DOUGLAS DAILY NEWS (Georgia) 28 September 06 Albino is only second of its kind (Robert Preston, Jr.)
Douglas: People who rescue nuisance snakes often doubt the descriptions their customers give them about a troublesome snake.
It is with good reason that their cynicism exists. Rattlesnakes often turn out to be gray rat snakes, coral snakes are often harmless scarlet king snakes and six footers are often no longer than two or three feet.
So when Jason Clark of Southeastern Reptile Rescue, located in Griffin, received a call Sunday night about a possible albino rattlesnake, he wasn't buying it.
"The person who called told me it was a rattlesnake, and he thought it was an albino, maybe 10 or 12 inches long. I didn't think it was. I figured it was a canebrake rattlesnake with a lot of yellow on it or maybe even a corn snake," said Clark Wednesday afternoon.
When he finally laid his eyes on the animal in question, he realized that his caller was indeed telling the truth. "It was an albino canebrake, maybe a foot long. It only had a button on its rattle, which means it hasn't even shed yet. It's probably less than two weeks old," said Clark.
The caller captured the snake on a road in Lamar County, located just northwest of Macon.
An albino canebrake rattlesnake is indeed a rarity. The canebrake, known in some areas as the timber rattlesnake, is the most widely-distributed of Georgia's rattlesnakes, and can be found in the swamps of South Georgia all the way up the North Georgia mountains.
While several albino eastern diamondback rattlesnakes have been found in the wild, only one other albino canebrake has been discovered in Georgia. That specimen, which was found several years ago, resides at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory in Aiken, S.C.
In an article from the winter 2000 edition of The University of Georgia Research Magazine, Whit Gibbons, an ecology professor at the Savannah River site, said that he had been offered $10,000 for the snake. Of course, he turned it down.
Clark has been in touch with Gibbons, and he hopes that this latest discovery is compatible with the Savannah River site's snake.
"Hopefully, we'll get the snake eating this weekend. In a few months, we'll sex the snake. If it's the opposite sex, we hope to start a breeding project with the other albino," said Clark.
The little rattler was lucky to be found. Albinos don't usually live very long in the wild. Their coloration, which results from a genetic mutation that alters the pigmentation of the snake's skin, makes albinos of any species easy to locate by both prey and predator alike.
That the snake was captured saved its life, and has given researchers around the state something to talk about.
Clark expects the animal to do well in captivity. "Small canebrakes have few problems adjusting to captivity. Since it probably hasn't had a wild meal yet, it should be free of internal parasites," he said.
The snake's albinism hasn't affected its venom; it is just as dangerous as a normal-colored canebrake. Canebrakes are capable of delivering a deadly dose of venom that contains both hemotoxic and neurotoxic properties. Fortunately, bites are rare and those that do occur are rarely fatal. However, they are very painful and often result in significant tissue damage.
Albino is only second of its kind

[ Show Entire Thread ]