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EASTERN DIAMONDBACK
RATTLESNAKE
Crotalus
adamanteus
IDENTIFICATION: Eastern
diamondback rattlesnakes range in color from gray
to various shades of brown. The black diamond pattern
along their back, which is outlined in white, is
an easy feature to spot for identification purposes.
They have a large "triangular" head and a thick body.
They have a dark brown eye stripe that goes from
the top of the head to the bottom and disguises the
eyes. Closer inspection of the head would show vertical
pupils and heat sensing pits on both sides of the
head used to find prey. This is the largest North
American venomous snake and can reach 8 feet long!
RANGE
AND HABITAT: The Eastern diamondback can
be found in lowlands from southeastern North Carolina
to eastern Louisiana. Their range includes all
of Florida. They prefer pine flatwoods and can
often be found hiding in gopher tortoise burrows
and dense patches of saw palmettos.
REPRODUCTION: Female
diamondbacks do not lay eggs. Instead, they carry
their young in shell-less eggs inside of their bodies
until the babies are ready to emerge. Eight to fifteen
young usually hatch from their membrane sacs in late
summer or early fall. Although they are only about
a foot long, they are venomous from birth.
DIET: These
snakes prefer small mammals like rabbits, squirrels,
and rats, but they will occasionally eat quail and
other small animals. They use their heat sensing
pits to help locate their prey. They are sensitive
to a 1/4 degree raise in temperature. They strike
with amazing speed and then wait for their victim
to die before eating it.
FUTURE: The
number of Eastern diamondbacks are rapidly declining
in Florida due to loss of habitat. Populations of
rattlesnakes are also on the decline throughout their
range because of practices such as "rattlesnake roundups",
which allow participants to kill snakes and win prizes
for their efforts. "Roundups" are illegal in Florida.
CALUSA
NATURE CENTER'S EASTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKE: Our
diamondback rattler was
brought to us in May of 1993. It was a wild snake
that had been recently caught by a local herpetologist
and donated to the Center. When it first came to
us, it was quite nervous and constantly rattled.
Now it has gotten much calmer. We are not positive
of its gender... it is difficult and dangerous
to get that close to a rattlesnake!
Our rattlesnake's diet
consists of live mice and other small rodents. Typically,
the diamondback gulps down 3-4 mice a week. Luckily,
it will also eat dead rodents, which makes it very
easy to give it vitamins or medicine without actually
handling the snake.
All of the snake cages,
including the diamondback's, have recently been renovated.
After only a couple of weeks, the diamondback became
accustomed to its new home and currently spends most
of its time hidden behind a log.
This snake is often used
for public demonstrations, particularly our venomous
snake program which we do several times a year. It
is not very aggressive and is easy to handle on the
snake hooks. This snake is an excellent educational
animal that provides thousands of people every year
the opportunity to get an up-close, but safe, look
at one of southwest Florida's most interesting snakes.
You
can see and learn more about rattlesnakes and other
reptiles, birds and more when
you visit us.
Snake feeding is at 11:15 am Sundays
You
have a rattlesnake
that you can call "your own" by adopting it through the
Anne
Grace
Adopt
an Animal Program
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