Venomous Snakes - Cold Fear

Venomous means poisonous! Take back when you see a snake! Most snakes are not venomous, but a few are. If you get bitten by a snake: wash the bite well - remember what the snake looks like; and get somebody to take you to the doctor.
A snake is a reptile without legs. A reptile usually has scales, lays eggs, breathes air, and doesn’t spend much time taking care of its babies. It is also cold-blooded, which means that its body doesn’t stay the same temperature all the time. (Our bodies stay at 98.6 F all day.) Snakes get very cold on winter days and very hot in the summer. Because of this, snakes usually stay in burrows during very hot and cold weather. A burrow is a hole in the ground where they can live.
What do snakes eat? All snakes are carnivores (car-ni-vorz) or meat-eaters. There are no snakes that can eat people in Florida. Small snakes eat bugs and frogs. Larger ones eat fish, birds, mice, and rabbits. They use sharp teeth and strong muscles to catch the prey. If the prey animal is bigger than the snake’s mouth, the snake can dislocate (unhinge) its bottom jaw to fit the big animal in.
Venom is a poison the snake puts into its prey through its fangs (teeth). Once venom gets into the prey, it is easy for the snake to eat it. Some venomous snakes have patterns which can warn us. Rattlesnakes have rattles to scare away animals or people that might hurt them.
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) is the largest snake native to North America, reaching 6 feet long. It has brown, black, and beige diamond marks on its back. This snake lives in forests near palmetto bushes. It makes its home in old animal burrows (holes in the ground). It is a good swimmer and can live near fresh or salt water. The eastern diamondback does NOT always rattle before it strikes.