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Sidewinder
Crotalus cerastes
A small desert-dwelling pit viper famous for sidewinding and horn-like scales. It burrows in loose sand, requiring a dry, desert-themed enclosure with a steep thermal gradient.
Class:Squamata
Order:Squamata
Family:Viperidae
Subfamily:Crotalinae
Genus:Crotalus
Species:Crotalus cerastes
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
25 - 45 %
Day temperature
18 - 34 °C
Ambient temperature
18 - 34 °C
Night temperature
22.5 - 24.5 °C
Basking spot
32 - 35 °C
Adult size
84 cm
Minimum enclosure
>= 120 L
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: This species is native to the arid desert regions of the southwestern United States (including California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah) and northwestern Mexico (Sonora and Baja California). It primarily inhabits sandy desert dunes, windblown sand flats, and dry gravelly washes where sparse xerophytic vegetation grows.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belonging to the family Viperidae, subfamily Crotalinae, and genus Crotalus. Three subspecies are recognized: Crotalus cerastes cerastes (Mojave desert sidewinder), Crotalus cerastes laterorepens (Colorado desert sidewinder), and Crotalus cerastes cercobombus (Sonoran desert sidewinder), distinguished by scale counts.
Behavior and Habits: Strictly solitary and nocturnal during the scorching summer months, turning crepuscular or diurnal in cooler seasons. It is renowned for its sidewinding movement, which minimizes contact with hot sand. It burrows into loose sand using its body scales (cratering) to ambush prey.
Morphology: A small rattlesnake, typically reaching 50 to 80 cm in length. It features characteristic raised supraocular scales that resemble horns, which fold over the eyes during burrowing. The coloration is sandy tan, cream, or gray with rectangular blotches, and a rattle at the tail tip.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Provide a dry desert-themed enclosure measuring at least 90x50x50 cm. The substrate must consist of 5-8 cm of fine, dry play sand or desert reptile sand to facilitate natural cratering behavior. Secure heavy rocks directly to the enclosure floor.
Lighting and Heating: Establish a steep thermal gradient with a basking spot of 32-35°C (90-95°F) and a cool zone of 24-26°C (75-78°F). Nighttime temperatures should drop to 18-20°C (64-68°F). Install a 10-12% UVB light source on a 12-hour cycle.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain very low humidity levels, strictly between 25% and 35%. Do not spray the enclosure. Provide a shallow, stable water dish in the coolest corner, ensuring the substrate surrounding it remains completely dry.
Feeding and Supplementation: Feed appropriate-sized thawed mice or small rats every 10-12 days using long feeding forceps. Dust the food with calcium and vitamin D3 supplements once a month for juveniles, and less frequently for mature adults.
Compatibility: Strictly solitary and highly venomous. Specimens must be housed individually to prevent stress, fights, or accidental envenomation. Enclosures must be locked at all times to prevent unauthorized access or escape.
Health and Common Diseases: High humidity or damp substrate quickly causes respiratory infections and blister disease (scale rot). Check the rattle regularly to ensure it is free from debris, and use snake hooks for safe husbandry maintenance.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
This species is native to the arid desert regions of the southwestern United States (including California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah) and northwestern Mexico (Sonora and Baja California). It primarily inhabits sandy desert dunes, windblown sand flats, and dry gravelly washes where sparse xerophytic vegetation grows.
Origin
Central America and CaribbeanNorth America
Reptile profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 84 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 84 cm. The ReptTraits v1.2 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 84 cm for this species, recorded as total length (TL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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