Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake found in Lake Mary neighborhood
LAKE MARY, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - An Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake was spotted in a Lake Mary neighborhood.
A Florida couple was said to be on an afternoon stroll when they saw the snake run across the road.
Licensed Central Florida snake wrangler Bob Cross was called to the neighborhood to retrieve the snake. By the time he arrived, he said that the rattlesnake was hiding in the bushes. He had to use a poll to get the snake out.
The snake was about three-feet long. Cross believes that the snake was about three or four years old. Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes only mate every two years.
A bite from an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake would be lethal to a child or pet. Cross said that an adult could survive the bite with a lot of anti-venom, but would still be in the hospital for three to five days. Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes can strike from a distance that is two-thirds the length of their body.
These type of rattlesnakes are not common in Lake Mary. However, they can be found further into the country of Florida, Cross said. Their population is declining as they are often killed by people who encounter them.
Cross usually donates the snakes he captures to the Discovery Reptile Center in DeLand. He hopes that with this donation, the center can produce an anti-venom and save a life.