Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

The western diamondback rattlesnake is the largest rattlesnake in the western United States, and some reach up to seven feet in length. The venom of this species is primarily hemotoxic, affecting mainly the body's blood vessels, blood cells and the heart. The rattle of the rattlesnake is made up of a protein called keratin (the same protein that your hair and fingernails are made of). When the snake vibrates its tail, the pieces of the rattle knock together and produce the characteristic rattling sound.