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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photo credited to flickr user Brimac The 2nd

Among snakes there are venomous and nonvenomous types. The venomous snakes are the primary dangers, and the vast majority of them are broken into the elapids and the vipers. Among nonvenomous snakes, the only real dangers are the huge constrictors. Their bites deliver no venom, but can cause infection and the larger constrictors can kill via suffocation.

Among venomous snakes, the most common in the United States are the vipers. The only elapid in the US is the coral snake. The vipers are your rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and copperheads. Vipers are noted by having large hypodermic like fangs that are hinged. When the snake strikes outwardly, they then stab the victim and inject venom.

Among the vipers, dry bites are somewhat unusual. It has been estimated that around 20 percent of viper bites are dry. While these figures are far from hard and fast, they give an idea about how you can get bitten by a rattlesnake and have no ill effects. (always assume the snake has injected venom and get medical attention though)

Among the elapids, the dry bites are often much more common. The reason for this is partially because of the fact that many elapids have rear fangs that are much smaller than their viper cousins. They make up for this by having more toxic venom in many cases. Still, the fact that they have more trouble biting cleanly as a group means more dry bites.

Why do snakes deliver dry bites? Some think it is because they are conserving their venom for prey they can actually eat. Some say that it is because their supply may have been just used on a prey item. Some say it is just an accident and the snake did not bite cleanly. The truth? Probably a combination of all of these in some form or fashion.

Even a dry bite can cause medical problems however. All snake bites carry a risk of infection. For this reason, you should get any snake bite checked out by a medical professional as soon as possible. Better safe than sorry, dry bite or not.

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Copperhead

Now on with the videos!

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Photo Credited to Wikipedia User AllenMcC.

Taipans have been known to literally throw themselves into their bites. They strike with such ferocity that it sometimes appears that they are lunging. When you combine that ferocity with the potent venom that the taipan has, you can quickly see why it has earned the reputation of one of the deadliest snakes in the world.

The taipan is generally about five feet in length and they have a variable coloration. They can be sand colored or even jet black depending on a number of factors. They usually eat small mammals. An interesting note about the taipan is that they became very prolific due to the poison toads that were introduced into Australia. Because many frog eating snakes died when they ingested these toads, the taipan had less competition for habitat and food. Because of this, the taipan is considered common in it’s range of Northern Australia’s coastline.

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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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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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Common Mussurana Size

The common mussurana is usually about 5-6 feet long when fully grown. They are slender but powerful little snakes.

Common Mussurana Habitat

The common mussurana likes to inhabit forests that are located near bodies of water. This sometimes includes swamps, rivers, and even ponds. They have been known to cross these bodies of water as well.

Common Mussurana Prey

The common mussurana likes to eat lizards, birds, and other snakes as well. This includes some snakes that are much more venomous. Some people think that the mussurana is immune to most snake venoms.

Common Mussurana Method of Killing

As mentioned, the mussurana uses venom and constriction, probably depending upon the prey. They will inject a mild venom and hold on, because they have fangs that are located at the back of the mouth instead of the front. For this reason they hold on to their prey to keep them from escaping. This leads to constriction in many cases.

Common Mussurana Distinguishing Marks

The common mussurana is a very unique snake as far as color. They start off as youngsters a bright red color, and as they age they morph into brown and green. As adults they are usually completely black.

Common Mussurana Location

The mussurana is found in South America. They are found in Guatemala as well as Argentina.

Common Mussurana Danger

The mussurana has a fairly mild venom as mentioned, but a bite can be dangerous. Any snakebite should be attended by medical personnel quickly. The mussurana is no exception. They are quick to attempt to bite if mucked with.

Other Information About The Common Mussurana

This snake is one of the many beautiful snakes found in South America. Keep in mind that their are many dangerous snakes there, and that one must be careful when in their range. It is not hard to confuse them with a truly deadly species.

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Image Credited to Flickr User mango atchar

The rock python has been known to exceed twenty feet in length, and they are a heavy bodied snake. While they are not venomous, they do have a number of very dangerous teeth that can deliver quite a nasty bite. The real power for this snake, however, is in it’s coils. The Asian rock python is a constrictor in that they squeeze the life out of their prey before swallowing them whole.

They like to live in valleys, heavily forested areas, and even out in wide open clearings where food is available. They always live close to a water source.

The rock python primarily eats rodents, birds, other snakes and reptiles, and small mammals. Once they get larger, they might take much larger prey. Some rock pythons have been known to attempt eating caymen, and even the occasional young jaguar.

While the rock python is not generally considered to be a big danger to humans, they are certainly capable of harming us. Given the opportunity, they can be deadly. Give this snake a wide berth if you come into contact with one.

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