Animal of the Day
Friday, September 25, 2026
Reptile Least Concern
Sidewinder
Crotalus cerastes
The sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes) is a small horned rattlesnake that sidewinds across sand in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Adults weigh about 150 g, hunt lizards and rodents at night, leave J-shaped tracks on dunes, and are listed Least Concern.
- Scientific name
- Crotalus cerastes
- Diet
- Carnivore (lizards and rodents)
- Habitat
- Sandy desert dunes and creosote flats
- Lifespan
- Around 12 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity).
- Weight
- About 0.15 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary).