The pygmy rattlesnake (Sitrurus miliarius) is a small snake with light gray skin and dark patches all over its physique. These adept swimmers are venomous, and because of that they're risky for human contact. The pygmy rattlesnake, which is frequently known by the name ground rattler, is relatively diverse in its natural habitats.
Pygmy Rattlesnake Geographic Location
The pygmy rattlesnake exists solely in the United States, notably in the Southeast and Midwest. This species lives in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri.
Natural Pygmy Rattlesnake Habitat
Some very typical environments for pygmy rattlesnakes include sandhills, rugged hillsides, uplands, swamps, areas by riverbanks or cypress ponds, floodplains with a lot of hardwood, moist savannas and prairies, hardwood and pine mixed woodlands, gutters alongside roads, and damp lowlands. Pygmy rattlesnakes must always remain near bodies of water, such as creeks, marshes and streams. These predominantly terrestrial snakes do not usually reside in dry or arid areas, in stark contrast to a lot of their fellow rattlesnakes. Pygmy rattlesnakes are very skilled at swimming.
Hanging Out in Burrows
Although pygmy rattlesnakes do not do burrow, they frequently take advantage of holes that were dug by gopher tortoises or other creatures. These snakes also spend a lot of time under stones, logs and camouflaging foliage, from where they often reel in their prey. Some common pygmy rattlesnake prey animals are frogs, other tiny snakes, lizards and rodents. These snakes also frequently dine on bugs, birds, centipedes and even spiders.
Pygmy Rattlesnake Seasonal Inactivity
During the winter, pygmy rattlesnakes generally cut down on activity drastically by hibernating inside burrows. They are much more likely to be spotted when their activity increases in fall and toward the end of spring.
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