The diamonds on the tail tend to form into dark bands. Diamondbacks have two light lines running along the sides of their heads. Adults will feed on rodents and rabbits.
Unfortunately, due to habitat destruction and collecting and killing of adults, very few diamondback rattlesnakes survive in the state. Consequently, eastern diamondbacks are protected in North Carolina. Reproduction: Eastern diamondbacks mate in August and September, and the females give birth the next fall to 7—21 babies that look like their parents.
Female eastern diamondbacks probably reproduce only every 2—3 years. Most of the time, diamondbacks rely on their excellent camouflage and try to remain undetected when a threat presents itself. Even if disturbed, most are very reluctant to bite and will typically try to escape first.
If unable to escape, they will usually rattle loudly as a warning and, if necessary, will bite. Thanks to the following content contributors: J. Aardema, S. Shelters from fire and cold are important microhabitats for the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, which sometimes shelters in the burrows of the imperiled gopher tortoise Gopherus polyphemus.
It is now likely extirpated in Louisiana. Ovulation apparently occurs in the late spring of the following year, with births centered on late August and ranging from late July to early October. A pregnant female may retire to a natal shelter a month or two before she bears live young, which are 12 to 18 inches long. Reported clutch sizes range from four to Their tails have a rattle that is made up of segments of keratin, and a new segment is added each time a snake sheds its skin.
A commonly repeated myth is that you can age a snake by the number of rattle segments that it has, but this actually indicates how many times the snake has shed. Because rattles are brittle, it is not uncommon to see rattlesnakes with damaged or incomplete rattles.
The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the largest rattlesnake species in the United States by length and weight. The average length of an adult is three to six feet, but individuals have been recorded to be more than 7 feet long, and their maximum length can reach 8 feet. The average weight of this species in Florida is around two to four pounds and some large individuals can weigh more than ten pounds. Males are typically larger than females.
Neonates, or newly born snakes, are approximately 15 inches long when they are born, and their coloration and patterning resemble that of adults. Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are solitary animals that are effective ambush predators. Since these snakes are cold-blooded, they bask in the sun to regulate their body temperatures. To avoid inclement weather, this species uses gopher tortoise burrows, armadillo holes, stump holes and root channels.
These shelters keep them warm when air temperatures become too cold for surface activity. While foraging, rattlesnakes use vegetation for cover, relying on camouflage to conceal them. They are ambush predators, meaning they sit and wait in a coiled position for prey to cross their path.
They use their thermal pits to help them locate warm-blooded prey. Once their prey is within range, the coiled snake can strike up to two-thirds its body length to inject its prey with venom. After striking, the snake lets the prey go and later follows the scent trail to track it down and eat it.
These snakes mostly eat mammals such as mice, rabbits, rats, squirrels and occasionally eat ground-dwelling birds. When camouflage fails and they feel threatened, the snake will begin to puff itself up to look larger and more intimidating. Eventually it may begin to rattle its tail to scare off the threat.
Rattlesnakes, like many animals, would prefer to silently leave a dangerous situation. When given the opportunity, rattlesnakes will flee from human encounters.
If a rattlesnake is ever observed in the wild it is best to give it space or let it slither away on its own.
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