Sex : Female

Length : 6 Ft (Avg. 5 – 7 Feet – Females are longer)

Weight : 5 lb. (Avg. 3 – 6 lb. – Females are bigger)

Lifespan : Captive Born Oct 1999, Age 5 years (Longevity 20+ years)

Breeding: Egg Layer, up to 30 young

Range: Southeastern United States as far north as southern New Jersey and south to northern Florida.

Habitat : Typically a resident of pine forests and grassy, treeless prairies, they prefer sandy, loamy soils and inhabit rodent burrows.

Food and Hunting : Primarily diurnal, they may turn crepuscular and even nocturnal during extremely hot weather. Mainly terrestrial, they occasional climb through shrubs and small tress in search of prey. Their main diet is small mammals but they also take birds and their eggs. Exceptional burrowers, they have adapted rostral scales and pointed snouts. In captivity they are fed mice and rats appropriate to their age and size.

Conservation : Locally common, they have few predators but man. Habitat destruction and pollution are the biggest threat they face. Native to Georgia they cannot be kept in captivity except by special permit. Albinos are commonly captive bred in the hobby.

Captive Care : Their larger size and active lifestyle make them most suitable for experienced keepers. Most specimens feed well on frozen thawed mice, rats and small rabbits.