although i have never kept venemous snakes, i love rattlesnakes. my very favourite is the red diamond rattlesnake, which happens to be one of the most docile of all rattlesnakes. its range is rather small, but happens to be near where i live.
rattlesnakes do not constrict. they usually will inject their venom in to their prey and then release it and wait until it dies and then have dinner.
i mostly see them driving around in the desert at night (no not the snakes - they don't drive - not even in california!) - they like to lie one the roads to get the benefit of the lingering warmth late at night. sometimes if it's a fairly busy road, i will use a snake hook and move them off the road. the ones i see the most are sidewinders - little, but feisty.
rattlesnakes can choose how much venom to inject. there is such a thing as a dry bite, when they don't inject any at all. venom is like a survival bank account - they are careful how they spend it. one of the reasons that baby rattlesnakes can often be more dangerous than adults is that they haven't learned how to control it and will often inject the whole load.
since snakes depend on the outside temperature to control their body temperature, they must seek warmth to digest their meals. they are not "cold blooded". they are ectotherms = depend on outside temperatures. we are endotherms = meaning our body temperatures are controlled from within.
many people think snakes would feel slimy - in fact they do not.
vipers' fangs fold against the roof of the mouth when not in use. (kind of like a roll away bed). they always have some spare fangs growing, so that if they lose one, there is always another on hand to take over. (saves on dental bills).
i think i'll quit while i'm ahead.
btw, i am happy to see many of the comments here by people who, even though they are afraid of snakes, recognize it as a beautiful creature of allah.
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