Mid-South Gardening: Birds, Critters and Such #10, 0 by Riverland

Riverland wrote:
If all goes well, youngsters grow rapidly. Each time they come out of hibernation, they shed their skin. With each skin shedding (molting) a new rattle appears. During the rapid growth of the first few years, they may molt three times annually. Thus, the number of rattles is not a true indicator of age. Rattles also wear out or break off, so it is unusual to find an adult snake with more than 8 or 10 rattles.
I was about 5 ft from him when I took the picture. They are not usually aggressive unless threatened. Cottonmouths are a different story. I give them all the room they want.

I waited to count on the computer LOL