Pygmy Rattlesnake
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Scientific Name:
Sistrurus miliarius Terrestrial
Native
Snakes
Venomous
Description
A small snake- 10 to 20 inches long. Pale gray or tan above, with a row of dark blotches or spots down the back and one row on each side. Reddish or orange band down the middle of the back. Wide black band along the side of the head. Underside is whitish, gray, or tan with brown blotches or spots. Scales are keeled (ridged) and in 21 to 23 rows. The rattle is very small in contrast to other rattlesnake species.
A Restricted Snake Permit is required for possession of any native and non-native venomous snake species in Louisiana.
Range and Habitat
Found in upland areas and pine flatwoods in the Florida Parishes and northern and central Louisiana, southwest to Calcasieu Parish. There are isolated populations in the west edge of the Atchafalaya Basin-Vermilion River area, the salt dome islands around Cote Blanch Bay, and live oak ridges from the New Orleans area southward and eastward. Found in wooded areas but tend to avoid swamps. Favor areas with a grass understory such as pinelands and dry coastlands but are also found in palmetto flatwoods.
Behavior
Primarily feed on frogs, lizards, and other snakes. Give birth to 4 to 14 young.
Population Status
Rarely encountered and ranked as S2 (imperiled) in Louisiana.