If you are looking for Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake facts, your search ends here. Since you are here reading this article, we will assume that you either love snakes or you are in need of some information. Either way, this article is not going to turn you down. Now, instead of talking, let us start with our list of 20 Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake facts.
Interesting Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Facts: 1-5
1. The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake is a species of pit viper snakes. The scientific name for this snake species is Crotalus adamanteus.
2. Of all 32 rattlesnake species that are present today, it is the heaviest and the largest. It is highly venomous.
3. Did you know that Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake was featured in American Revolution? The snake was Gadsden flag’s symbol. Many people consider that the Gadsden flag was America’s first flag.
4. The snake can be found throughout southeastern parts of America. Its range spreads from eastern Louisiana to southern North Carolina. The snake also calls southern Georgia and Florida as its home.
5. Preferred habitats of Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake are pinewoods, wiregrass flatwoods or palmetto, dry and sandy areas and hardwood hammocks. During the dry months, they can also be found in wet prairie and coastal dune habitats.
Interesting Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Facts: 6-10
6. This rattlesnake usually prefers burrows of tortoise and gopher for shelter. The snake usually comes out for hunting and basking during early morning or during afternoon.
7. During winter months, the snake brumates. For brumation (a state similar to hibernation) during winter months, the snake mostly uses the burrows of Gopher Tortoise.
8. Climbing is not something that this snake prefers. It is mostly exclusively terrestrial. However, it can sometimes climb on trees and bushes for hunting. Sometimes it can climb as high as 10 meters above the ground.
9. Temperament of Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake varies from individual-to-individual. Some will allow very close approach and still not rattle while other will rattle even from a distance of 6 to 9 meters.
10. These snakes are large snakes and they have a heavy body. A fully grown adult usually ranges between 84 and 183 cm. The largest ever recorder Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake was 244 cm long.
Interesting Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Facts: 11-15
11. This snake has a very broad head compared to its neck. This is a distinguishing feature. There are two light lines present on its face. Its color can be dark black, silvery gray, tan, yellowish or brownish.
12. Yet another distinguishing feature of the snake are the markings on its back that have the shape of a diamond. This is where the name comes from. The centers of these markings are brown and they have a white, cream or yellow outline.
13. These markings run down all along their back but as the markings approach the tail, they break down into bands. Lightly keeled scales cover the upper body.
14. Males are larger than females and also heavier. On an average an adult Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake will weigh anywhere between 5 lbs. and 10 lbs.
15. Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake is world’s largest rattlesnake and in North America it tops the list as largest of all venomous snakes.
Interesting Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Facts: 16-20
16. The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake has long fangs that can be as long as 1 inch or 25 mm.
17. The anterior half of this snake’s body goes up off ground forming a coil of S shape when threatened. The snake is very much capable of striking at a distance of at least 1/3rd its body length.
18. Usually when threatened, the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake will retreat to a shelter if an opportunity comes. If not, it will stand its ground and sometimes, repeatedly strike.
19. The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake delivers a huge amount a highly potent venom. 410 mg (dried venom) is the average venom yield of this snake in a single bite.
20. For an adult human, anywhere between 100 and 150 mg of this venom is lethal. If timely treated, the mortality rate is barely 1% but if not treated immediately, the mortality rate is as high as 20%.
Interesting Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Facts: 21-25
21. The venom of the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake is a deadly brew of enzymes and proteins. It contains several compounds like platelet aggregation inhibitors, necrotoxins, nephrotoxins, hemorrhagins, cardiotoxins, procoagulants, myotoxins, neurotoxins etc.
22. When an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake bites, it causes swelling. The bite site bleeds and the victim experiences extreme internal pain. Weak pulse and hypotension are other effects of the bite.
23. This snake is known for both actively foraging for prey and also for ambushing. The snake is known for releasing its prey immediately after striking it.
24. The bitten prey tries to escape and dies after a while because of the venom. The snake will then use its forked tongue along with its Jacobson’s organ to follow the scent trail of the prey. It will then devour the dead prey.
25. The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake usually hunts rats, mice and rabbits. However, it is also seen eating birds and large insects.
Interesting Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Facts: 26-30
26. This snake is ovoviviparous. It simply means that the eggs are hatched inside the body of a female Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. They the hatchlings are born.
27. A female may, at once, give birth to 7 to 21 hatchlings. The usual time of giving birth is between July and early days of October.
28. The female Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes have a gestation period of 6 months to 7 months. The new born snakes are about 30 to 36 centimeters long.
29. The new born snakes have almost the same appearance as the adult ones. The difference is that instead of a full-sized rattle, the babies have a single button sitting at the tip of their tails.
30. They young ones take a few years to become mature. However, they move away from the protection of their mothers very soon, resulting in high mortality of the young snakes. Despite the fact that are just babies, the young snakes have venom and are very much capable of delivering deadly bites.
This helped me a lot for my information report.