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Eastern Diamondback Picture Credited to TimVickers Wikipedia Commons Public Domain

Trying to figure out which is the deadliest snake is difficult. The reason for this is because you have to take into account a number of factors. For example, the coral snake is largely considered to have the most “deadly” venom, but they much more unusual to come across than say a cottonmouth. Also, the coral snake does not have the venom delivery system of the average rattlesnake. They have smaller fangs that are located in the rear of their mouth. While the coral snake can and does bite and deliver venom, it is much harder to do so than a rattlesnake with large fangs that can penetrate boots.

With this in mind, the two snakes that jump out at me are the Western Diamondback and the Eastern Diamondback rattlesnakes. The Mojave rattlesnake would likely be right there with these two if it were a bit more common, and more widespread. They are found in a pretty focused area that is often not inhabited by human beings. This leads to fewer bites, and therefore precludes their being included as one of the deadliest.

The Western Diamondback has no such qualms. They are around plenty of humans and do plenty of biting when compared to the majority of venomous snakes. Their venom is powerful, and they deliver the bite with large fangs that can give a large dose of that deadly venom. Many consider the Western Diamondback to be the deadliest snake in the United States.

For my money, the Eastern Diamondback is about as deadly as they come. This is not only the deadliest snake in America in my opinion, it is also the largest venomous snake as well. They grown big, fat, and can have a nasty disposition when they are bothered. The venom glands are huge on the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, and they are not shy about injecting that venom.

Of all the snakes in America, I call the Eastern Diamondback the deadliest overall. The Western diamondback is a close second, with the Mojave close behind them.

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Eastern Diamondback Picture Credited to TimVickers Wikipedia Commons Public Domain

It is notable that ninety five percent of the snake bites out there are caused by the person trying to handle or kill the snake. Another percentage of people are harmed by their own self while attempting to kill a snake.

It brings to mind the story of a man that went out to kill a rattlesnake in the back yard a couple years ago. He went and grabbed a hoe reportedly to chop off the head. The snake was a eastern diamondback that was reportedly about eight feet long. That is a large snake that was likely highly irritated.

The eastern diamondback is about as deadly as they come in the United States, particularly when they are full grown. The man was over matched to be sure, though he tried anyway to dispose of the snake.

An eight foot rattlesnake is capable of striking at a distance of about half of their body length. Therefore, a rattlesnake that is eight feet long can hit a target that is four feet away. Four feet seemed a safe distance for this man, and he paid for it.

The snake struck him in the lower leg, and the man swung the hoe. The problem was, he stuck the hoe in his leg missing the snake altogether. In his panic, he was struck a second time by the snake before the snake slithered away.

Fortunately, the man lived due to quick action by the EMTs and antivenom, but the point was clear – if you are not a herpetologist or a professional, leave the snakes alone.

If not, you just might get bitten and hoed to death…..

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Timber Rattlesnake Pattern

The timber rattlesnake, also commonly called the canebrake rattlesnake, is a relatively mild mannered member of the rattlesnake family.  Though they are less likely to jump into a fight, they are still very fierce when cornered.  The timber rattlesnake much prefers staying far away from human contact, and will usually slide away if it has an avenue of escape.

How Dangerous is The Timber Rattlesnake?

The timber rattlesnake, though not inclined to be overly aggressive, is still potentially lethal.  The toxicity of a timber rattlesnake is not usually as lethal as the more volatile eastern and western diamondbacks, but they are still very dangerous rattlesnakes.  Their toxin is generally less destructive to the soft tissues, but can still kill a person if not treated quickly.  The bite of the timber rattlesnake requires immediate medical attention.

Where Do You Find The Timber Rattlesnake?

Timber Rattlesnake Blending In

Generally, the timber rattlesnake is protected and it’s numbers are dwindling due to a loss of habitat.  They do not generally enjoy being near people, and as we encroach further on their habitat, they are finding themselves with no place to go.  The timber rattlesnake can be found as far North as New England, and as far West as Texas.  They are found in the vast majority of the East.  They generally hang out in open fields, woodlands, prairies and grasslands.  When they den, they usually like to do so in rocky areas.

What Does The Timber Rattlesnake Look Like and How Big Do They Get?

The timber rattlesnake is not a very long snake.  It gets to about four feet on average, but can get as big as six feet in length.  They tend to be on the fat side, and can get quite thick if the food is aplenty.  Timber rattlesnakes can be a dark brown, yellow, or gray.  Sometimes they are black.  The timber rattlesnake has a chevron pattern or cross-band pattern.

What Does The Timber Rattlesnake Eat?

Timber rattlesnakes love to eat rats, lizards, other snakes, birds, rabbits and even the occasional frog.  If it is edible and fits in their mouths, they will generally go for it.

Are There Similar Snakes That Look Like The Timber Rattlesnake

Would You Want To Meet This One Up Close?

The timber rattlesnake shares it’s territory with the Eastern Diamondback, but few would mistake them for one another.  The Eastern is generally much larger, but a young Eastern diamondback might be mistaken for a young adult timber rattlesnake to a person that is not familiar.

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The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is actually a rather shy and reclusive snake.  It has no interest whatsoever in encountering human beings, and if you heed it’s warning you are not likely to get bitten.  The eastern diamondback rattlesnake will bite if it is surprised or harassed, and when it does the results can be rather bad for humans.

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is a pit viper.  That means that it has little heat sensing pits on the snout of the snake that act as a sort of infra-red vision.  The snake sees warmth which comes in handy when hunting warm blooded mammals.  Another common pit viper trait is a triangular shaped head.  The eastern diamondback is known to have a large head with a skinny neck, and fits that pit viper profile to a tee.

One of the most telling features about the eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the racoon like features around the eyes and down the side of the head.  This is common to most all eastern diamondbacks.  The eastern diamondback also has the trademark rattle that one would expect.  This is not a good gauge of identification, however.  That goes for any rattlesnake.  The reason why is because the rattles on a rattlesnake can be missing for any number of reasons.  For example, the rattlesnake may have gotten into an altercation and lost it in a fight.

The eastern diamondback is a stout, heavy bodied snake that can grow in excess of eight feet.  Extra large eastern diamondbacks can grow up to ten feet, though this is far from common.  The average size of a full grown adult is probably around seven feet or so.

The eastern diamondback has hinged fangs that spring forward when the snake strikes.  The snake then buries the fangs deep into the snake bite victim, and injects venom through the hollow fangs.  The eastern diamondback has large fangs, and extremely large venom glands.  This means that it can inject copious amounts of venom into a bite.  This is one of the reasons the eastern diamondback rattlesnake is so dangerous.

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