Reptile & Amphibian Forums

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.

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.)

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.

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

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!"

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.

Hope y'all enjoyed this!

Cheers,

Terry Vandeventer

Been there, done that....any updates since 2002? Great specimen, Terry!

http://forum.kingsnake.com/crotalid/messages/9843.html

In my entire life I've only had 3 Rattlesnakes approaching or exceeding 7' in length. One was an EDB I purchased as a small "blueish" neonate from Craig Trumbower and I sold it to Gary Markley. He had it for a number of years and someone else sold it to the San Diego Zoo and I'm guessing it was right at 7' long. Once I had 2 atrox that likely were a good 7' but didn't have near the bulk of the EDB. One pic of one of those monsters can be seen in Rubio's book on Rattlesnakes. Denny Sebolt at the Snake-a-torium in Panama City Beach, Fl. once got a measured 7' 3" EDB coLlected in Ebro, Fl. A pic of this massive monster can be seen at Alligator Adventure in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He told me this snake weighed over 30 lbs. In all his years there from the early 1950's until the 1990's he seldom got a snake even 6' long he told me. It seems most will reach 5-6' long fairly quick but then the growth seems to slow down dramatically. That snake you have Terry is a TRUE monster and a handsome animal. It is seldom one gets the chance to see a magnificent EDB like that one. I did not see the video and assumed it was a measured snake and I was appalled they killed it. I don't like the fact they killed any snake but a 7' long one would have been even more shamefull....
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

I saw that large Atrox in Rubios book. Did you raise that one yourself, if so, how long did it take to get that big?

Sloane

I didn't raise the snake and actually I had two that size. Both of them came from the same person. Gordon Cates bought both of them from me and were his when Manny took the pics....
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

Dang Terry!
Looks like you and me AND the EDB need to go on a diet! LOL!

Randal

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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>>
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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.)
>>
>>
>>
>>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.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>I tried to make sure that we photographed him on the same plane as my big belly and not forwards towards the camera.
>>
>>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!"
>>
>>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.
>>
>>Hope y'all enjoyed this!
>>
>>Cheers,
>>
>>Terry Vandeventer
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

That is impressive! and pretty.