Rattlesnakes are famous for the buzzing warning on their tails, but they have super powers too! They have built-in heat sensors to hunt in the dark, their rattles are made of the same stuff as your fingernails, and they give birth to live babies instead of laying eggs. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Super Heat Vision
- These pits act like night-vision goggles.
- They can "see" the body heat of warm-blooded animals.
Fingernail Tails
The rattle at the end of a snake's tail is very unique. [1]
- It is made of keratin, which is the exact same material your fingernails and hair are made of.
- The pieces are hollow and bang together super fast to make that famous buzzing sound.
Born Alive
Most reptiles lay eggs in nests and leave them alone, but rattlesnakes are different. [, 2]
- Female rattlesnakes carry their babies inside their bodies until they are ready to be born.
- They give birth to live young instead of hatching from eggs.
- Newborn babies do not have a rattle yet and must grow their first segment the first time they shed their skin.
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