1207am+Predator+Essay

Arianna Mavrostomos 1/9/14 Periods 1 and 2

Coiled Killers

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The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake can grow up to 10 pounds, and eight feet long; this size helps so that helps it eat its prey. It can get so big, that helps them scare off predators, and eat their prey. Did you know that their average size is 5-8 feet? Imagine that, because it can get longer than people! Lastly, did you know that the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake is the largest snake ever alive? As you can see, size really does matter for this reptile.

The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake has a diverse diet. Their diet consists of small animals such as mice, rabbits, squirrels, and a variety of birds. As odd as this sounds, did you know that the baby rattlesnakes are more dangerous than the adults because they don’t know how much venom to inject into their prey yet? An Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake hunts by injecting their prey with venom, slithering away, and after it dies, the snake eats it’s meal. Lurking is obviously a big part of their hunting. Therefore, because of their diverse diet, it has a better chance of living than non diverse animals and reptiles.

The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake is also very much known by their fangs and deadly venom. It has a pair of fangs that contain a deadly venom, that can kill animals easily. When their fangs are not in use, they fold up to the top of their mouth. The venom in these retractable fangs contains a potent hemotoxin that kills red blood cells and damages tissue. You may not know this, but their venom is not only used for eating their prey; just like humans, it carries something called enzyme that helps digest their food. Although you may argue that their venom is always deadly, it really depends on the amount of venom it injects into their prey.

 Even though you may think that The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake isn’t worthy of a spot in The HOWL Museum because it’s aren’t as skilled as others, you are wrong! Not many animals have the ability to eject venom from their fangs, right? That is actually one of its best hunting features. So, think again when you say that The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake isn’t worthy of being in the HOWL Museum, because it should be the first animal chosen.