Timber Rattlesnake

Crotalus horridus

Timber Rattlesnakes are heavy-bodied pit vipers with a prominent rattle at the end of the tail. They are remarkably shy and aren't quick to sound their alarm or strike, as the Prairie Rattler is. The Timber spends about 200 days (from early October to late April) in its den. During the active season, it spends much of its time motionless and waiting for a rodent to pass, or basking in the sun, which aids digestion. Females give birth in the fall and stay with their young for up to two weeks. The young follow scent trails of adults to the hibernating chamber.

Look For : A rattler with dark bands and a black tail. All-black individuals common in the Northeast. Southern snakes have a reddish or rusty back stripe.

Length : 36-74".

Habitat : Timbered hillsides with south-facing ledges and rock slides (north); swamp borders, pine woods, cane thickets (south).

Range : Eastern U.S. from eastern Texas north to western Wisconsin; along the Atlantic coast from Georgia to New Hampshire.