With their intimidating warning sounds and venomous bites, rattlesnakes may seem like fearless creatures.

According to new research published in Frontiers in Ethology, rattlesnakes are much like humans in that they are more resilient to stress when they’re not alone.

The team had a hunch that companionship lowered stress among snakes. So, they decided to monitor the heart rates of rattlesnakes as they experienced stressful situations– both with and without another nearby snake.

The experiment revealed how snakes that underwent stressful situations alone witnessed a more significant heart rate spike than the snakes that had company.

“Snakes and reptiles are really interesting because I think they’re often overlooked in their behavior. People are often really afraid of snakes. But they’re not so different from us,” said Chelsea Martin, the study’s co-author.

“They have moms that take care of their children. They’re able to reduce their stress when they’re together. That’s something that we as humans do, too.”

Snakes typically find, capture, and consume their prey alone. Due to this solitary foraging nature, scientists tend to assume that they are not social.

However, past research has pointed to instances of more social snake behaviors– for instance, when male snakes guard female mates.

So, the team set out to study a different aspect of socialization known as social buffering. This term refers to when an animal’s stress levels are reduced when with a companion.

Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.

Other studies have witnessed social buffering among various other animals, ranging from birds to fish and even termites. Yet, this phenomenon was not observed in reptiles prior to this study.

First, heart rate monitors were attached to 25 adult southern Pacific rattlesnakes, which were caught in Southern California. Then, each snake was placed into a bucket with either another snake, a rope, or alone.

Afterward, the team stressed out the snakes by using PVC pipes to bang on the buckets. During this disturbance, the snakes’ heart rates were measured.

The rattlesnakes that had a buddy experienced much smaller heart rate spikes than the snakes that were either alone or with a rope. According to the team, this finding suggests that social buffering does exist among rattlesnakes, too.

“These animals aren’t all that different from us. They’re sentient creatures. They have emotions; they have fear; they experience pain,” explained William Hayes, another co-author of the study.

There was no significant difference between the heart rate changes among female versus male snakes. Additionally, there was no observable difference between lowland snakes that winter alone and mountain-dwelling snakes, which den together in the colder months.

“Our results provide insights into the social behavior patterns of snakes. But it might also improve rattlesnakes’ image. In the public eye, they are often maligned. Our findings could help to change that,” Martin concluded.

To read the study’s complete findings, visit the link here.

If true crime defines your free time, this is for you: join Chip Chick’s True Crime Tribe

She Was A Driven College Student With A Bright Future, And She Vanished While Hiking In A Region Riddled With Supernatural Rumors

Just About Everyone Knows The Timeless Nursery Rhyme “Mary Had A Little Lamb,” But Do You Know Anything About The Woman Who Wrote It?

Bring The Vibes Of A Tropical Paradise Into Your Home Or Outdoor Garden With These Exotic Plants

Her Boyfriend Proposed To Her In Front Of Their Family At A Fancy Restaurant, But She Kicked Her Mom Out After She Ruined It By Bringing Her Baby

Her Brother Asked Her If She Could Gain Some Weight For His Wedding Because His Fiancée Is Jealous That She’s Skinnier

His Friend Of Over 12 Years Admitted To Being In Love With Him, But He’s Not Ready For A Relationship, And She Isn’t Respecting His Boundaries

She’s Refusing To Let Her Sister Pass Down Her American Girl Dolls To Her Niece