Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
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The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the largest venomous snake in North America. Some reach 8 feet (2.4 metres) in length and weigh up to 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms).
These stout-bodied pit vipers generally live in the dry, pine flatwoods, sandy woodlands, and coastal scrub habitats from southern North Carolina to Florida and west to Louisiana. Their pattern of yellow-bordered, light-centred black diamonds makes them among the most strikingly adorned of all North American reptiles. They are natural exterminators, surviving on such household pests as rats and mice, as well as squirrels and birds.
Fast Facts
Type: Reptile
Diet: Carnivore
Average life span in the wild: 10 to 20 years
Size: 5.5 ft (1.7 m)
Weight: 5 lbs (2.3 kg)
Did you know? Baby rattlers can actually be more dangerous than adults because they have less control over the amount of venom they inject.
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