Plush Rattlesnakes are at Animals n More.
The plush toy Diamondback Rattlesnake shown below is made by Wildlife Artists. Find this plush rattlesnake at our sponsor's online gift shop: Jeannie's Cottage LLC. We also have the Folkmanis Rattlesnake available, shown above.
Pit vipers belong to the family Crotalidae. Rattlesnakes are venomous pit vipers with a specially segmented tail ending that makes a hissing sound when the reptile is alarmed. A new segment is added each time the snake sheds. The segments also have a tendency to break off. What is the rattle for? It would appear to be a method of distracting or intimidating an enemy. The rattlesnake is found only in the
Americas. The fangs are hollow and are shed and replaced periodically.
There are 13 species of rattlesnakes in North America and most of these are found west of the Mississippi. Of these, the Western Diamondback causes more human casualties than any other snake in the United States.
There is an Eastern and Western Diamondback. The Eastern Diamondback (Crotalus adamanteus) is anywhere from 3 to 8 feet long. The Western Diamondback (Crotalus atrox) is from 3 to 7 feet long. Both snakes have diamond-shaped patches along their backs. The Eastern variety is found in woodlands and farmlands. The Western variety is found in prairies and deserts and rocky foothills. Rattlesnakes retire to their dens in the fall and do
not come out until the spring. It is possible for as many as one hundred snakes to live together in one den.
Their primary prey are rabbits, ground squirrels, prairie dogs, gophers, rats, mice and other rodents. The pits, located on the face below the eye, are special heat receptors allowing the snakes to detect warm-blooded prey.
Their enemies include man, coyotes and a variety of birds including owls, hawks, ravens and roadrunners.
A rattlesnake's life span is from 20 to 30 years.
Visit some of the other desert dwellers living at The Forest Cottage by clicking on the links below. And thanks for visiting.
