A-luring Tails
Posted by Mark Mark on February 11, 2006
Q: I came across a rattlesnake recently that resembled a canebrake but with a color variation. It was approximately 5 to 5 1/2 feet long and was pale almost with a pink hue. It had the distinct triangle pattern of a canebrake. I live in North Florida near the Osceola Forest and when I asked a Game Warden friend he said it was a variation found only east of the Suwanee and Santa Fe Rivers. I looked in the library and on the web but could find no mention of this. Have you ever heard of this variation in this area? I'm curious because I recently saw a special on the Apalachicola King Snake and was wondering if isolation by the rivers has caused a similar variation in the Canebrake.
State: Florida
A: I think your game warden friend is correct. From what you've shared, it sounds like you saw the southern version of the Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus). This southern variation often has dark markings on a pinkish background. Snakes often vary quite a bit in color and this can easily throw off an ID if it isn't one you're used to. Thanks for asking.
John Wiessinger ( February 15, 2006)