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The
prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) is an important
predator of prairie dogs and other small rodents. This snake may
actually live in prairie dog towns residing in the old burrows of
their former prey.
The rattlesnake is not aggressive but like most
animals it will defend itself when it feels threatened. The venom
of the rattlesnake is a hemotoxin (blood poison). The snake can
regulate the amount of venom it injects conserving what it does
not need for later use. About one-third of the North American venomous
snake bites received by humans are "dry" or venom free.
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Listen to the rattlesnake (75k wav file)
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