Timber Rattlesnake
Crotalus horridus • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Crotalinae, Genus: Crotalus, Species: C. horridus
Eastern North America, ranging from southern New Hampshire and Minnesota, south to eastern Texas and north Florida.
Look up Timber Rattlesnake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Crotalinae, Genus: Crotalus, Species: C. horridus
Conservation
IUCN Least Concern globally, but many northern states list it as Endangered or Threatened due to habitat fragmentation and intentional killing.
Physical Description
Heavy-bodied snake with keeled scales. Gray, tan, or yellowish-brown ground color with distinct dark brown or black chevrons or V-shaped crossbands. A dark stripe often runs behind the eye. Brille (eye) has vertical pupils. Tail is solid black ending in a rattle.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen appears to be an sub-adult/adult approx. 80-100cm. Typical adult range is 90 to 150 cm; maximum recorded length is 189 cm.
Habitat
Primarily deciduous forests with rocky ridges and talus slopes (northern range) or cane-brakes and river bottoms (southern range). Elevation from sea level to over 2,000 meters.
Diet & Feeding
Specialized predator of mammals (squirrels, chipmunks, mice). An ambush hunter that uses heat-sensing pits to locate warm-blooded prey, dispatching it with venom and tracking the scent trail.
Reproduction
Viviparous (gives birth to live young). Low reproductive rate; females often breed every 3-4 years. Litter size ranges from 5 to 20 young usually born in late summer.
Look-alikes
Eastern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) lacks the black tail/rattle and has hourglass patterns. Eastern Hognose (Heterodon platirhinos) has an upturned snout and lacks chevron patterns.
Conservation Status
IUCN Least Concern globally, but many northern states list it as Endangered or Threatened due to habitat fragmentation and intentional killing.
Cultural Significance
Historical symbol of the American Revolution (Gadsden flag 'Don't Tread on Me'). Ecologically vital for controlling rodent populations and limiting the spread of tick-borne diseases.
Notable Features
Features a 'velvet tail' (solid black) and a rattle composed of modified scales. Highly developed heat-sensing loreal pits located between the eye and nostril.