Thanks for sharing Terry!....that's one heck of an impressive rattler!!



>>In light of the discussion below, I thought I would post a couple photos of a big Eastern Diamondback that resides in my lab. I can't take credit for him. He was raised by John Harrison here in Jackson, Mississippi. It is probably a Florida snake and was born five years ago at a dealer's store.

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>>The snake was measured and weighed two weeks ago on my deck. He is 6 feet, 9 inches long and a whopping 24 pounds. (I know. He's overweight. He's now on a diet.)

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>>We used a steel tape to measure him but I'll point out that each deck board and one space is 6" and he still has a few curves in his body.

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>>I tried to make sure that we photographed him on the same plane as my big belly and not forwards towards the camera.

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>>He has 20 segments and his original button. He's a big Ball Python. He pays no more attention to people than he does trees or bushes. Not the least bit defensive but as John pointed out, "He's bold and self assured!"

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>>I've seen them this big forty years ago, and we got two larger than this (measured & weighed) on one day in southern Georgia. But these days they're mostly a myth. Still, Heyward & Ted Clamp get one or two 6' snakes every season in coastal South Carolina. So there's still a few out there.

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>>Hope y'all enjoyed this!

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>>Cheers,

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>>Terry Vandeventer
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Rob Carmichael, Curator

The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm

Lake Forest, IL

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