The Rattlesnake

The rattlesnake is black, brown, gray, peach or green. The rattlesnake can be 10-15 feet. Rattlesnakes have bumpy skin and it is called keeled scales. They camouflage because they might get killed by another animal. Rattlesnakes have two, long hollow teeth called fangs.

Rattlesnakes live in Mexico and South America. The deserts, mountains, woods and swamps of the United States are the home of rattlesnakes.

Rattlesnakes eat mice, rats, birds and lizards. All rattlesnakes swallow their prey whole.

A rattlesnake can have up to 10 to 15 babies at a time. Baby rattlesnakes are born alive. Baby rattlesnakes weigh 4 pounds.

A rattlesnake’s two enemies are people and roadrunners. A rattlesnake is a predator and prey. A rattlesnake’s prey is birds, mice, rats and lizards.

Camouflage protects a rattlesnake. A rattlesnake’s rattle can be heard from 100 feet away. When a rattlesnake can’t get away it puts its body in a coil.
Rattlesnakes hear by vibration on the ground. Rattlesnakes catch prey by sensing the animal with its tongue. A rattlesnake sheds its skin two times a year.
I read All About Rattlesnakes by Jum Arnosky and Rattlesnakes by Sherie Bargar and Linda Johnson. I also looked on the Internet at www.enchantedlearning.com to find out more about rattlesnakes.