Meanwhile, the former assertion was that all newborn snakes take off fully independently after birth or hatching.
Yeah, rattlers are quite capable of defending themselves moments after birth. But they got some serious spicy back up until they gain a little size.
The most amazing and selfless thing I ever saw was a Wolf Spider toting all her babies on her back.
She will do that, defending their lives, until they’re old enough to be on their own.
Then she dies and they consume her body, her last, greatest sacrifice, to ensure their survival.
The world is full of incredible animals and most people never even bother to notice.