Timber Rattlesnake
Crotalus horridus • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Crotalinae, Genus: Crotalus, Species: C. horridus
Eastern and central United States, extending from southern New Hampshire southward to northern Florida and westward to eastern Texas and eastern Nebraska.
Look up Timber Rattlesnake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Crotalinae, Genus: Crotalus, Species: C. horridus
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern globally, though many regional populations face threats from habitat fragmentation, deliberate persecution, and road mortality.
Physical Description
Robust body with a patterned coloration consisting of dark crossbands or chevrons on a yellowish-brown or gray background. The head is broad and distinct from the neck, and a rattle is present at the tip of the tail.
Size & Dimensions
Typical adults range from 90 to 150 cm (35 to 59 inches) in total length, with maximum recorded lengths approaching 189 cm (74 inches).
Habitat
Deciduous forests, rugged terrain, rocky hillsides, and limestone ledges, utilizing high-elevation rock outcrops for overwintering hibernacula and lowland areas during summer months.
Diet & Feeding
Predominantly endothermic vertebrates including small mammals such as mice, voles, rats, and occasionally birds, utilizing an ambush foraging strategy.
Reproduction
Viviparous, giving birth to live young with typical litter sizes ranging from 5 to 15 neonates. Females often reproduce on a triennial or biennial cycle.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern globally, though many regional populations face threats from habitat fragmentation, deliberate persecution, and road mortality.
Cultural Significance
Historically significant in American colonial history, appearing on the Gadsden flag ('Don't Tread on Me'), and plays an important ecological role in controlling rodent populations.
Notable Features
Possesses specialized heat-sensing facial pits located between the eye and the nostril, enabling precise targeting of warm-blooded prey in low-light conditions.