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Don't Tread On Them

Timber rattlesnakes look fearsome but prefer to hide.

By Karina Kumar

December 2024 Issue

Timber rattlesnakes
Photo by Ondreicka | Dreamstime.com

The timber rattlesnake has a past intertwined with American history. The iconic yellow “Don't Tread on Me” flag, picturing a timber rattlesnake poised for a strike, was a prominent symbol during the American Revolution, directed at the British for “treading on” the colonies.

The flag was not the first time rattlesnakes were used to represent the colonies. Benjamin Franklin published an illustration using the snake in his “Join or Die” cartoon encouraging colonists to fight in the French and Indian War. This cartoon pictured a snake cut into eight pieces, representing the colonies. Franklin explained how a rattlesnake is the best symbol of courage because “she never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders.”

“It makes sense that the timber rattlesnake would be the rattlesnake of choice for Franklin and the revolutionaries, because it was likely the only rattlesnake they ever encountered in the Northeast,” says Texas Parks and Wildlife Department herpetologist Paul Crump.

“The behavior of that snake probably intrigued them because they didn't have anything like that back in Europe,” he says. (Franklin did suggest sending a box of them to the king.)

The timber rattlesnake, Crotalus horridus, can be found across the eastern United States and the eastern third of Texas.

Timber rattlesnakes are the second largest venomous snake in Texas, averaging 36 to 40 inches (they can grow to 6 feet). They have a broad, triangular head — a trait they share with other pit vipers. Their coloring varies but often features chevron-shaped crossbands across a lighter-colored body and a black tail tipped with rattles. They often have a rust-colored stripe down their back.

“One of my favorite things about [timber rattlesnakes] is they've been known to climb,” Crump says. It's unclear if they're looking for prey or hiding out, but Crump says too many have been spotted “six feet in the air” for it to be a coincidence.

Rattlesnakes use their distinctive rattle sound as a warning — a sound that can stop you in your tracks. Rattlesnake rattles are made from hollow keratin scales, and the rattling sound comes from the scales striking each other as the snake rapidly vibrates its tail.

“They have an appendage that warns you. It's like, ‘I don't want to mess with you. Here I am.’ How many other things have that?” Crump says. “People interpret it as being threatening, but it's not, it's the opposite. It's a warning not to tread on me.”

Each time a rattlesnake sheds its skin, a new rattle segment is added, joining the singular “button” rattle it is born with. “It's basically an incomplete shed,” Crump says. “It just doesn't shed properly at the end and then adds on.”

While timber rattlesnakes' venom is quite toxic, the snakes are reluctant to rattle or bite and instead rely on camouflage for protection.

The timber rattlesnake's diet consists of squirrels, rats, mice and occasionally birds, lizards and frogs. They are ambush predators, waiting patiently before quickly striking prey. Timber rattlesnakes, like other pit vipers, do not lay eggs and instead give birth to live young. Their litters can be anywhere from five to 20 babies.

Common name:
Timber rattlesnake

Scientific name:
Crotalus horridus

Habitat:
Lowland forests and hilly woodlands or thickets near permanent water sources such as rivers or lakes.

Diet:
Small mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians.

Did you know?:
Timber rattlesnakes can recognize their siblings, even if separated at birth.


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