Venomous snakes subdue their prey through its scent trail. Once caught, the snake injects a lethal dose of venom. The prey will panic and flee, which spreads the venom. Once the venom reaches the heart, it kills the animal. The snake will follow the trail of the animal to where it has died, then consume it whole.
Snakes have no eyelids.
Rattlesnakes can be identified by an elliptical pupil, and non-venomous snakes have round pupils. The Prairie Rattlesnake in Iowa has an average life span of 20 years. Snakes hibernate in the crevices and fissures of limestone cliffs and bluffs, particularly those with a southern or southwestern exposure. In the summer and fall, look for mammal burrows, downed trees or worn-down rodent paths. Snakes often used mammal burrows for dens, and can be found basking in the sun near them.