Threatened

When threatened, a rattlesnake typically draws its body into a defensive coil, holding about the forward third of its length in a tight, roughly S-shaped loop above its remaining mass. The coil initially collects the snake’s body into a relatively small area, making it easier to defend than when stretched out, and simultaneously provides a stable platform from which to launch a strike should one be deemed necessary. The snake’s head constantly faces its adversary, its body shifting as necessary to maintain visual contact if the threat attempts to circle.
Read less