These slight differences between one species and the next mean that their various defensive noises will sound different, too.
Their biological makeup can mean their bone structure is larger or smaller, their muscles more rigid or flexible, and so on. Just as each human sounds different than the next, each snake species sounds different than the next. Most of the noises are caused by some kind of inflating or contracting of muscles, or the expulsion of air through their various vents. Snakes don’t have a lot to work with when it comes to making noises. We can’t imagine why… Some Snakes Whistle Instead of Hissing The muscles that produce the popping noise are present in all snakes, but there hasn’t been much study on snake flatulence in the scientific community besides the Sonoran coral snake and western hook-nosed snake. This suggests that noise is an effective defense mechanism against a common predator the snakes share. The popping noises made by these two snakes differ in frequency and pitch, but the interesting thing is that these two snakes overlap in their territories. It’s described as an ‘expulsion of air from the cloacal vent.’ This is a really sciency way of saying that the snakes literally flatulate when they feel threatened. Defensive Snakes Make Popping NoisesĪlmost all sounds that come from a snake are meant to warn, intimidate, scare, or threaten a potential predator.Īccording to an article in the Journal of Herpetology, the Sonoran coral snake and the western hook-nosed snake use an interesting defensive noise when they feel threatened. Even nonvenomous snakes have been observed shaking their rear ends. Shaking the tail is a signature move of rattlesnakes, but other pit vipers like copperheads and cottonmouths will also shake their tails menacingly when they feel threatened. A rattlesnake’s tail will not begin rattling until it has at least two layers of keratin to click together. This is one of the reasons why baby rattlesnakes are so dangerous. However, after about 10 or so keratin rings, they begin to fall off before being replaced by new ones. Rattles continually grow with each shedding as another layer of keratin is added to the tail. Its message is clear: Don’t come any closer! When the tail vibrates back and forth, the tough keratin segments click against each other.īecause the keratin pieces are hollow, the clicking gets amplified and produces a rattle that can be heard from a pretty far distance. On a snake, the keratin fits loosely together at the end of its tail. Keratin is the same stuff that makes up human fingernails. So, how do these serpents make their tails sound like musical instruments? Rattlesnakes aren’t the only snakes that rattle their tail, but they are the most iconic. Snakes Rattle Their Tails To Warn PredatorsĮven if you don’t live in an area with rattlesnakes, you’ve probably heard that when a rattlesnake rattles, it’s time to skedaddle. Bull snakes are non-venomous, so the rattle noise is meant to scare potential predators away, duping them into believing they’re dealing with a venomous rattlesnake. These slithery reptiles can modify their hiss so that it resembles a rattle. One of the only exceptions to the rule is the bull snake. When snakes hiss, they’re simply telling a predator to back off. So, if you’re walking down a path and talking loudly, this will not alert a snake to your presence anywhere near as much as the vibrations from your footsteps.Īn article in the Journal of Experimental Biology found that the sound of snake hisses varies little between species, which means there’s no great mystery behind what a hiss means. They use their middle ear bone’s connection to the jaw bone to ‘hear’ vibrations.
The cool thing is, snakes can still sense sound! So, how do they do it?Īccording to an article in the University of Chicago Press Journals, snakes use what is called somatic hearing. What that boils down to is snakes don’t have the necessary parts to hear as humans hear. They lack an outer ear as well as something called a tympanic middle ear. Snakes aren’t like most animals that make noises. But before we talk about hissing, let’s talk a little about snake anatomy. Hissing is one of the most common sounds that a snake makes. Snakes Hiss To Intimidate Potential Predators As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Just to add – when you shop using links from Pest Pointers, we may earn affiliate commissions if you make a purchase.
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