The diamond rattlesnake in Kentucky looks like a simple rattlesnake, but it is bigger. Studies are trying to determine if this is the result of climate changes. We are talking about an established specie of snakes in United States, but the appearance of this snake in Kentucky raised the curiosity of the specialists, especially because it seems like this specie of rattlesnake has some uncommon characteristics.

The diamond rattlesnake in Kentucky has a length of 3 feet, but the adults can grow larger. As the snake is new in Kentucky, it is impossible to determine its life duration. As for the harmful proprieties of the venom, although this snake releases a bigger quantity with the bite, it has the same harmful effect. It is better to prevent a bite of this kind, as some of the antivenin options are not so effective.

It is rumored that the diamondback rattlesnake was brought to Kentucky by particular breeders to create a new habitat for this snake. As it is on the verge of disappearing, this could be a method to protect this endangered specie. On the other hand, forcing a new breed in a habitat might be dangerous for other animals living in the area, especially when we are talking about an effective predator such as the diamondback rattlesnake.

The diamond rattlesnake in Kentucky is not an aggressive specie, although it would not refuse a fight. The snake usually hides in front of dangers, but sometimes you could find it in a semi-dormant state. This is a dangerous scenario, as the snake will not hear you, so you might step on it accidentally. Moreover, you could also step on it during the night, as the diamondback rattlesnake is capable of seeing any warm blooded being in the dark.

The diamondback rattlesnake prefers the sunny areas and rocks in the vicinity of waters. The unusual movement type with lateral arching (also called sidewinder) is the result of their adaptability to the environment. This kind of movement is also able to mislead the predators, as the traces left on sand are almost impossible to follow.

The diamondback rattlesnake can reach a length of 1.5 meters. Although it is a reptile, this kind of rattlesnake changes its skin several times a year, and the “bell” at the extremity of the tail is formed by thick rings made of skin.

At its birth, the rattlesnake has only two rings. The others are added with each change of skin. When the rattlesnake feels the danger, the tail starts to vibrate, and you should really be careful when you hear this sound. However, the snake can be 20-30 meters away, so you would better start scouting the area. The venom is really dangerous, and the diamondback rattlesnake can kill a cow with a single bite in a few hours.

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Copperhead

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The Copperhead

First of all, I was shocked to see one here in North Carolina so deep into November. I have never seen one outside of the summer months personally, though it is not unusual to hear of them. I was walking down a dirt road that runs alongside my home. There is a slight ditch beside that road, and I was tooling around hoping to find the black snake that I had seen around my home several times over the summer. That is when I came across this copperhead snake, slithering around in the base of the ditch.

The color of the copperhead was a brilliantly bright, almost pink color in the background, with the typical dark hourglass looking bands down the length of the snake. The copperhead was the absolute prototype of the copperhead. Perfectly colored and beautiful.

What was interesting about this copperhead was that it made absolutely no attempt to strike. It did not even curl up into the typical strike pose that pit vipers like the copperhead are known for. This copperhead had absolutely no concern over me or if he did, he certainly did not show it. It simply did everything it could to get away from me with no worries.

After a good fifteen minutes of messing with the copperhead, I finally let it go on it’s way. Figures that my experience could not be documented by camera, as I did not have it with me. By the time I went to the house and came back, the copperhead had made it’s way to where ever it was headed. Still, it was a nice encounter that just shows that copperheads are not the aggressive snake that many say they are.

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The Cottonmouth

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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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"Timber Rattlesnake", photo authors: Clinton & Charles Robertson

While Kentucky is known for its bluegrass, thoroughbred horses, and country music stars, it is also home to dozens of snake species.  Among the 32 snake species found in “The Bluegrass State,” four are venomous.

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) compiled a report of all 32 venomous and non-venomous snakes found in Kentucky.  Based on information gathered from the KDFWR’s Kentucky Snakes booklet, here methods of identifying Kentucky’s venomous snakes, as well as profiles of the 4 venomous snakes found in Kentucky.

How to Identify Kentucky’s Venomous Snakes

All of Kentucky’s venomous snakes belong in a group known as “pit vipers.”  In the Kentucky Snakes booklet, the KDFWR provided a couple of tips for distinguishing between Kentucky’s venomous and non-venomous snakes.

• Kentucky’s pit vipers have a sensory “pit” found on the side of the head in between the nostril and eye.
• Venomous snakes have vertically shaped pupils.

In addition, Kentucky’s four venomous snakes all have heads shaped like spades, in which the neck of the snake is not as wide as the back of the head.  However, this is not a definite source of venomous snake identification, in that several species of non-venomous snakes can defensively flatten their heads into a similar triangular shape.

Kentucky’s 4 Venomous Snakes

1. Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix)

This snake can be found in every corner of Kentucky.  It is also one of the most commonly misidentified snakes, because of its various shades of coloring that are similar to many of Kentucky’s non-venomous snakes.  The copperhead can be found in lengths ranging from a few inches, to over 3 feet.  They usually feed on small mammals like mice, but have been known to eat lizards, frogs, etc.

While the coloring of a copperhead can vary from a quite literal reddish-copper color, to shades of brown, this snake species is most clearly identified by the distinctly shaped pattern on its body.  The pattern is most commonly described as “hourglass,” in that the bands are wider at the sides and narrower in the middle.

2. Western Cottonmouth (Akistrodon piscivorus leucostoma)

This snake – found in the Western part of the state – is similar in length to the copperhead, although the longest Western cottonmouths can reach nearly 4 feet in length.  It is a nondescript, dark-colored snake which can be difficult to identify on appearance alone.  Young cottonmouths have a body pattern similar to that of a copperhead, but much of this pattern fades with age.

You can typically find these snakes near water.  Western cottonmouths feed on a wide variety of prey including various rodents and even other snakes.  If cottonmouths feel threatened they will bare the inside of their white-colored mouths.  Cottonmouths will also vibrate their tails as a defense mechanism.

3. Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)

The timber rattlesnake is the king of the state’s venomous snakes as far as size is concerned.  These monsters can grow up to 5 feet in length, and are heavy-bodied.  Sometimes timber rattlesnakes can be solid black, but they are often yellow, gray, brown, or have a greenish color, with a darker shade of band that crosses the body.

Timber rattlesnakes can be found in the woods of Kentucky in most every area except for parts of Central and Northern Kentucky.  These snakes are not aggressive by nature, and will lie in wait for their next meal to approach, which is most often a squirrel.

4. Western Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius steckeri)

This tiny snake – only averaging between 5-20 inches in size – is only found in three specific counties in Kentucky: Calloway, Trigg, and Lyon.  Thus far, the Western pygmy rattlesnake has not been extensively studied in the state of Kentucky, so much of the information gathered by the KDFWR was from pygmy rattlesnake behaviors exhibited in other locations.

Like the cottonmouth, the pygmy rattlesnake is typically found around water.  The pygmy is a lighter grayish-brown color, and has dark-patterned spots on its body.  It may have rusty-colored bars or stripes along its back.  Like other venomous snakes, the pygmy rattlesnake likes to feed on rodents, and even preys on small snakes and frogs.

In a state known for recreation and outdoor activities, it is important to provide education about potentially dangerous wildlife, instead of inciting fear based on exaggerated notions or facts.  Unprovoked attacks from these venomous snakes is highly unlikely.  In fact, only around 10 deaths occur annually in the U.S. from venomous snake bites.

If you see any of these snakes, or think that you have seen one keep your distance, do not try to capture or kill the snake, and contact the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources at 1-800-858-1549 for further information.  In the rare case that you are bitten by a venomous snake, please seek medical attention immediately.

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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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- The mojave usually has white and black bands on the tail. The white bands tend to be larger than the black. The western also has this pattern, but he bands tend to be the same size.

- The mojave sometimes takes on a greenish tint in color, whereas the western diamondback does not.

- The western diamondback tends to be a good deal larger, but this is misleading because of variance in ages.

- The mojave lacks the banding around the eyes that the western normally has.

- Both species are highly aggressive and bite readily.

- Both species are dangerous particularly in spring, when they arise from hibernation and are hungry.

- The mojave tends to bite first and rattle later. The western diamondback usually will warn the rattle in advance. This is far from one hundred percent, but just a general observation based on case studies.

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The Black Snake Photo Credit to WIkipedia Commons User Patrick Coin

My black snake did not roll down a hill (no snake can do that by the way) but it sure did surprise me. In all my vast experience with snakes, I had never actually come across one in the wild so to speak. I had seen them in zoos and the like, but they were always behind glass.

Today I was riding down the road and as I rounded the corner to my home, I came across a snake crawling across the road. It was moving fairly slow, and it was bright black so I pulled over and hopped out to check it out.

I knew what a black snake should look like, and quickly identified it as such. The snake was about three feet long and slender, and it quickly noticed me and went to slither away as most snakes do. I could not leave it at that because I love seeing snakes in the wild.

Just as it was about to slither under a board, I grabbed it’s tail and began to pull it back out into the open. Wham! It spun around and barely missed hitting me on the hand. I jumped about six feet into the air it scared me so badly! This thing was quick and was much more likely to strike than I expected. I had barely even touched it and it was ready to strike.

After a couple more attempts at grabbing the snake, the thing struck again. Again it missed. Fortunately, the black snake is not venomous, so I was in no real danger. Still, I have heard a black snake bite is quite painful. Finally, the snake coiled up and just watched me. It took several attempts but the black snake finally let me watch him for a bit.

My first experience with a black snake was memorable, if for no other reason than the aggressive nature of it. I was surprised and found it to be quite exciting. I would love to hear of any black snake stories you might have had. Leave them in the comments below if you have one yourself.

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