Saturday, March 27, 2021

Timber Rattlesnake

 




The timber rattlesnake or Crotalus horridus, is the only rattlesnake species in the northeastern portion of the United States. Here is a description from Wikipedia: Timber rattlesnake.
Adults usually grow to total length of 91–152 cm (36–60 in). It was found in Pennsylvania that the smallest size females that could produce viable eggs was 72.2 cm (28.4 in). Most adult timber rattlesnakes found measure less than 100 to 115 cm (39 to 45 in) in total length and weigh on average between 500 and 1,500 g (1.1 and 3.3 lb), often being towards the lower end of that weight range. The maximum reported total length is 189.2 cm (74.5 in) (Klauber, 1956). Holt (1924) mentions a large specimen caught in Montgomery County, Alabama, which had a total length of 159 cm (62.5 in) and weighed 2.5 kg (5.5 lb). Large specimens can reportedly weigh as much as 4.5 kg (9.9 lb).
I have seen a lot of snakes in my lifetime including a fair number of rattlesnakes, some of them too close for comfort. The best way to avoid snake bites is to be alert and watch where you walk.

1 comment:

  1. My father's brother, Uncle Dick, used to hunt those rattlesnakes in northern New Jersey. He often was accompanied by the curator of the Staten Island, New York serpentarium. Know I'm so this Room I make AM ha M

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