| PYGMY RATTLESNAKE |
| Sistrurus miliarius |
|
Range:
|
Southeastern US. |
 The Pygmy Rattlesnake, also often referred to as the Dusky Pigmy Rattlesnake, is the most common venomous snake in Florida, and is responsible for more human snakebite than any other snake. The snake is grey in color with black blotches all over its body. There are a series of nearly circular black markings on the middle of the back, with a dotted red to orange line running right down the center of the back, between each black blotch. |
| Habitat: |
Lowland pine flatwoods, prairies, around lakes and ponds, and along the borders of many freshwater marshes and cypress swamps. |
| Diet: |
Small frogs and mammals, lizards and insects. |
| Status: |
This species is not protected by South Carolina or Georgia state law, but they are protected in North Carolina and Tennessee. |
| Approximate Dimensions of Adult: |
Length: 14 – 22 in (38 - 56 cm).
Weight: Around 150 grams. |
| Lifespan: |
Up to 20 years. |
| Reproduction & Offspring: |
Females are ovoviviparous - the young develop in eggs that the female retains inside her body. The mother gives birth to the 3-9 young in the late summer or early fall. |
|
