Eastern Diamond Rattlesnake is a venomous pitviper species found in the southeastern United States. It is the heaviest (though not longest) venomous snake in the Americas and the largest rattlesnake. It featured prominently in the American Revolution, specifically as the symbol of what many consider to be the first flag of the United States of America, the Gadsden flag. The color pattern consists of a brownish, brownish yellow, brownish gray or olive ground color, overlaid with a series of 24-35 dark brown to black diamonds with slightly lighter centres. Each of these diamond-shaped blotches is outlined with a row of cream or yellowish scales. Posteriorly the diamond shapes become more like cross-bands and are followed by 5-10 bands around the tail.
Ten Facts about Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
- The largest rattlesnake species, the maximum sizes reported are 244 cm (8.01 ft) and 251.5 cm (8.25 ft).
- One captive specimen weighed over 26 pounds (12 kg).
- Common names are eastern diamond-backed rattlesnake, eastern diamondback, diamond rattlesnake, diamond-back rattlesnake, common rattlesnake, diamond-back.
- Found in the southeastern United States from southeastern North Carolina, south along the coastal plain through peninsular Florida to the Florida Keys, and west along the Gulf Coast through southern Mississippi to southeastern Louisiana.
- Inhabits upland dry pine forest, pine and palmetto flatwoods, sandhills and coastal maritime hammocks, Longleaf Pine/Turkey Oak habitats, grass-sedge marshes and swamp forest, mesic hammocks, sandy mixed woodlands, xeric hammocks, salt marshes, as well as wet prairies during dry periods.
- These snakes forage actively or lie in ambush for small mammals, especially rabbits and rice rats, their diet also includes birds.
- Eastern diamondbacks can live beyond twenty years.
- This species has the reputation of being the most dangerous venomous snake in North America.
- Gestation period lasts six or seven months.
- Females give birth to between 7 and 21 young at a time, usually doing so between July to early October.
