![]() There have been several unconfirmed sightings of dusky pygmy rattlesnakes and Florida cottonmouths on Sanibel. For a snake to be documented, there must be a photograph, a DOR (Dead-on-road example), a preserved specimen, or a live example that more than one person can verify. If one person witnesses a snake but does not provide any of the examples listed above, then it is considered an unconfirmed sighting.Įastern diamondback rattlesnakes (left) are large snakes (can reach over 5′ in length). They occur on the mainland as well as barrier islands throughout Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. ![]() They have been documented from Sanibel, Captiva, North Captiva, Cayo Costa and Gasparilla Island as well as the Keys. They are in the Family Viperidae, which makes them pit vipers. The word pit viper refers to the loreal pits on the side of head that enable to them to sense heat from their prey (small mammals and birds). They are hide and ambush predators which means that they hide themselves and wait for small mammals such as rats, rabbits and birds to pass by. They strike (bite) the animal with lightning speed and wait for the animal to die from envenomation. They are able to to follow the path of the dying animal with their loreal pits and finally swallow the animal after it is found. Pit vipers have cytotoxic venom, meaning the venom dismantles the molecular structure of the area to aid in digestion of the prey. Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are large, venomous snakes that can deliver considerable amounts of venom. There have been fatalities from eastern diamondback rattlesnake bites. However, eastern diamondbacks are not considered aggressive. Their main method of defense is their ability to remain motionless and camouflage themselves around vegetation. Most of the time, people walk right past diamondbacks without even noticing them. Normally, they will not rattle their tail until they realize they have been seen. Human bites are rare and usually involve that person trying to maneuver the snake by hand or with a stick. The last documented eastern diamondback rattlesnake sighting on Sanibel was in 1996. It is unknown and doubtful that this species is still reproducing on Sanibel but there may be a few isolated animals left in “remote” parts of the island. A neonate eastern diamondback rattlesnake was found on one of the causeway islands on October 1, 2015. This snake likely emigrated from Pine Island or some other nearby island as this is a colonizing species.ĭusky pygmy rattlesnakes (right) are small pit vipers that rarely exceed 2 feet in length. They are consi dered nervous and irritable and do not like being harassed. They are usually very quick to rattle their tail and will strike with very little disturbance.
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