Mexico south to Oaxaca, plus some Gulf of California islands1

北美洲

首頁

It lives in grasslands, desert areas, and rocky and mountainous areas, as well as high-altitude forests. It has been recorded at elevations up to 2930 m. It is a primarily ground-dwelling species, but it is an able climber and an expert swimmer.1

長度

76 cm 到 1,1 m (2,5 ft 到 3,5 ft)1

最高速度

大約 3,6 km/h（2,2 mph）

在陸地上, 粗略估計

牠吃什麼？

Its main food sources are rodents, other small mammals, birds, and small reptiles such as small lizards.1

Black-tailed rattlesnake 的照片 — Black-tailed rattlesnake。照片：Caudatejake。 CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.

怎麼認出牠

Body colour ranges from yellows and olive greens to browns and black.1
The tail scales are entirely black, which gives the species its name.1
Often has a black band that runs across the eyes and down to the corners of the mouth, forming a facial 'mask'.1
Has a rattle made of keratin at the end of the tail.1

毒液力量

咬

咬的時候，毒液會從毒牙或牙齒出來。

牠的毒液有什麼作用？

Its venom is primarily hemotoxic, meaning it mainly acts on the blood and surrounding tissue, as with most crotalids (pit vipers). It is only about two-thirds as toxic as western diamondback venom. Because the venom is weaker, the snake has larger venom glands than most rattlesnakes in its region and injects large quantities into prey.1

牠對人有多危險？

對人的危險: 嚴重被咬了需要看醫生。死亡案例非常罕見。

Bites are fairly rare, because the snake is considered one of the most docile rattlesnakes. The venom is generally not fatal to humans.1

好消息：醫生有藥（抗毒血清）或治療方法。1

牠害怕時會做什麼？

It normally tries to slither away when confronted, but it will rattle when cornered, and it relies mostly on camouflage to avoid discovery.1

如果牠咬人

CroFab antivenom is often used to treat bites from this snake.1
讓傷者保持不動和冷靜，讓被咬的手臂或腿保持在和心臟一樣的高度，取下戒指和緊身的東西，並趕快送醫院。

一定要先打緊急電話（112、000、911）。這是一般急救指引，不是醫療建議。急救基本知識

注意安全

絕對不要碰、抓或捉弄野生動物，就算是很小的動物，就算牠看起來在睡覺或已經死了也一樣。
給牠空間。如果遇到了，保持冷靜，慢慢往後退，讓牠自己離開。
如果被牠咬了：保持冷靜，保持不動，打緊急電話（112、000、911）或趕快去醫院。記住牠的樣子，有照片會很有幫助。

牠不是想來抓你。牠用毒液來捕捉食物或保護自己，而且牠更想躲起來。更多安全知識

在世界上的哪裡？

非洲亞洲歐洲北美洲南美洲澳洲與大洋洲

牠有多大？

牠有多長？

跟 2 隻家貓從鼻子接到尾巴一樣長跟 6 根香蕉頭尾相接一樣長可以在 100 秒內跑完 100 公尺（最快的人類需要 9.6 秒）

Black-tailed rattlesnake 跟「你」比起來有多大？

只是在你的瀏覽器裡做算術。什麼都不會儲存，也不會傳送到任何地方。

牠有多快？

一隻陸龜 大約 0,3 km/h (0,19 mph)

Black-tailed rattlesnake 大約 3,6 km/h (2,2 mph)

一個正在走路的人 大約 5 km/h (3,1 mph)

值得知道

小知識

Its venom glands are larger than those of most rattlesnakes in its region, which compensates for its weaker venom.1

It is considered one of the most docile rattlesnakes because of its calm demeanour and curious nature.1

In the spring and fall it is mainly active during the day, but in summer it becomes nocturnal to avoid the heat.1

In winter it hibernates in dens made and abandoned by other animals, often sharing them with other snake species.1

Its lifespan averages 15 to 20 years.1

破解迷思

迷思： The number of segments in a rattle shows how old a rattlesnake is.

真相： Each time the snake sheds its skin, a new segment is added. Snakes can shed several times a year, and the rattle is fragile and can break, so its length is not an accurate guide to age unless the tip (terminal button) is intact.1

給毒液專家

學名: Crotalus molossus
類群: 響尾蛇
家人: Viperidae2
排序: Squamata
各大洲: 北美洲
寶寶: The female gives birth to live young in the summer. Litters can have as many as 10 to 12 young but usually average four to six.1
牠在野外的狀況: Least Concern1
對人的危險: 3 / 5: 嚴重3