Is a baby snake just as poisonous as an adult snake?

The answer to this commonly asked question is NO. Now don't mistake this answer as saying they are not dangerous, because they most certainly are. Baby rattlesnakes are born with venom and fangs in-tact, and can deliver a life threatening bite. Now were this idea probably comes from, is because baby rattlesnakes are more likely to bite than most adult rattlesnakes. This is due to the fact that they are small and therefore more vunerable to falling prey to a larger animal. Also, as babies, they are more likely to deliver a full dose of venom, whereas an older rattlesnake may only deliver a small portion, or even no venom at all (refered to as a dry bite) for defensive purposes.

In escence, there is a higher probability of receiving a bad bite from a baby vs. an adult. You can figure that 99% of bites from babies will result in envenomation compared to maybe 85% of adult bites.

However, a bite from an adult rattlesnake can be far more dangerous having a much greater venom yield than a baby, easily 10 times as much or more.

Of course, there are many variables to consider including venom toxicity, venom yield, temperments, and locations as to the danger of various rattlesnakes. But ALL rattlesnake bites are to be considered a life threatening medical emergency. Don't wait to see if maybe you got lucky and received a dry bite. Seek medical attention immediately with any rattlesnake bite as the sooner you begin treatment, the better your chances of surviving and minimizing long term complications.