Why is My Corn Snake Rattling Tail?

corn snake rattling tail

The corn snake is known for its ability to adapt to different environments and survive in habitats that would kill most animals. You can easily see them in North America and parts of Europe.

They are usually brownish-grey in color but may vary depending on where they come from. Some species of corn snake are known to grow larger than two feet long.

The corn snake rattles its tail as a warning signal to other snakes. It also uses this sound to communicate with humans. It happened because they have adapted to live alongside us. So when you hear this noise from a corn snake, it could mean that other snakes are nearby.

This article will help you to know why a corn snake rattling tail.

Reasons why Corn Snakes Rattling Tails!

A corn snake is a nonvenomous snake that belongs to the family Colubridae. The corn snake has two subspecies: Western corn snake (Pantherophis obsoletus) and Eastern corn snake (Panthera pictiventris). Both of them are found in North America.

Here are the top 4 reasons a Corn snake rattles its tail.

  • To Show Aggression
  • To warn predators to stay away
  • The rattling tail can be used to  tell other snakes that they are in danger
  • To communicate among corn snakes themselves

we are going to discuss all these point steps by step

Corn Snakes Rattling Tails to show aggression.

When a corn snake starts to rattle its tail, it is aggressive towards another animal or human being. If someone tries to pick up a corn snake, it will begin rattling its tail.

It shows that the corn snake wants to defend itself. It might be defending itself against an attack or want to get rid of the person who tried to touch it.

But if the person does not understand the meaning of the rattling, then they can easily mistake it for something else. For example, it is widespread for people to think that rattling tails mean that the snake is happy or excited. But this is not true.

Corn Snakes Rattling Tails To warn predators to stay away.

If a predator comes near a corn snake, it will start rattling its tail to warn the predator. Of course, the predator might ignore the warning sign, but at least it knows a snake is around.

So next time you see a corn snake, ensure you don’t approach it. In the event of a mishap, you could get bit.

You might be interested in What To Do If A Rat Chewed On My Snake?

Corn Snakes Rattling Tails To signal to other snakes that they are in danger.

It is one of the main reasons why corn snakes use their rattling tails. When a corn snake starts rattling, it’ll send out a message to other snakes that they should leave the area immediately.

It works like a radar system. A snake senses the vibrations of the rattling tail and understands that there is a threat nearby.

Corn Snakes Rattle Their Tail to Communicate Among Themselves

One more critical thing that corn snakes do is to communicate among themselves.

For example, if one corn snake sees another, it will rattle its tail to let him know another snake is around.

Now, here is an interesting fact. Corn snakes can tell how many other snakes are around. They can count the number of rattling tails.

That’s right! They can even tell whether there are any other snakes beside themselves.

So the next time you see a corn snake rattling its tail, try counting the number of times it does. You might find some new facts about corn snakes.

How Do Corns Snakes Rattle Tails?

Corn snakes use their tails to communicate, much like humans use our hands to speak—corn snakes use their tails to warn others about danger and even to attract mates.

The snake uses a particular type of tissue called keratin, similar to human fingernails. Keratin is a protein in hair, horns, claws, hooves, and scales.

When corn snakes shed their skins, they grow a new section of keratin every time. That allows them to add more sections to their rattles over time.

Each segment of a corn snake is made up of keratin, a rigid material found in the outer layer of a reptile’s skin. When a snake shakes its tail, the segments rub together, creating a sound.

How to handle a corn snake if it rattles its tail?

Most people panic while seeing any snake, not just the corn snake, but anyone, and sometimes they make those decisions that they realize they have done something wrong. However, we can also handle the corn snake while rattling its tail.

Do this when you want to handle the corn snakes while rattling.

First, don’t panic! If you see a rattling corn snake, relax and stay calm. The corn snake may not mean anything wrong at all. It could simply be playing with itself.

However, if you feel uncomfortable with the rattling corn snake, you can gently move away from the area. Some people say that this helps to scare off the rattling corn snake as well.

Also, if you want to get rid of the rattling corn snake once and for all, you can place your hand near the corn snake’s head. It will make the rattling stop immediately.

If you still want to play with the rattling corn snake after this, you can always give it a gentle squeeze on its neck. That will help to calm down the rattling corn snake.

In conclusion

The rattling of a snake’s tail can warn others of danger. However, it can also alert people to a snake’s presence. When you see a rattling bottom, there may be another snake nearby. If you have any questions related to snakes, feel free to ask. We’d be happy to answer.

Jennifer

ad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536?s=150&d=mm&r=gforcedefault=1

I'm Jennifer Mecham, worked for 7 years in an animal shelter in New York. I created this blog to educate people about these amazing creatures and to show them that reptiles can make great pets. Join me on this journey as we explore the world of reptiles.

About The Author

Scroll to Top