REPTILIA (Reptiles) SQUAMATA (PART) (Snakes) CROTALIDAE (Pit Vipers)
Timber Rattlesnake
Crotalus horridus
Linnaeus, 1758
krō-tă-ləs — hŏr-rə-dŭs
Conservation Status:
State: Kansas Species in Need of Conservation (SINC)
Federal: None
NatureServe State: S3 - Vulnerable
NatureServe National: N4 - Apparently Secure
NatureServe Global: G4 - Apparently Secure
CITES: None
Diagnosis:
DANGEROUSLY VENOMOUS (a threat to life or limb): Largest native rattlesnake in Kansas. The Timber Rattlesnake is the largest venomous snake in Kansas and is characterized by a pit on each side of the head between and slightly below the eye and nostril, a rattle on the tail, small scales covering most of the top of the head with one large scale over each eye, a pattern of dark bands or chevrons on the back, and a uniform black tail. The head and body vary from pinkish gray to yellowish brown. The back has 18- 33 dark brown to black bands or chevrons. A rusty, reddish stripe often runs down the middle of the back. The belly is grayish white. Adult males have longer and thicker tails and grow larger than females.
This is a large, stout-bodied snake that can obtain lengths of five feet or more. Adults normally grow 90.0-152.0 cm (36-60 inches) in total length. The largest specimen from Kansas is a female (KU 1645) from Douglas County with a total length of 161.3 cm (63½ inches, including rattle) collected by Charles D. Bunker and G. I. Adams in June 1899. The maximum length throughout the range is 189.2 cm (74½ inches) (Powell et al., 2016). The maximum weight for a Kansas specimen is 2,386 grams (5 pounds, 4 ounces).
Distribution:
The Timber Rattlesnake is known from the Marais des Cygnes, Kansas, and Missouri drainage basins. It enters Kansas from Oklahoma in the Cross Timbers but is conspicuously absent from the Neosho River basin.
The observation at Pittsburg, Crawford County, was reported in the Pittsburg Morning Sun (newspaper) on Wednesday 29 August 2001. The snake was discovered at 11 am basking on the pavement near the south entrance to the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home. The article also stated that this is the third time in 17 years that a rattlesnake has been found inside the Pittsburg City Limits. This record is questionable and additional reports (or preferably specimen[s]) are desired.
(, Museum Voucher) (, Observation) (, Literature Record) (, iNat Record), ( Fossil)
Open icons are questionable records; Click on a marker to view details.
Full range depicted by light shaded red area.
Export Google Earth (.kml)
-
Occurrence Summary:
-
0
Records
-
0
Museum Vouchers
-
0
Other Observations
Some county occurrences indicated below may be too imprecise to map above.
County Breakdown: County Name (# occurrences):
Fossil History:
Not known from Kansas.
Natural History:
This shy species is found in rugged terrain along heavily vegetated, rocky outcrops on partially forested hillsides. It is active from April to October and prefers air temperatures of 80-90°F.
The Timber Rattlesnake is diurnal during spring and fall but prowls at night during the summer months to avoid the higher daytime temperatures. Although this snake may travel over thirty yards during a day to seek areas of abundant food, it frequently spends long periods of time coiled and immobile, patiently waiting for prey to approach. Females apparently wander less than males; furthermore, they generally do not feed during pregnancy, relying on stored fat to maintain them until the birth of the young. However, Rick Strawn (pers. comm., 1991; Collins, 1993) maintained a captive gravid female from Johnson County that fed regularly until two weeks prior to giving birth. During winter, this snake retreats deep into the burrows and crevices of rocky outcrops to avoid cold weather.
Timber Rattlesnakes mate during the spring soon after emergence from winter inactivity. Courtship is poorly documented, but involves the male positioning himself alongside the female and stimulating her with quick, rapid jerks of his head and body. The male curls his tail beneath the female's until their cloacal openings meet and copulation occurs.
Females may produce litters only every other year. The young are born during August, September, or October, and litters range in number from five to fourteen (Fitch, 1985), with an average of eight or nine. Collins (1982) reported a female from Johnson County giving birth to six young on 23 September. Young Timber Rattlesnakes are venomous at birth and have a single button on their tail. Additional segments are added each time a snake sheds its skin, producing a rattle that may have up to fifteen segments. Females normally reach maturity in their fourth year (Fitch, 1985).
This species feeds on mice, rats, squirrels, rabbits, bats, and other small mammals, as well as on smaller snakes (Collins, 1993).
Remarks:
First reported from Kansas by Cope (1859) based on a specimen from "Kansas" collected by Fort Riley surgeon William A. Hammond. Yarrow (1882) lists a specimen (USNM 4621) from "Kansas" collected by U.S. Arm Topographical Engineers Captain J. H. Simpson collected in 1858. This is the earliest existing specimen from Kansas.
Reportedly declining throughout portions of its former range elsewhere, this large, shy snake is generally doing well where it occurs in Kansas. While individually well-camouflaged it is difficult for populations of this large snake with prominent rattles to escape detection, and it is generally a well-known snake where it occurs. Fitch (1984) postulated that prior to settlement, Timber Rattlesnakes were not common and that with greater control of fires and the concomitant increase in forests their populations have increased.
In rural areas the Timber Rattlesnake is abundant. Populations have probably changed little in the past 50 years. In urban areas, the greatest threat it faces is habitat conversion for development. In these areas (Wyandotte and Johnson counties specifically) populations are certainly declining.
Enough data exists to show that many populations of Timber Rattlesnakes still persist in less developed portions of Johnson and Wyandotte counties. Local extinctions and fragmentation have already occurred, and more is inevitable.
The Timber Rattlesnake was listed as a Kansas SINC species in 1993.
This snake has a fairly mild disposition compared with the Prairie Rattlesnake or the Western Massasauga. When approached, it frequently remains motionless and quiet in order to avoid being seen. No one should rely on any rattlesnake to 'warn' them by rattling, since many rattlesnakes never rattle until stepped on or otherwise molested.
Based on a captive specimen, Snider and Bowler (1992) reported a maximum longevity for this snake of thirty years, two months, and one day.
Account Last Updated:
2/15/2024 3:14:44 PM - page took 1.3721447 seconds to load.