MARCH 3, 2009
TODAY’S LESSON FROM THE DON:
“Trust ya heart and trust ya head. Don’t stand around watchin’ the rats nibble.”
The Don don’t like rats.
MARCH 3, 2009
TODAY’S LESSON FROM THE DON:
“Trust ya heart and trust ya head. Don’t stand around watchin’ the rats nibble.”
The Don don’t like rats.
MORE WOMEN ABOVE SIZE 10
*Any questions? Didn’t think so.
*She’d be a Cougar, right?
*You’d turn down a size 14?
*apparently, she’s waiting for you
*cute lady but the bra looks weird to me
*kinda funny they have to say she’s “Plus”. Strange.
BATTLE OF THE BEASTS: EASTERN DIAMONDBACK VS WESTERN DIMAONDBACK RATTLESNAKE
We all pretty much know that, when out in the wild, the sound of a rattle indicates DANGER DANGER DANGER. For the sound of a rattle means there’s a rattlesnake nearby and it’s not happy that you’re near them. Fortunately, the rattle is your warning just in case you were planning on moving any closer. Should you choose to continue, the rattlesnake will bite your ass. Bad. And add a lot of nasty poison to the bite.
However, which rattlesnake is which? And what would happen if an east coast rattler met up with a west coast rattler? I figured it would be fun to make this an east coast/west coast battle in a throwback to 90′s hip-hop where everyone seemed to have a beef with another rapper from the “other coast”.
EASTERN DIAMONDBACK (Crotalus adamanteus)
SIZE: 3.5-7 1/2 FT
The heaviest of the rattlesnake family, the eastern diamondback has been reported to reach 8 feet in length but most of the bigger specimens found are normally between six and seven feet. Also, to keep with its theme of being large, the eastern diamondback can also claim the longest fangs of any other rattlesnake as well.
If you live west of the Mississippi, have no fear of the eastern diamondback because the furthest west it seems to venture is Louisiana. Maybe one of them will bite Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal soon. In fact, if you’re in the northeast, midwest or the entire west coast, you won’t be meeting an eastern diamondback anytime soon. If you don’t live in those places mentioned above, LOOK OUT!
Snakes in general, unless constrictors, aren’t the type for larger than life prey. They tend to eat small rodents, lizards, frogs, insects and sometimes birds. However, because eastern diamondbacks are rather large, rabbits tend to be the main course. That’s impressive for a snake below ten feet.
Well, to put it shortly, DON’T GET BITTEN BY ONE OF THESE. Their venom is highly toxic and is known for hemorrhaging and is so powerful, it can lead to cardiac failure. Known to have a 30% mortality rate. That’s pretty damn high for human mortality rates among animals. It’s also why it’s known for more snake bites in the U.S. than any other snake.
WESTERN DIAMONDBACK (Crotalus atrox)
SIZE: 3-6 FT
As far as size goes, the east coast has the edge. The western diamondback is the second largest rattler in the U.S. behind its eastern cousin as well as the second most in snake bites.
The western diamond roams a larger geographic area than the eastern diamondback, giving it a little more flexibility. It’s been caught as far east as Arkansas and as far south as Mexico, extending all the way over to all parts of the west coast. To put this simply: this snake’s got range.
Just like its rattler cousin over in the east coast, the western diamondback feeds on small rodents like rats and mice and moles and rabbits. It also primarily does its hunting at night or in the early mornings when the temperature is cooler. Even more shocking with the western diamondback is that they’ve been known to go up to two years without eating. Yikes!
As far as we go, western diamondbacks encounter humans a lot more than eastern diamondbacks do. They’re the number one snake killing the folks of northern Mexico, where many people populate the area. Western diamondbacks are known to be horribly toxic but their venom can sometimes be applied heavily, making the bite very dangerous. Their venom attacks cells, red blood cells and causes paralysis and muscle destruction. Anybody want to volunteer for a bite? Didn’t think so.
WHO WINS?
THE SAGE SAYS…if both snakes are the same size, it’s hard not to choose the one with larger fangs and a tougher reputation. Though I’m a west coast guy, it tough not to pick the eastern diamond back to win this fight. I say it’s a long battle but a bad bite to the western diamondback’s head would end this fight shortly. Victory: Eastern diamondback rattlesnake.
EASTERN DIAMONDBACK WINS!
