Eastern diamondback rattlesnake
Venomous · Crotalus adamanteus
DangerousA bite is a medical emergency
A large snake with a big venom yield. A bite is a medical emergency.
- Lives in
- 7 states
- Size
- 36–72 in
- Open US records
- 1,378
- Group
- Snake
How to identify it
- Dark diamonds with pale yellow edges down the back
- Two pale diagonal stripes on each side of the face
- Thick body and a rattle on the tail
- Largest rattlesnake in North America
Size: 36–72 in (total length). Habitat: Pine flatwoods, sandhills and coastal scrub of the Southeast coastal plain.
Also called eastern diamondback.
Where it lives
- Lives here
- Rare records
- Gone
- Not here
When it is out
Look-alikes
- Eastern Diamondback vs Timber Rattlesnake Timber rattlesnake: dangerous
State by state
| State | Status | Open records | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | Lives here | 849 | 55 |
| Georgia | Lives here | 287 | 26 |
| North Carolina | Lives here | 93 | 2 |
| South Carolina | Lives here | 53 | 3 |
| Alabama | Lives here | 47 | 9 |
| Mississippi | Lives here | 34 | 9 |
| Louisiana | Lives here | 4 | 0 |
| Texas | Rare records | 4 | 0 |
| Arkansas | Rare records | 3 | 1 |
| California | Not here | 1 | 0 |
| Kansas | Not here | 1 | 1 |
| New York | Not here | 1 | 0 |
| Ohio | Not here | 1 | 1 |
States not listed have no open records and are outside the range.
Questions
Where does the eastern diamondback rattlesnake live?
In 7 states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina. Rare records also come from Arkansas and Texas.
Is the eastern diamondback rattlesnake dangerous?
Dangerous. A large snake with a big venom yield. A bite is a medical emergency.
How do you identify a eastern diamondback rattlesnake?
Dark diamonds with pale yellow edges down the back. Two pale diagonal stripes on each side of the face. Thick body and a rattle on the tail.
When is the eastern diamondback rattlesnake most active?
Most open US records fall in March to July, September to October.