By: NH

Physical Features  The rattle snake is a big snake and prey should be scared.  The rattle snakes have brown and black skin  Their skin is scales.  Two big eyes on sides of head help it see.  A part of skin at the end of its tail looks like a rattle.  When the Rattle snake shakes the skin it makes a rattling sound.  Rattlesnakes have long sticky tongues.  The color on a rattlesnakes rattle can be black, tan, or yellow.  Rattlesnakes weigh up to 4.50 pounds.  Rattlesnakes can be about 1-10 feet long.

Habitats, Climate and Landforms  The climate of a rattle snake’s habitat is usually warm.  Some rattle snakes live in warm forests.  Some like swamps because they can hunt food more easily.  The rattle snake lives in about every state in the United States and parts of southern Canada.  Rattle snakes also like rocky areas so they can bask in the sun.

Life Span A rattle snake can live up to 15 years in the wild. A rattle snake can live up to 15 years in the wild. In a zoo they can live up to 30 years. In a zoo they can live up to 30 years. The massauga rattle snake is an endangered species of rattle snake. The massauga rattle snake is an endangered species of rattle snake.

How They Act Rattle snakes try to avoid water. They do not like to get wet. Rattle snakes try to avoid water. They do not like to get wet. Rattle snakes have sensors that sense the vibration of a human or predator. Rattle snakes have sensors that sense the vibration of a human or predator. Rattle Snakes slither to get around Rattle Snakes slither to get around They live alone, they are very solitary They live alone, they are very solitary They will hiss when scaring away predators They will hiss when scaring away predators They curl up before they strike They curl up before they strike

What and How They Eat Rattle snakes are true carnivores. They eat rats, mice, small birds, frogs, and other lizards. They eat by using a part of their body called Jacobson's Organ which senses the preys blood temperature. They use their sharp teeth to bite the prey and put venom into the animal’s body. Then they swallow the prey whole.

Prey & Predators Predators Hawks Eagles Falcons Some Lizards Humans Prey Rats Mice Lizards Frogs

Reproduction Rattle snake mothers can give birth to 5 to 25 babies in her life time. Rattle snakes do a mating dance to find a mate The mother rattle snake gives birth to live young. The mother rattle snake is very protective to her babies. A rattle snake mother usually has a mate to give birth with. A rattlesnake mother stays with her babies for 0.09 milliseconds.

Physical Adaptations  The color on a rattle snake’s body is mostly the color of its habitat to help it blend in.  Each rattle snake has a part of skin at the end of it’s tail that makes a rattling sound to scare away predators.  They have wide triangular shaped heads and slender body to slip through tight spaces.  It has tough plates called scales.  A rattlesnake has big eyes to help them see from far away.

Physiological Adaptations To hunt food rattle snakes use something called Jacobson’s organ which senses the animals blood temperature. To hunt food rattle snakes use something called Jacobson’s organ which senses the animals blood temperature. Everything in a rattle snakes body is long and narrow so that it can slither. Everything in a rattle snakes body is long and narrow so that it can slither. The venom of a rattle snake is stored in something called a gland. It helps protect the snake and kill its prey. The venom of a rattle snake is stored in something called a gland. It helps protect the snake and kill its prey. A rattlesnake has one intestine which is big, this helps it digest the whole prey at once. A rattlesnake has one intestine which is big, this helps it digest the whole prey at once. The skeleton of the snake is made up of hundreds of bones that protect its innards. The skeleton of the snake is made up of hundreds of bones that protect its innards.

Behavioral Adaptations The rattle snake scares away predators by shaking its rattle so that the predator goes away. The rattle snake scares away predators by shaking its rattle so that the predator goes away. Rattle snakes like to lie on rocks and once their body temperature gets hot they go under a rock to cool off. Rattle snakes like to lie on rocks and once their body temperature gets hot they go under a rock to cool off. Rattle snakes blend in by finding the color of their skin but sometimes the birds find them first. Rattle snakes blend in by finding the color of their skin but sometimes the birds find them first. If a rattlesnake eats a large animal, like a deer, it might not eat for another month or two. If a rattlesnake eats a large animal, like a deer, it might not eat for another month or two.

Interesting Facts  Rattle snakes are separated into two different groups.  The groups are called Crotalus and Sistrus.  The ones in group Crotalus have big heads and the ones in group Sistrus have smaller heads.  Dead rattle snakes can also be dangerous because if you step on a rattle snake’s teeth you could die or have serious injuries.  Rattlesnakes have pits that sense a predators blood temperature.