Timber Rattle Snake Information

Timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) are members of the pit viper family, and one of the few rattlesnake species found east of the Mississippi River in the United States. As such, they have developed a fearsome reputation in many areas, where people frequently kill them. Timber rattlesnakes are listed as endangered or threatened in several states.

Identification

Reaching lengths of up to 5 feet, timber rattlesnakes are often among the largest snakes in their geographic range. You can identify these snakes by their stocky bodies, dark crossbands (over either a gray or tan background), triangular heads and rattles.

Geography

Timber rattlesnakes are found throughout much of the eastern United States, ranging from New Hampshire in the north to Texas in the south.

Habitat

Timber rattlesnakes prefer sparsely populated areas, normally rocky deciduous forests in the northern range of their habitat and low-lying swampland in their southern range.

Diet

Timber rattlesnakes use potent venom to immobilize prey. They normally eat rodents and other small mammals, and will occasionally attack birds and amphibians.

Fun Fact

Each time timber rattlesnakes shed their skin (normally about once every one to two years), they add a segment to their rattles.

References

• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation: Timber Rattlesnake Fact Sheet
• The Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management: Timber Rattlesnake
• University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Crotalus Horridus--Timber Rattlesnake