Rattlesnakes are one of the most specialized and evolved snakes in the world and they're found mainly in North America. Your young explorers will discover how the rattlesnake makes its trademark rattle and how different kinds of rattlesnakes around the continent use this sound to stay safe. With photographs of rattlesnakes in the wild paired with specialized text, this high-interest book is perfect for the eager young herpetologist.

Discusses the life cycle, habitats, and behavior of rattlesnakes and depicts the different kinds.

I am a snake. No, not a rattlesnake. I just look like one. I’m a gopher snake. One day an oily, filthy, fleshy human child crossed my path. As luck would have it, he knew the difference between a gopher snake and a rattlesnake. He has imprisoned me in a terrarium. His name is Gunnar. He calls me Crusher. He thinks I’m male. I’m not. He dropped in a dead mouse and hoped I’d eat it. I buried it. He then dropped in a live one, which he called “Breakfast.” I didn’t lay a coil on it. Gunnar thinks I’ll be his adoring pet. He’s wrong. In fact, I am planning my escape. I may take Breakfast with me. Crusher will charm readers in this entertaining, clever novel about a snake in captivity and how she turns the tables on her human captor.

In this entertaining book, first published in 1992, Thomas Palmer introduces us to a community of rattlesnakes nestled in the heart of the urban Northeast. Recognizing the unexpected proximity of rattlers in our urban environs, he examines the ecology, evolution, folklore, New England history, and American culture that surround this native species.

The acclaimed naturalist offers an in-depth profile of the timber rattlesnake, from its unique biological adaptations to its role in American history. The ominous rattle of the timber rattlesnake is one of the most famous—and terrifying—sounds in nature. Today, they are found in thirty-one states and many major cities. Yet most Americans have never seen a timber rattler, and only know them from movies or our frightened imaginations. Ted Levin aims to change that with America’s Snake. This portrait of the timber rattler explores its significance in American frontier history, and sheds light on the heroic efforts to protect the species against habitat loss, climate change, and the human tendency to kill what we fear. Taking us from labs where the secrets of the snake’s evolutionary adaptations are being unlocked to far-flung habitats that are protected by dedicated herpetologists, Levin paints a picture of a fascinating creature: peaceable, social, long-lived, and, despite our phobias, not inclined to bite. The timber rattler emerges here as an emblem of America, but also of the struggles involved in protecting the natural world. A wonderful mix of natural history, travel writing, and exemplary journalism, America’s Snake is loaded with remarkable characters—none more so than the snake itself: frightening, fascinating, and unforgettable. A CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title Award-winner

They stir up feelings of fear and fascination, and even people uninterested in snakes pause to hear the often incredible accounts of rattler sightings. Replace that shiver of nervousness with knowledge of these extraordinary creatures-their physical characteristics, habits and habitats, origins and evolution, interaction with humans, and species breakdown. Roughly 4 feet long and capable of swallowing their prey entirely, rattlesnakes represent the pinnacle of reptile development. They deal out death in the blink of an eye. Find out why they shed their skins, the reasons for their various colorations, information about their reproductive cycle, and facts about the rattles themselves. Glorious color photos bring you up close and personal -- as close as you'll ever want to get to a rattlesnake! Gaze at the blue cast over the eyes of certain breeds, the purplish flicking tongue, the venom-ducts and glands, their skin texture, the consumption of a meal, and a snake blending with its environment.