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Timber Rattlesnake
Scientific Name: Crotalus horridus
Also known as: Canebrake Rattlesnake
Terrestrial
Native
Venomous
A large snake- 25 to 70 inches long. Light tan or beige above with dark brown crossbands and a reddish stripe down the middle of the back. Brown band from eye to angle of mouth. Dark gray or black tail. Keeled (ridged) scales.
A Restricted Snake Permit is required for possession of any native and non-native venomous snake species in Louisiana.
Range and Habitat
Inhabit wooded and forested areas, preferring hardwoods. Found in most of Louisiana except coastal marshes. They occur on the salt dome islands around Cote Blanche Bay and adjacent high ground from Morgan City to Patterson, but there are no records west of the Atchafalaya Basin, in Acadiana, or in the pinelands of southwestern Louisiana.
Behavior
Tend to lie motionless in a resting coil, usually near logs, tree bases, or in thickets. Feed on rodents, especially wood rats and squirrels. Move from hibernation sites to summer foraging grounds in mid-spring and return to winter quarters in late summer and early fall; most often observed during these periods of travel. Give birth to 7 to 16 young.
Population Status
Populations appear stable in some places but have vanished from other known areas. Ranked as S3/S4 (rare/apparently secure) in Louisiana.