Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

Eastern diamondback rattlesnake is one of the numerous species of venomous pit-vipers - belonging to genus Crotalus, found in the southeastern United States of America. As in case of various other snakes belonging to this genus, even the eastern diamondback is typically characterized by a rattle and feverish shaking of its tail which produces a rattling sound. This rattling noise, which can be heard for quite some distance, is basically the rattlesnakes last warning for the intruder to back off. It is least surprising that most of the people associate this species with this very rattling noise, but there is a lot more to know about them beyond this noise that they are known to make. Being one of the most aggressive snakes of the world, it is anytime better to stay away from an eastern diamondback.

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus)

The eastern diamondback is considered to be the most dangerous snake in North America, and the number of snakebite fatalities attributed to it speaks in volumes about its repute. It is one of the two diamondback species found in Americas, while the other is the western diamondback rattlesnake which ranks second in terms of total number of snakebite fatalities. No sub-species of the eastern diamondback rattlesnake have been recognized as of now. It is known by a range of names in different regions - including the diamond rattlesnake, common rattlesnake, southeastern diamond-backed rattler, etc. Similarly the fact that it is found in abundance in Florida and neighboring regions has earned it names like Florida diamond-back or Florida rattlesnake, while its ability to swim has earned it the name water rattlesnake. More of such facts about rattlesnakes are given below.

Size and Appearance
Other than being the most venomous snake of North America, the eastern diamondback also boasts of being the largest of the 32 species of rattlesnakes found in the world. It has a rattle at the end of its tail which is common to all the rattlesnake species. On its skin - which can be brownish, brownish yellow, brownish gray or olive ground color, there are 24-35 dark brown or black spots from which it derives the name 'diamondback'. While the average length in this species is 4-6 ft, specimen as long as 8 ft have also been recorded. The record for the largest eastern diamondback rattlesnake goes to the 8.25 ft specimen caught in 1936. Even though not the longest, this snake does have the distinction of being the heaviest venomous snake in the continents of North America and South America.

Range and Habitat
The geographical range of the eastern diamondback species spans across the Lower Coastal Plain of the Southeast United States - extending from the southern areas of North Carolina to Louisiana. The species is found in abundance in Florida and some regions in southern Georgia - as a result of which it is often known as the Florida snake or Florida rattlesnake. Owing to their ability to swim, eastern diamondbacks are also found in Florida Keys and a few barrier islands. As far as their habitat in the wild is concerned, it spans across dry sandy areas, coastal dunes, pinewoods, wiregrass flatwoods and edges of swamps in this region. Though they are known to be accomplished swimmers, they are seldom seen in water. Owing to human encroachment, they are also found in and around human settlements - specially the parking lots and backyards.

Food and Hunting
Being carnivorous in nature, they feed on small mammals, rodents and ground-dwelling birds. They either resort to foraging or ambush their prey by hiding in the dense foliage. The method of hunting is also quite unique wherein the snake strikes its prey, injects venom in its body and leaves it to die. Then the snake uses its tongue, and follows the scent trail left by its prey to trace it. This species feeds on eastern cottontails, marsh rabbits, squirrels, rats, mice, quails, wild turkeys etc. At times, it also feeds on the eggs of these birds and large insects that come their way. Their jaws are designed to ensure that an animal as big as eastern cottontail goes in without much difficulty. The young ones - on the other hand, most often resort to lean species like mice and lizards. Though the cases are rare, the hunter becomes the hunted when birds of prey like eagles and hawks swoop down on young rattlesnakes and feed on them.

Lifespan and Reproduction
On an average, their life expectancy ranges between 10 to 20 years in the wild. In captivity, they are known to live even longer. The fact that this species has a longer lifespan in captivity than in the wild can be attributed to human interference in their natural habitat which has brought down the number of rattlesnakes by a significant extent. These snakes are ovoviviparous in nature - which means they produce living young ones from eggs that hatch within their body. The gestation period for this species spans for six-seven months, at the end of which the female gives birth to around seven - twenty one young ones. These young ones are 30-40 inches in length, and have striking resemblance to older rattlers - with the exception of rattle, which is replaced by a small button in them. They are left to fend for themselves within a few hours of their birth.

Venom and Bite Treatment
Their venom contains potent hemotoxin which kills red blood cells, causes damage to the tissue, and eventually result in death of the individual. This species of rattlesnake also boasts of having the longest fangs in proportion to body length. Even an adult human being can succumb to rattlesnake bite after a brief period of intense pain. The young eastern diamondbacks are more dangerous than their adult counterparts as they are very aggressive and don't have the ability of controlling the amount of venom they inject. Though the antivenin - which has been recently developed for rattlesnake bite treatment, has reduced the fatality count, this count is still very far from low.

As with these facts, there also exist some myths about the eastern diamondback rattlesnakes which have become quite popular with time. For instance, many people believe that the rattlesnake has to make the rattling noise with its rattle before it strikes - which is not necessarily the case. A silent rattlesnake is as likely to strike you as the one which is making the rattling noise to ward you off. Even though this species is not considered to be endangered as of now, its widespread killing and loss of habitat as a result of human encroachment has resulted in drastic decline in its population. If proper measures are not taken, it won't take much time for the species to become endangered and then become extinct.