Rattlesnakes are tan, black, and brown scaled reptiles that can grow up to 8 feet long. They live in habitats like swamps, rivers, streams, and rocky ledges, and hibernate in dirt holes in the winter. Rattlesnakes eat small animals like mice, eggs, frogs, birds, lizards, and insects. Female rattlesnakes give birth to live young that are born small and skinny without rattlers yet.