Habitats
Coastal lowlands
of southeast US including North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and
eastern
Louisiana.
Occupy palmetto flat woods, pinelands and sand hills. Sometimes enters
salt water and
swims to Florida
Keys.
Characteristics
Length averages
between 2.5 and 6 feet with record length 8 feet. Triangular shaped head
with
bones of jaw
loosely connected so that snake can swallow animals larger than its head.
Has heat
sensory pit
on each side of head. Eyes have vertical iris. Tongue is forked and is
used to pick
particles
from the air and place them on Jacobson's Organ which is involved in sense
of taste and
smell. Has
segmented rattle on tail which grows one additional segment whenever the
snake sheds its skin. Rattle is used to warn predators.
Reproduction
Male finds
female through scent. Female gives birth to 7 to 12 live born young and
may provide
some protective
care for up to 14 days.
Diet
When in wild
it eats rodents, rabbits, and birds
Conservation
Not formally
listed, but is considered Endangered in North and South Carolina. Its numbers
have
been reduced
considerably by hunting and development of the land.
Life span: 20-25 years
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