A sandy-colored sidewinder rattlesnake coiled on gravel. — Photo: Tigerhawkvok (edited by Victorrocha), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sidewinder

Crotalus cerastes

A small desert rattlesnake of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico that moves sideways across loose sand, making it the fastest rattlesnake.

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About the Sidewinder

Sidewinders live in very sandy parts of the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico. Their special sideways way of moving works well on shifting sand and makes them the fastest-moving rattlesnakes. During the hot day they wiggle down into the sand in the shade of a bush. At night they roam and smell for prey, eating almost only rodents and lizards.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Crotalus cerastes^[1]
Lifespan: 20 years or more.^[1]
Diet: Carnivore. Almost only rodents and lizards, such as kangaroo rats.^[1]
Habitat: Very sandy desert areas.^[1]
Where it lives: The Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of the southwestern U.S. and nearby Mexico.^[1]
Group life: Mostly active at night. Hibernates in winter.^[1]
Babies: Live-born young, guarded by the mother until their first shed.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2007).^[2]

Fun facts

Sidewinders are the fastest-moving rattlesnakes.^[1]
Scientists studied sidewinders to build snake robots that cross sand.^[1]
A sidewinder twitches its tail as a lure while buried in sand.^[1]

Vocabulary

locomotion: The way an animal moves from place to place.
venomous: Able to inject poison by biting or stinging.
lure: Something used to attract an animal closer.
hibernate: To spend the winter in a deep, inactive sleep.
pit viper: A snake with heat-sensing pits on its face, such as a rattlesnake.

See it in person

Zoo AtlantaAtlanta, Georgia · All AnimalsSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Zoo Atlanta. “Sidewinder.” https://zooatlanta.org/animal/colorado-desert-sidewinder/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Crotalus cerastes.” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/64315/12764960 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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