Found in the coastal lowlands, from southeast North Carolina to eastern Louisiana and throughout Florida (including Florida Keys).
Appearance
This is the largest rattlesnake and the heaviest venomous snake in the Americas.
Average adult size is 91-183 cm, but it has been reported to be as big as 244cm.
Body is a brown/yellow color with dark brown/black diamonds outlined by yellowish scales.
Tail is a brownish or grey color which ends in a rattle.
Head has a dark stripe that runs diagonally through the eye.
Venom
The venom is potent.
Symptoms of being bitten include pain and swelling, shock, a weak pulse or even heart failure, difficulty breathing and even convulsions.
When bitten severely the mortality rate is said to be almost 40%.
They can strike up to 2/3 their body length.
Lifecycle
They mate in late summer and fall.
Females usually give birth to on average a dozen young in their shelters.
Young are born approx 30-36 cm long with markings similar to adults except they have a button at the end of the tail in place of the rattle.
The young only stay with the mother for a couple of days before they go off to hunt for themselves and find their own shelter. This means that their mortality rate is fairly high.
They can however live to over 20 years.
Habits
They favor dry pine forests, sand pine scrub areas and coastal barrier islands as well as wet prairies during dry periods.
Often inhabit gopher tortoise burrows as their shelters.
They are strong swimmers and have been seen crossing water between islands and mainland.
They feed on small mammals including mice, birds and rabbits.