Page 11 - Arkansas Snake Guide

SUZANNE COLLINS VENOMOUS SNAKES
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Timber Rattlesnake
Crotalus horridus
Range Statewide.
Description Pit viper, keeled scales. Head and body can
be gray, yellow, grayish or yellowish brown, with 15-34 V-
shaped black bands on the body; rusty or reddish stripe
down center of back. Tail jet black; origin of the name
“velvet-tail rattler.” Young are patterned like adults. Adults
average 36-60 inches in length.
Habitat and Habits Occurs in hardwood, mixed pine-
hardwood, bottomland hardwood forests and rocky or
brushy fields and hillsides. Active April-October; prowls
at night during hot weather. Breeds in fall or early spring,
and 3-16 young are born August-October. Eats shrews,
gophers, rodents, rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels and birds.
Researchers have observed radio-tagged medium-sized
adults in trees, presumably in search of prey.
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