Rattlesnakes

__Rattlesnakes__ Rattlesnakes are a part of the reptile family. Their origin is the south and eastern parts of the United States; they live in warm climates, since they cannot keep warm like mammals can. The rattlesnake’s diet consists of rodents, marsupials, and other small creatures. The rattlesnake gets its name from the “button” on their scales. The buttons are formed every time the snake sheds its skin and are made of Keratin (which is what scales and fingernails are made of). The rattle sound it makes is formed with two or more connected buttons hit each other. Rattlesnakes will make the rattle sound before they bite, as an act of defense. Rattlesnakes have live births, whereby the eggs stay inside the mother until they are ready to hatch.

__**References:**__
http://news.softpedia.com/news/12-Things-You-Did-Not-Know-About-Rattlesnakes-77557.shtml http://www.rattlesnakesfacts.com/rattlesnake-species.html http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-rattlesnake.html http://www.rattlesnake-recipes.com/gpage3.html http://www.kidzone.ws/lw/snakes/facts-rattlesnake.htm


 * Sharon Kurtz**