The Pigmy Rattle Snake

Appearance and biology
The pigmy rattle snake is venomous a thick bodied snake that is generally small in size with an adult just about 18 inches or less. They have rough circular spots on their backs with some reddish stripe running at the center of its back.Their bellies are normally white in color with a significant number of black spots. They have a small rattle that is delicate in nature. The vibration of this rattle would normally sound like the buzzing of an insect. This snake is cannibalistic in nature and gives birth to its young ones.

Life cycle
After copulation, the eggs are normally internally fertilized where they stay inside the body of the female snake till they are given birth to. Unlike the normal case where snakes lay eggs, for this specie it is different. Larger females would normally produce a larger litter as compared to smaller ones. However, in average, a litter would have about 5 to 8 juveniles. After birth, the young ones would normally hang around their mothers till they shed then after depart. The young grow till they are mature enough to mate and bring forth other young ones. This process repeats itself.

Habitat
This snakes are native to the Southeastern part of the United States majority of them being found in Florida. They thrive in areas around water, marshy areas as well as in the woodland.

Diet
The pigmy rattle snake is an animal that would hunt for small animal owing to its size. Its diet mainly comprises of creatures such as rodents like mice, rats, small squirrels and others like lizards, frogs, toads, insects, nestling birds as well as small snakes.

Behavior
• Hunting behavior The Rattle snake do not exactly chase after a prey but just wait for them to come and sometimes engage their tails to sort of lure their prey. They hunt by catching their prey while off guard.

• Defensive means Their most common means to defend themselves is by staying motion less unless they are stepped. Their body appearance also goes a long way in their protection as they cannot easily be spotted when in leaf litter or grass especially when coiled. They would also incorporate a number of other defensive means like striking upon being grabbed or simply fleeing.

• Reproductive behavior These snakes engage themselves in prolonged courtship where by the couple would remain in physical contact by coiling around each other. After mating, eggs are internally fertilized and the young ones are incubated in the females’ body till they give birth. Therefore, the pigmy rattle snake is said to be ovoviviparous in nature. It is interesting to know that the female rattle snake has the ability to store it mate’s sperm. The Pigmy Rattle Snake