Watch a Man Stumble Upon a Massive Den Teeming With Hundreds of Rattlesnakes

Rattlesnakes have been the bane of many desert hikers forever. However, did you know they’re just as scared of us as we might be of them? In the below clip, we are given a lot of up close and personal time with an entire nest of prairie rattlesnakes. Found in a majority of the arid stretches between southern Canada all the way to northern Mexico, these slithery friends are as numerous as they are shocking. Just in case you were wondering, this humongous den was discovered in Montana.

Try and Count Just How Many There Are in This Video!

Although the serpents we see in the footage above are not attacking the bold cameraman, it’s advised to keep your distance from critters like this. You see, they are highly venomous and bites can sometimes be fatal. If you’re planning to travel where rattlesnakes are known to roam, please feel free to check out this handy guide to snake safety.

That said, let’s watch our step and journey forth into learning more about this common, but still fascinating, reptile.

Are Rattlesnakes Aggressive?

Let’s face it: snakes look absolutely terrifying. However, just because they’re venomous doesn’t mean they’re outright hostile. Obviously, when it’s time to hunt and eat, they’ll undoubtedly sneak about and find just the right meal for dinner. These snakes know how to choose their battles, though. Animals that aren’t on their menu, including humans, scare them away. In fact, just as we see in the above footage, they’d likely just enjoy being left alone rather than having to fight to defend themselves.

So in summary, they are more than ready to protect themselves if they’re provoked or scared, but don’t go out of their way to snap at people!

How Many Rattlesnakes Are in a Den?

Not all species of snake are social animals, but rattlesnakes are one kind that house together. Their dens are designed to keep the residing group safe and warm during hibernation. Reptile hibernation is unique, however, and is therefore called brumation.

Depending on the local population of rattlers, a den could comprise a few dozen to possibly over a thousand individuals. Curiously, researchers are not currently sure how snakes know how to navigate to their assigned den when the time comes. One thought is that they recall locations by landmarks and specially laid pheromones.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/HRossD