Pygmy rattlesnake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pygmy rattlesnake |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Sistrurus
|
| Species: |
miliarius
|
 |
|
Sistrurus miliarius, commonly called the pygmy rattlesnake, is a type of venomous snake. These snakes are part of the Viperidae family, which includes pit vipers. Pygmy rattlesnakes live only in the Southeastern United States. There are three different kinds, or subspecies, of pygmy rattlesnakes. People also call them ground rattlesnakes, leaf rattlers, or death rattlers.
Contents
About the Pygmy Rattlesnake
Pygmy rattlesnakes are small snakes. Adult snakes are usually about 40 to 60 centimeters (16 to 24 inches) long. The longest one ever found was about 78.8 centimeters (31 inches) long. Some studies suggest that male snakes might be bigger than females in certain areas.
These snakes usually have 23 rows of scales around the middle of their body. Their back has oval or round spots with clear edges. The spots on their sides are mostly round. The belly often has faint blotches. Young pygmy rattlesnakes look like the adults, but their colors might be lighter or brighter. The tip of their tail is yellow.
Where Pygmy Rattlesnakes Live
Pygmy rattlesnakes are found in the Southeastern United States. They live from southern and eastern North Carolina, all the way south through Florida, and west to East Texas and Oklahoma. The first pygmy rattlesnake was found in "Carolina," which is now thought to be Charleston, South Carolina.
Pygmy Rattlesnake Homes
These snakes like to live in different kinds of places. You can find them in flat, open areas, sandy hills, and forests with different types of trees. They also live in floodplains, which are flat lands next to rivers that can flood. Pygmy rattlesnakes are often found near lakes and wet, marshy areas.
Pygmy Rattlesnake Behavior
Pygmy rattlesnakes are often seen warming themselves in the sun during summer. Sometimes, they cross roads late in the day. Their rattle is very small and makes a quiet buzzing sound. You can only hear it if you are very close, just a few feet away.
Some pygmy rattlesnakes can be quite aggressive and strike quickly. Others seem calm and might not even try to rattle. These snakes do not dig their own burrows. Instead, they use burrows made by small rodents or gopher tortoises.
What Pygmy Rattlesnakes Eat
Pygmy rattlesnakes eat a variety of animals. Their diet includes small mammals, birds, lizards, insects, and frogs. They also eat other snakes.
Interestingly, pygmy rattlesnakes also hunt giant desert centipedes. They chase the centipedes, grab them, and flip them around while injecting venom. This helps them avoid getting hurt by the centipede. Like many other viper species, they also use their tails as lures to trick and ambush lizards like skinks.
Pygmy Rattlesnake Venom
Pygmy rattlesnakes do not produce a lot of venom. Because of this, a bite from a pygmy rattlesnake is usually not deadly for an adult human. However, the bite can still cause a lot of pain and discomfort for several days. Bites on children have sometimes led to longer hospital stays and tissue damage.
The venom of this snake affects tissues and can cause bleeding, but it does not affect the nervous system. Scientists have even used this venom to help create a medicine called eptifibatide. This medicine helps prevent blood clots during a heart attack.
Pygmy Rattlesnake Subspecies
There are three recognized subspecies of the pygmy rattlesnake:
| Subspecies | Common name | Where they live |
|---|---|---|
| S. m. barbouri | Dusky pygmy rattlesnake | The United States from southern South Carolina through southern Georgia, all of Florida, west through southern Alabama and southeastern Mississippi |
| S. m. miliarius | Carolina pygmy rattlesnake | The United States from southern South Carolina, north into eastern North Carolina and west through central Georgia and central Alabama |
| S. m. streckeri | Western pygmy rattlesnake | The United States in Mississippi (except for southeast of the Pearl River Valley), west through Louisiana into East Texas, and north into southeastern Oklahoma, Arkansas, southern Missouri, and southwestern Tennessee |
Conservation Status
The pygmy rattlesnake is listed as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This means that the species is not currently in danger of disappearing. They are found over a wide area, and their population is thought to be large and stable. This status was last checked in 2007.
Images for kids
-
S. m. miliarius
-
Western pygmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius streckeri), Wayne County, Missouri (13 April 2018)
-
Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius barbouri)
-
Dusky pygmy rattlesnake (S. m. barbouri), Hendry Co., Florida (3 May 2013)
-
Western pygmy rattlesnake (S. m. streckeri), Wayne Co., Missouri (28 August 2015)
_(42221247052).jpg)
_(20799317490).jpg)
