by Rick O'Connor | Dec 22, 2025
Though encounters with Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes are rare, bites from them are even more rare, and deaths from those bites almost nonexistent, it is worth discussing the issues and remedies of a bite.
The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is a classic serpent found in xeric habitats like barrier islands and deserts. They can be found in all habitats on barrier islands.
Photo: Bob Pitts
About 8000 people are bitten by snakes each year in the U.S. and Canada. Most are on the hands of men who were engaging the snake. 95% of those bitten are trying to either catch or kill them. Annually less than 12 people die from some species of rattlesnake bite. Many are young or old, with a suppressed immune system or pre-existing medical condition. Many who die, for whatever reason, refused medical treatment.
Most lethal bites are those that reach the heart or brain. However most bites are on the extremities where tissue and nerve damage can occur, but death is less likely. One reason some may refuse medical treatment is cost. Antivenin treatments are expensive. Typical bites may require 4-6 vials and costs were between $1500-$3500/vial in 2010. Add to this the cost of hospital stays, and you can see how expensive it can be.
Another reason given as to why medical attention was not sought is the fact that many venomous snakes will give what is called a “dry bite”. As mentioned in earlier articles, snake venom is “expensive” for snakes to produce, and it is intended for prey – not predators. Rattlesnakes will often give what is called a “bluff bite” – striking with their head but not even opening their mouths. The injection of venom is a voluntary action by the snake, and they may choose to inject very little, if any, venom even if the fangs penetrate. It is believed that about 50% of the rattlesnakes are dry bites. That said, you should never gamble on whether you received venom or not, you should go to the hospital.
The venom itself is a cocktail of proteins, polypeptides, digestive enzymes, and other compounds. It is basically modified salvia – which already includes some digestive enzymes. Myotoxins are a large component of rattlesnake venom. Myotoxins attack muscle tissue, cause pain, discoloration, minor bleeding, and swelling. This can be accompanied by chills, sweats, dizziness, disorientation, tingling and numbness of mouth and tongue, metallic taste, vomiting, diarrhea, bloody stools, alternating blood pressure and heart rates, blurred vision, muscle spasms, and neurotoxins can paralyze diaphragm leading to asphyxiation.
To avoid envenomation problems wear closed-toed shoes when hiking in rattlesnake territory. Do not extend your hand into brushy/grassy areas – use your hiking stick instead. Watch stepping over, or sitting on, logs and stumps without close surveying. Do not touch dead rattlesnakes, if not dead long, they can still bite. Carry a cell phone.
What to do if bitten…
Call 911.
Call poison control if you have their number.
Get to a hospital.
Remove rings, watches, etc. – swelling will occur.
Keep bite at, or below, heart level.
Remain calm.
What NOT to do if bitten…
Do not cut the wound.
Do not suck venom out.
Do not apply a tourniquet.
Do not apply ice.
Do not drink alcohol.
Do not use electroshock treatment.
Envenomation from an eastern diamondback rattlesnake is a scary thing. However, there are many ways to avoid this problem, and there is basic treatment if you are. Remember few people are bitten, and very few die. Get medical attention as soon as you can.
References
Rubio, M. 2010. Rattlesnakes of the United States and Canada. ECO Herpetological Publishing & Distribution. Rodeo, New Mexico. pp. 307.
Gibbons, W., Dorcas, M. 2005. Snakes of the Southeast. The University of Georgia Press. Athens, Georgia. pp. 253.
Graham, S.P. 2018. American Snakes. John’s Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, Maryland. pp. 293.
by Rick O'Connor | Dec 15, 2025
It is understood that rattlesnakes are carnivores and will select some form of meat for their food. The general principle is to select something that is easy to kill and requires less energy to do so. Most rattlesnakes will select rodents but depending on the species and the part of the world they are in, some will select lizards or other prey.
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake.
Photo: Bob Pitts.
Due to their long periods of hibernation and/or aestivation, their feeding seasons are shortened. If you add low prey availability when they emerge from hiding, the feeding season is shorter still. They respond by binge eating – basically gorging on prey as often as they can. They may consume massive meals that will take over a week to digest.
Rattlesnakes who feed on rodents over lizards will grow larger. Many species have young with bright pink or yellow tips on their tails, much like cottonmouths and copperheads. These are used to lure small prey such as lizards and toads. They are predominantly ambush hunters, lying in wait for selected prey to wander into striking range. They like spots where they are half in the shade, half in the sun to do this.
Here is a scenario…
In the spring, when the temperature reaches 70°F, rattlesnakes will leave the hibernacula they used for hibernation. Having not eaten in a while, food is on their mind. They will use their sense of smell to find the trails of their potential prey, find a good ambush spot, and wait. Some studies suggest they sleep while waiting. They may first detect their prey by seeing it. It could be by hearing or smelling. Or by a combination of these. They will begin to flick their tongues – using the Jacobsen’s organ – to further identify the target. When within range, the facial pits can help “see” the target and assist in accuracy of their strike.
The strike is extremely fast. The snake injects their venom, releases, re-coils, and folds their fangs back into their sheath. The target often will run but is usually dead within a minute and not far away. The rattlesnake will now find the scent trail with their tongue and follow its meal. It can take several minutes to an hour to find it. Once found the prey is dead and already in the process of digestion due to some of the enzymes within their venom. In some prey the rattlesnake may not release and rather hold on to the prey after the bite. This often happens when they select birds, possibly due to the difficulty of finding them because they may fly before they die. Another interesting twist to this scenario holds for the timber rattlesnakes, who sometimes lie at the base of a tree with their heads facing up the trunk waiting on an unaware squirrel coming down.
Swallowing the prey involves “unhinging” their lower jaw making the diameter of their mouths larger. This way rattlesnakes can swallow large prey such as squirrels and rabbits. They have six rows of smaller pointed teeth in their mouths. There are two rows on the lower jaw, two on the upper, and two on the roof of their mouths. With the fangs folded back in their sheath, they begin to grab the prey with one set of jaws (the right or left) pull in, then alternate with the other jaw. It appears they are “walking the prey down” their throat. There is a tube called the glottis on the forward portion of the lower mouth that is used for breathing while their mouth is full. They have been seen taking breaks and resting while this process is ongoing. After swallowing, they re-align their lower jaw and find a place to rest and digest the meal.
Being ectothermic they will need to find warmth to digest their meal. They require internal temperatures between 80-85°F for proper digestion, so, they will need to find a location where there is good sunlight but enough cover to hide them. Depending on the size of the meal, digestion can last up to a week.
This scenario can be altered if prey density is low. If it is, rattlesnakes may move, and forage more than they typically do. As you can see, an approaching human during any part of this scenario would be unwanted by the snake.
In the next article we will take a closer look at the venom of these snakes.
References
Rubio, M. 2010. Rattlesnakes of the United States and Canada. ECO Herpetological Publishing & Distribution. Rodeo, New Mexico. pp. 307.
Gibbons, W., Dorcas, M. 2005. Snakes of the Southeast. The University of Georgia Press. Athens, Georgia. pp. 253.
Graham, S.P. 2018. American Snakes. John’s Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, Maryland. pp. 293.
by Rick O'Connor | Dec 8, 2025
We will begin with a statement most know, but bears repeating… Snakes are just another animal trying to get through the day. They need to eat, avoid being eaten, find a place to sleep, and – at some point in the year – find a mate. They are no different than raccoons or hawks. But our reactions to these animals are very different to our reaction to raccoons and hawks. When hiking in the woods when someone says “bald eagle” the reaction is uplifting, maybe get a photo. But if someone says “snake” the reaction is different. If they say “rattlesnake” that reaction increases several magnitudes. In Manny Rubio’s book on rattlesnakes, he mentions that 50% of our population is “uneasy” about them and 20% are terrified of them – ophidiophobia is a real thing. That said, rattlesnakes are part of the barrier island ecology, and it is good to learn more about them.
This eastern diamondback rattlesnake was seen crossing a dirt road near DeFuniak Springs shortly after the humidity dropped.
Photo: Lauren McNally
Rattlesnakes are only found in the new world. There are 30 species listed in the U.S. and Canada and three of those live in Florida. One of them, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, lives on our barrier islands. The pygmy rattlesnake may as well, but I have not encountered it (nor have heard of others encountering). The canebrake/timber rattlesnake is not common in Florida, and I have never heard of them on our islands.
These snakes differ from others in that they possess modified scales at the tip of their blunt tails we call rattles. Many snakes vibrate their tails when alarmed but this snake’s vibrations can be heard at a distance (up to 20-30 feet sometimes) to warn potential predators they are there. Each time the snake sheds its skin it will leave a new segment on the rattle. This is not a good way to age the snake however because they may shed several times in one year and older segments can break off. There have been reports of rattlesnakes with deformed tails and no rattles at all, but this is rare.
They also possess facial pits that have cells which can detect temperature radiating from an object, including “warm blooded” prey, while hiding. These thermal receptors lie along the bottom of the facial pit and are connected to the optic nerve; thus, they can sort of “see” heat.
Their eyesight is not as good as birds and mammals, and they have an elliptical pupil. They appear to use their eyesight in determining the size of the approaching animal and thus, their reaction to it.
They have nostrils but smell does not seem to play as important a role as Jacobsen’s organ does. This organ is found on the roof of their mouths. Rattlesnakes (all snakes) will flick their forked tongues to collect air molecules and stick the tip of each fork into a groove in the roof of their mouths that lead to this organ. Here they can taste/smell what is within their environment. The “taste” of potential prey will increase the frequency of tongue flicks and could cause the snake to move forward.
The fangs are the part of this animal we are most concerned about. They are hollow tubes connected to a venom gland which are located behind each jaw and give the snake the triangular head shape they are known for. These fangs are folded in a sheath so that they can close their mouths. Whether only one or both fangs are extended during a bite is controlled by the snake. Fangs often break off but smaller new ones are ready to replace them when needed. They will replace these fangs every two months, one at a time.
The strike involves opening the mouth, extending the fangs 90°, opening the mouth 180°, thrusting forward, bite down, inject, recoil, re-fold fangs, and back into the attack position. There are “offensive” and “defensive” strikes. Venom is “expensive” for snakes to produce and is meant for killing prey. The amount injected (if any at all) is controlled by the snake. A “defense” strike is slightly elevated. The upward angle reduces thrust and penetration depth.
Other general characteristics of rattlesnakes includes a triangular shaped head, most have a dark “mask” over their eyes, scales protruding over the eyes, keeled scales giving them a dry/rough appearance, and the males have longer tails than the females.
In our next post we will look at rattlesnake predation.
References
Rubio, M. 2010. Rattlesnakes of the United States and Canada. ECO Herpetological Publishing & Distribution. Rodeo, New Mexico. pp. 307.
Gibbons, W., Dorcas, M. 2005. Snakes of the Southeast. The University of Georgia Press. Athens, Georgia. pp. 253.
Graham, S.P. 2018. American Snakes. John’s Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, Maryland. pp. 293.
by Rick O'Connor | Nov 10, 2025
Over the last decade human-bear encounters have increased across Florida, including the Panhandle. Recently the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) posted advice on how we can prepare for the fall season.
Florida Black Bear visiting an easy food source.
They mention that fall is a time when bears begin seeking additional food sources to prepare for winter. An adult bear can consume up to 20,000 calories a day during this prep period. All creatures will seek the easiest source of food, reducing energy effort in capturing, and will take the opportunity to raid garbage cans, pet food left outside, and even bird feeders. Here are tips FWC suggests.
- Never Feed Bears. Doing so will reduce their natural fear of humans, and intentionally doing so is illegal in Florida.
- Secure Food and Garbage. Some suggestions on how to do this…
- Keep your trash can in a sturdy shed or garage and do not place on the street until morning.
- Modify your trash can to make it more secure. Tips for this can be found from FWC at Instructions on Making a Trashcan Bear-Resistant.
- Purchase a bear resistant trash can. Bear Resistant Trash Containers.
- They are attracted to gardens, compost piles, beehives, and livestock. Take measures to reduce their ability to reach these.
- Pick ripe from fruit trees and remove fallen fruit from the ground.
- Remove, or secure, bird feeders. If you want to feed winter birds, place only enough food for the delay and remove it at night. You can find other suggestions to help winter birds at this site – Attract Backyard Birds, Not Backyard Bears – BearWise.
- Never leave pet food outdoors. This is actually a good suggestion to reduce raccoon, coyote, and other wildlife encounters. If you must feed your pet outside, do so for only short periods and bring all food after dark.
- Clean and store grills.
- Alert neighbors to bear activities. Share these tips with them and your HOA.
Bears are generally afraid of humans and are not aggressive but can become so when there are mothers protecting cubs, and dogs. 60% of all human-bear encounters involved dogs. When walking your dogs keep them on a short leash and be aware of your surroundings and your dog’s reaction to your surroundings. Before letting your dog out at night turn the exterior lights on and off several times and bang the door. Keep in mind they will be moving more this time of year and are most often encountered on the roads at dawn and dusk.
If you have further questions, or need further information, search the FWC website.
by Rick O'Connor | Oct 21, 2025
Many who have snorkeled or dove in the Florida Keys have most likely encountered nurse sharks there – they are quite common. But here in the northern Gulf – though present – encounters are not as frequent. In the Keys you can don a mask, swim along a seawall, bridge piling, or over limestone bottom in shallow water and found one – maybe several. In the northern Gulf encounters are more offshore by SCUBA alone, and I would say – still not that common.
All this to say that one was seen off a dock recently in Escambia County inside the bay. It was swimming along the edge of the dock in a seagrass bed searching for something to eat. Again, this would not be abnormal if in south Florida, but a cool event in our area.
Nurse sharks are docile fish recognized by their brownish copper coloration, two large dorsal fins set back on their dorsal side, and barbels extending from their upper jaw similar to catfish. These barbels indicate they are more bottom feeders, and they spend a lot of time lying on the bottom. Though they can reach lengths of 14 feet, nurse sharks are not considered a threat – unless you mess with them – and exciting to see.
They are considered a tropical species – hence the lower number of encounters in our area. They prefer hardbottom – such as coral reefs and limestone shelves – higher salinities, dissolved oxygen levels, and clear water. Over this summer local water temperatures have increased, and the lack of rain has increased salinities across the area. The lower amount of rain has reduced stormwater runoff from land and allowed the water to become clearer. Everything that a nurse shark would want.
As mentioned, encounters with this species are not considered threatening and a very cool memory. We do not know how long the current conditions will last but maybe you too will see one. It would be pretty exciting.
Nurse shark inside bay in Escambia County.
Photo: Angela Guttman
by Rick O'Connor | Sep 22, 2025
Introduction
The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is the only resident turtle within brackish water and estuarine systems in the United States (Fig. 1). They prefer coastal estuarine wetlands – living in salt marshes, mangroves, and seagrass communities. The literature suggests they have strong site fidelity – meaning they do not move far from where they live. Within their habitat they feed on shellfish, mollusk and crustaceans mostly. In early spring they will breed. Gravid females will venture along the shores of the bay seeking a high-dry sandy beach where they will lay a clutch of about 10 eggs. She will typically return to lay more than one clutch each season. Nesting will continue through the summer. Hatching begins mid-summer and will extend into the fall. Hatchings that occur in late fall may overwinter within the nest and emerge the following spring. They live 20-25 years.
Fig. 1. The diamondback terrapin.
Photo: Molly O’Connor
Terrapins range from Massachusetts to Texas and within this range there are currently seven subspecies recognized – five of these live in Florida, and three are only found in Florida (Fig. 2). However, prior to 2005 their existence in the Florida panhandle was undocumented. The Panhandle Terrapin Project (PTP) was initially created to determine if terrapins did exist here.
Fig. 2. Terrapins of Florida.
Image provided by FWC
The Scope of the Project
Phase 1
The project began in 2005 using trained volunteers to survey suitable habitat for presence/absence. Presence is determined by locating potential nesting beaches and searching for evidence of nesting. Nesting begins in April and ends in September – with peak nesting occurring in this area during May and June. The volunteers are trained in March and survey potential beaches from April through July. They search for tracks of nesting females, eggshells of nests that were depredated by predators, and live terrapins – either on the beach or the heads in the water. Often volunteers will conduct 30-minute head counts to determine relative abundance. Between 2005 and 2010 the team was able to verify at least one record in each of the panhandle counties.
Phase 2
The next phase is to determine their status – how many nesting beaches does each county have, and how many terrapins are using them? A suitability map was developed by Dr. Barry Bitters as a Florida Master Naturalist project to locate suitable nesting beaches. Volunteers would visit these during the spring to determine whether nesting was occurring, and the relative abundance was determined using what we called the “Mann Method” – developed by Tom Mann of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, along with the 30-minute head counts. The Mann Method involved counting the number of tracks and depredated nests within a 16-day window. The assumption to this method was that nesting females would lay multiple clutches each season – but they did not lay more than one every 16 days. Going on another assumption, that the sex ratio within the population was 1:1, each track and depredated nest within a 16-day window was a different female and doubling this number would give the relative abundance of adults in this population. Between 2007 and 2023 we were able to determine the number of nesting beaches in each county and relative abundance in three of those counties (see results below).
Phase 3
Partnering with the U.S. Geological Survey, we were able to move to Phase 3 – which involves trapping and tagging terrapins. Doing this gives the team a better idea of where the terrapins are going and how they are using the habitat. To trap the terrapins, we use modified crab traps (modified so that the terrapins had access to air to breath), seine nets, fyke nets, dip nets, and by hand – the most effective has been modified crab traps (Fig. 3). These traps are placed in terrapin habitat over a 3-day period, being checked daily. Any captured terrapins are measured, weighed, sexed, marked using the notch method, and given a Passive Intergraded Transponder (PIT) tag. Some of the terrapins are given a satellite tag where movement could be tracked by GPS (Fig. 4). We are now bringing on acoustic tagging for some counties. This involves placing acoustic receivers on the bottom of the bay which will detect any terrapin (with an acoustic tag) that swims nearby. Results are below.
Fig. 3. Modified crab traps is one method used to capture adults.
Photo: Molly O’Connor
Fig. 4. This tag with an antenna can be detected by a satellite and tracked real time.
Photo: USGS
Phase 4
This phase involves collecting tissue samples for genetic analysis. Currently it is believed that the Ornate terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin macrospilota) ranges from Key West to Choctawhatchee Bay, and the Mississippi terrapin (M.t. pileata) ranges from Choctawhatchee Bay to the Louisiana/Texas border. The two subspecies look morphologically different (Fig. 5) and the team believes terrapins resembling the ornate terrapin have been found in Pensacola Bay. Researchers in Alabama have also reported terrapins they believe to be ornate terrapins in their waters as well. The project is now working with a graduate student from the University of West Florida who is genetically analyzing tissue samples from trapped terrapins to determine which subspecies they are and what the correct range of these subspecies. This phase began in 2025, and we do not have any results at this time.
Fig. 5. The Mississippi terrapin found in Pensacola Bay is darker in color than the Ornate terrapin found in other bays of the panhandle.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
Ornate Diamondback Terrapins Depend on Coastal Marshes and Sea Grass Habitats
Photo: Erik Lovestrand.
2025 UPDATE AND RESULTS
In 2025 we trained 188 volunteers across each county – including state park rangers and members of the Florida Oyster Corps. 47 (25%) participated in at least one survey.
We logged 345 nesting surveys and 17 trap days.
No seining or fyke nets were conducted in 2025.
Phase 1 – Presence/Absence Update
| County |
Presence |
Notes |
| Baldwin |
Yes |
A single deceased terrapin was found in western Baldwin County |
| Escambia |
Yes |
Team encountered nesting again this year |
| Santa Rosa |
Yes |
Two new locations were identified this year |
| Okaloosa |
Yes |
Encounters were lower this year |
| Walton |
Yes |
FIRST EVIDENCE OF NESTING IN WALTON COUNTY VERIFIED THIS YEAR |
| Bay |
Yes |
FIRST EVIDENCE OF NESTING IN BAY COUNTY VERIFIED THIS YEAR |
| Gulf |
Yes |
Team encountered nesting again this year |
| Franklin |
ND |
ND |
Phase 2 Nesting Survey – Update
| County |
# of primary beaches1 |
# of secondary beaches2 |
# of surveys |
# of encounters |
FOE3 |
| Baldwin |
0 |
TBD |
14 |
04 |
.00 |
| Escambia |
2 |
35 |
99 |
7 |
.07 |
| Santa Rosa |
3 |
45 |
137 |
25 |
.18 |
| Okaloosa |
4 |
3 |
20 |
1 |
.05 |
| Walton |
1 |
4 |
28 |
2 |
.07 |
| Bay |
3 |
3 |
47 |
14 |
.30 |
| TOTAL |
13 |
17 |
345 |
49 |
.14 |
1 primary beaches are defined as those where nesting is known to occur.
2 secondary beaches are defined as those where potential nesting is high but has not been confirmed.
3 FOE (Frequency of Encounters) is the number of terrapin encounters / the number of surveys conducted.
4 There was one deceased terrapin found by a tour guide in Baldwin County but was not part of the project.
5 There are potential nesting sites on Pensacola Beach that are technically in Escambia County but covered by the Santa Rosa team. The Escambia team focused on the Perdido Key area.
Phase 3 Trapping/Tagging Update
We currently have 8 years of data.
Terrapins have been tagged in 7 of the 8 panhandle counties.
1483 captures, 1061 individuals.
2025 Capture Effort
| Method |
County |
Number |
Description |
Condition |
| Hand capture |
Escambia |
1 |
1 adult male |
Deceased |
| Hand capture |
Santa Rosa |
5 |
4 adult females
1 unknown |
Released, deceased |
| Hand capture |
Okaloosa |
1 |
1 adult female |
Released |
| Dip Net |
Santa Rosa |
1 |
1 adult male |
Released |
| Crab Traps |
Santa Rosa |
34 |
4 juvenile females
5 adult females
25 adult males |
Released |
|
Okaloosa |
4 |
1 juvenile female
3 adult males |
Released |
| TOTAL |
|
46 |
5 juvenile females
10 adult females
30 adult males
1 unknown |
|
Preliminary information subject to revision. Not for citation or distribution.
Satellite Tagging Information
Due to the size of the tags – only large females are satellite tagged at this time.
Big Momma – tracked for 188 days – averaged 0.16 miles.
Big Bertha – tracked for 137 days – averaged 35.83 miles.
2025 Tracking Effort
| County |
Tagging Effort |
| Santa Rosa |
2 satellite tagged
6 acoustically tagged |
| Okaloosa |
1 satellite tagged |
| TOTAL |
8 tagged for tracking |
Phase 4 Update
This phase began in 2025 and there are no results at this time.
Summary
2025
17 trainings were given in 7 of the 8 counties of the Florida panhandle (including Baldwin County AL).
188 were trained; 47 (25%) conducted at least one survey.
345 surveys were logged; terrapins (or terrapin sign) were encountered 49 (14%) of those surveys.
Every county had at least one encounter during a nesting survey.
17 trapping days were conducted; 46 terrapins were captured; 37 (83%) were captured in modified crab traps; 7 were captured by hand; 1 was captured in a dip net.
8 terrapins were tagged for tracking; 6 acoustically; 2 with satellite tags.
Since 2007
511 have been trained.
1449 surveys have been logged; 347 encounters have occurred; Frequency of Encounters is 24% of the surveys.
Discussion
Phase 1
We have shown that diamondback terrapins do exist in the Florida panhandle and in Baldwin County AL.
Phase 2
We currently have 13 primary nesting beaches we are surveying weekly during nesting season across the panhandle. There were 17 secondary nesting beaches surveyed and most likely there are many more to visit. Nesting seems to be more common in late spring, but the Frequency of Encounters has been declining since 2023. This could be due to less terrapin activity but could also be due to evidence being difficult to find. We will continue to monitor to see how this trend continues.
Phase 3
The team has captured 1483 terrapins, the majority of which were from the eastern panhandle. Satellite tagged females suggest more than one has traveled over 30 miles from where they were tagged. This goes against the idea that terrapins have strong site fidelity. However, all the terrapins tagged were large females (due to size of the tags) so we are looking at the movements of only the larger females – not the population as a whole. The movements of these females also suggest they may use seagrass beds as much as the salt marshes.
Training for volunteers occurs in March of each year. If you are interested in participating, contact Rick O’Connor – roc1@ufl.edu.
