Spy camera catches 2 rattlesnakes cuddling in tortoise burrow, Florida video shows

It’s hard to say if they were embarrassed, but two rattlesnakes were caught snuggling in a tortoise burrow by Florida reptile researchers.

A paparazzi-style video of the rendezvous was posted March 5 on Facebook, showing one snake lying on top of the other in the dark.

The snakes stuck out their forked tongues, but didn’t bite the camera.

It would be presumptuous to assume they were a couple, but the discovery was made on Valentine’s Day, the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute noted in the post.

The snakes were identified as eastern diamondbacks, a venomous species that mates in the late summer and fall.

Rattlesnakes are notorious squatters in tortoise burrows, and it’s possible the two showed up at once and got into a standoff over who had dibs. Or maybe they liked each other ... a lot.

“A gopher tortoise burrow might not seem like the most romantic venue to you, but to snakes and many other critters — it’s a lifesaving refuge,” the institute wrote.

“In fact, rattlesnakes are just one of more than 350+ species that may call a tortoise burrow home. Snakes, frogs, owls, mice, rabbits, spiders, and other invertebrates take advantage of these burrows for shelter and refuge from fire, extreme temperatures, and drought.”

FWC biologists were surveying for eastern indigo snakes at the time of the discovery. One researcher spotted “a track” leading into the hole, raising suspicions a snake might be inside. “Staff then fed their camera into the burrow to reveal the candid couple,” officials said.

Eastern diamondbacks can reach 3 to 6 feet in length and weigh 2 to 4 pounds, while the average gopher tortoise is 11 inches long and weighs about 10 pounds, experts say.

Several commenters on the FWC video wondered if tortoises move out when rattlesnakes show up and don’t leave.

Not so, experts say. It’s not clear if tortoises like rattlesnakes, but they tolerate each other as roommates, researchers say.

This story was originally published March 5, 2024 at 1:02 PM with the headline "Spy camera catches 2 rattlesnakes cuddling in tortoise burrow, Florida video shows."