Moving around without legs may look hard, but rattlesnakes are very good at it. In fact, they have four different ways of moving on the ground. If one doesn't get them very far, they'll try another. Sometimes, on very smooth surfaces, they have to try all four.
When a rattlesnake moves, its strong muscles ripple its scales from head to tail. The ripples are short movements that propel the snake forward. Each motion is so tiny that the snake seems to slide a long with no effort.
One way a rattlesnake moves is called Concertina--because the snake moves its body like an old-fashioned accordion, or concertina. First the snake bunches up its body. Next, it holds the back part of its tail in place and pushes the front part of its body forward. Finally, the snake pulls the back part of its body forward.
YOU ARE READING
Endless Ocean
General FictionA deeper look into underwater life. The photos . Animal facts are non-fiction. Character surprises are fictional. Enjoy!
