There are several comments on this video expressing concern with how close the snake's head appears to be to Kristen. Kristen is a professional herpetologist who, in addition to speaking at international conferences, training wildlife law enforcement officers, and sitting on the WHO panel for snakebite, has been handling venomous snakes for over 20 years. She knows how to handle this animal calmly and attentively. There is a moment where the snake does turn its head in her direction, but she is watching it closely and knows how to maneuver it away from her if needed. The snake in the video was also chosen because of its calm demeanor- that's not to say that it will always behave calmly, but her handling techniques would be different if the snake were acting more excitedly. We do not condone anyone attempting this, but wanted to use our knowledge and experience to share this animal with our viewers.
Warning! That snake is obviously used to being handled by that keeper because early in the video the snake is within striking distance, but the snake didn’t bite her. If you encounter a rattlesnake in the wild, do not get that close to the snake’s head!
The keeper in the video is one that tends to be calm, but she is using a hook to keep distance. There is a bit of forced perspective when she and the snake are turned toward the camera, but her hook is 4 feet long and she is keeping her attention on the snakes movement to reposition if it gets too close. And you’re right, snakes in the wild should be given plenty of space for their comfort and human safety.
And ummm what did the op say about the Eastern not being in areas of Kentucky. I invite you to cub run Kentucky and I'll show you much different. All across our county we have caught multiple eastern rattle snakes, not timbers. Actually that timber you had was huge compared to what I've found in 40 years of herping. We have documentation of eastern diamonds over six foot caught all over my county. South Central Kentucky.
Ran across the largest timber I've ever seen in East Tennessee. Sunning himself on a large rock. That snake was bigger around than my big arms. The eastern diamondback we saw in Florida made that timber rattler look like a redworm. Amazing.
Thanks for that notice. I live in East TN, in the foothills of the smokies. I wasn’t really aware of the timber rattler being here. They are massive and dangerous. In populated areas, you won’t see them very often. Cottonmouth and copperheads are more common in populated areas. I see several non venomous snakes which is supposed to be a good sign that venomous snakes aren’t around close by.
Here in North East Texas we’re seeing large timber rattlers around our 1800 acre ranch. We’ve always had rattlesnakes but this is a Post Oak Savanna that’s become really wooded & we farm Pine trees in this area. It’s got rocky hills & gullies, pine, & hardwood forests & grassy savanna. It generally doesn’t stay below freezing during the day in winter but can get into the lower 20s (F) or even the teens occasionally. We rarely get single digit temps or light snow. It Did snow in February 2021 & got down to 0 degrees Fahrenheit one night. The big freeze killed the tops of some large trees & we’ve only seen a couple of timber rattlers since then.
Yeah man I live in San Antonio TX and I thought it was crazy how unpredictable and unexpected that was, found quite a few dead western diamondbacks and other snakes out here when that happened, but man I felt like that damn frozen ass weather followed me and family out here from Maryland lol
My place is up in Red River county. I have a big timber with great chevrons. I named him Sergeant Major. Haven't seen him since the big freeze though. Hope he found a gopher hole (and ate all the damn gophers).
I saw an Eastern Diamondback a couple years ago near me that I swear was 9 feet long. It's head was the size of my fist. He had a terrible disposition also.
Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake Guinness book of world records killed by a hunter named Rutledge in 1946 7ft.9in.34lb documented is the largest and longest specimen ever 😀.
I have well over 50 years of experience, and eastern diamongbacks, timbers, and cottonmouths have always been very easy to handle after a few mintes. I have handled thousands and thousands and have never been bitten by a venomous snake. I always respected what they could do, no matter how complacent.
C. adamanteus is hands down the most beautiful Crotalus we are blessed to have in the states. I love them all and they're all truly amazing, but adamanteus just really do it for me. Gorgeous animals all across the board!!!!!
I know I'm considering spurring an effort to reintroduce timber rattlesnakes in any parts of Maine that they were formerly in but were hunted out of. If they can do it with caribou and birds and other things they can do it with the timber rattlesnake it's one species of venomous snake and it's native to here. I mean whether you believe in God or nature or both they were put here for a reason and the reason they're not here is not the cold in the winter as many say foolishly it is the fact that after a series of men working in the woods got themselves bitten fatally in the early 1900s Maine launch an all out extermination campaign. They claimed to have successfully eradicated them from the state I see that it's just another example of human ignorance I say to these people really so you have checked every single Rocky outcrop in the state? There are countless ones within r historic range in the state. And wilderness that nobody visits with no trails that is where I believe they still are but I think they need to be more plentiful they're beautiful. Unfortunately they breed slowly so it's imperative that a good faith effort be made to reintroduce them I mean Massachusetts had a really successful program for copperheads and timber rattlesnakes on an island. I think maybe that might be palatable to the people of Maine as we have many unoccupied islands that could be used as a nature preserve to essentially build up the timber rattlesnakes numbers and then address when to reintroduce them to the mainland as in as a state we can have that conversation later. But I don't think that rebuilding the population on an island where no one lives would hurt anything as a matter of fact I think it should be done for other things like timber wolves and gray wolves and mountain lions other things that have gone extinct or nearly extinct in our state. We need natural predators without them we are going to be bogged down with pests deer are pests for example so few wolves deer run rampant and cause so many fatal accidents it's not even mentionable rodents are everywhere it's just a really gross situation
I have to agree with you, however that is not a very pretty timber she is displaying. In Missouri in natural areas around St. Louis, we have very yellow/cream timbers with dark black chevrons, with a bright rusty spine stripe. They are quite handsome. To me the what makes the eastern the royalty of the crotalids is their size and their huge heads. She is showing a nice bright adamanteus with a lot of color contrast.
Here in SE Georgia we have the canebrake rattlesnake in addition to the Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake. The Canebrake is a subspecies of the timber rattlesnake. Their habitat can be very similar to the diamondback rattlesnake. It seems like I see canebrakes more in lowland forests, whereas I see more diamondbacks in sandy upland forests and agricultural fields. But after a clearcut of a planted pine forest, it's not uncommon to find both laid up in the same pile of stumps and felled treetops. Anyway, I thought that I would mention this because in coastal areas of the Deep South we do have a type of timber rattlesnake that occupy a different sort of habitat than the one you described.
I recall seeing a huge timber rattler in N E Florida that was crossing a 2 lane road and was so long , the body stretched from the with line along the edge to at least a foot past the yellow line. The cercumfrence had to be the size of my calf and the head had to be as ig as my hand. I would guess if I'd encountered the snake in the wild and annoyed him/her enough to striking, the strength would have broken my leg. All this is WAG as I was not getting close if I could help it. I'm a firm beleiver in if you encounter a snake in the wild, venomous or not, just leave it be.
Technically the Canebrake and Timber rattlesnake are the same species of snakes. The Canebrake lives along the Southeastern Coastal plains and long leaf pine forest which the Timber lives Inland and mountains as far North as New York and as far south as Florida and as far west as Texas they inhabit 27 total states. The Canebrake has hemotoxic and neurotoxic venom which the Timber just has hemotoxic venom. Crofab antivenin is used for treating all North American pit vipers.
It always makes me uncomfortable watching people handle venomous snakes in this way. I love the view of the snake you get from doing this, however. I found a coral snake in my driveway one time. It didn't seem to be bothered by my presence, but I kept a respectful distance from it regardless. I think it was about 10 inches long so I am not sure whether it was a young snake or fully grown. I can say that pictures to not do the coral snake justice. In person it was absolutely breathtaking. Like taking a picture of a mountain isn't the same as being there looking at the mountain. I can't explain it. I am generally fearful of snakes.
I caught a copperhead for my sister. Because she asked. after she would not eat in lock up returned her to the wild. (NOTE my sister is perfect with reptiles) wild snakes do not do well in a box.
As a youth in the state of North Carolina, the boys and I were rambling through what turned out to be, a small in the back woods, snake infested creek. In the front of the group, I believe the vibrations of footsteps alerted a very large, thought to be, water moccasin. It was poised to strike as I just happened to look down at it. We were all barefoot in shorts and either myself or the others would have taken a direct hit. I yelled, SNAKE ! and everyone jumped what seemed to be 10 feet out of the water,self included. We were cured of roaming in areas of the Southeast where venomous snakes inhabit with no protection!! #Cottonmouth or ???
I had one scare the excrement out of me when I was in my twenties (73 now) while I was fishing on Laughery Creek here in Indiana, there is no mistaking that sound.
As soon as I heard that I got shivers, lol there's SO many in the area here. On a hike once in early fall, there were at least four in a tiny little spot giving me warning. I wasn't sure if I was actually hearing rattles or some kind of big bug..then remembered bugs don't warn us of their presence.
Your videos are extremely well paced and provide just enough useful information. Of course in Australia we don't have Crotalids, but they're beautiful creatures. Are you going to do a video on my favourite new world species, the Bushmaster?
Cali native, but I have no small envy for how outright majestic these two easterly species in particular are. A good safe encounter in nature with either has to be an awe-inspiring experience.
That dorsal stripe is more likely found south of the Mason Dixon line on the Timber. We would find equal amounts of yellow and black phase but in PA, NY, and New England (barely) the horridus don't seem to carry that trait. Must be a rebel thing.
Not an east coaster but have seen countless pics/videos of Eastern Diamondbacks. That one is absolutely spectacular. ...and the Timber ain't too bad either.
I’m in Tennessee, eastern middle on the Highland Rim. I know we have the Timber Rattlesnake in this area, but, I myself have never seen one in person, in this hilly, rocky, wooded rural area where I live. I cannot believe how big around that snake she had was!!! Holy smokes, now I’ll be on the lookout for the Timber Rattler and Copperhead snakes! I have been fortunate to always see only Black Snakes and Rat Snakes on my property .
I live in the mountains of eastern Ky. I have seen diamond back rattlers in the wild twice in 35 years. One had crawled into my cousins driveway. The other was crossing the road and I ran over it with my car. The one in the road was a good 6 feet long and about as thick as a man's upper arm. Now I can't say they are originally from here because I don't know. Maybe someone brought them in. But I can say I've seen two loose in the wild.
I knew an older lady who lost a leg, she was on oxygen and in overall poor health. Well, she died and news hit where I worked as she was a customer. Anyways I noticed her obituary said she was 34 so I asked my boss and it turns out, she was bit by a diamond back (here in South Carolina) and she was in icu in a coma for a month. Lost her leg, lost her health and literally lost her life 4 years after the bite. I thought she was at least in her 50’s
Bites from Eastern Diamondbacks have caused serious issues such as loss of limb, but if her death occurred 4 years after the bite, she most likely had other health complications. The venom alone could not deteriorate her health that badly over that length of time.
I just watched the video of eastern diamondback vs cane brake rattlers. I have seen eastern Diamondbacks in various colorations that I believe come from variant hybridizations. The snake I saw on your video I believe came from central Florida, from just below Ocala to west of okeefenokee GA. I believe that the home range of Eastern diamondbacks being interspersed with the cane brake allows for variant hybridizations. The diamondbacks I used to collect 40 years ago, had more yellow tones and were more a pure species the ones with a lot more grey and less diamonds on the neck the more hybrid. I used to catch em with diamonds right up to the first cervical vertebrae.
Yeah Bob you're on point .. Had two hefty males come through my property in highlands county about 14 miles out of Sebring a year ago ...both were really dark with bright yellowish outlines...one 6 foot about the 1st of December the other a 4.5 foot in mid January.. I believe the darkness could be how they are underground quite a bit in winter in gopher tortoise holes ... Which are prevalent in this area .. I have 75-90 lb American bulldogs and staffs so had to pack em up and relocated them down the road a bit ... The first was stretched out laying across my shellrock driveway entrance about 2 pm in the afternoon sun .. head and rattles in the air ... Likely leaving a scent .. Everytime I've seen this .. Within a couple months there's another big one shows.up in the area ... Lots of pigmys here abouts also
Little late to this party - Timbers, although now locally extinct, are native to the Southwestern area of the Canadian Province of Ontario. My question is, are Cane breaks and Timbers the same snake? Their pattern seems to indicate yes, but I don't think I've heard the term used inter-changeable in the same video.
Yes, the Canebrake and the Timber rattlesnake are both Crotalus horridus. There's been consideration of making them different species or the Canebrake a subspecies of the Timber, but as it stands they're just the same species.
My first exposure was at 18, finding one caught by a car tire while out sunning on a too-warm Thanksgiving day in New England. A little blood from the mouth, but seemed fully functional, so a grabbed a long stick, prodded him onto it, and headed up towards a cliff. As I'm bushwhacking along (over boulders and downed trees and such), my new friend was calmly easing down the stick towards me. In the meantime, I'm trying to calculate strike distances while hopping boulders, both arms trying to keep my prize aloft! Sheesh, that is/was a great memory. I am surprised how often I wonder how that snake fared. For all of the thousands of backcountry miles I've hiked, that was my first rattler...
The one I caught in Pennsylvania was a beautiful green color, the tail was dark and the animal must have been 3” to 4” thick. A very beautiful specimen to be certain, the snake in this video looks to be 6 to 8 years old. The snake I caught must have been around 10 to 12 years…
In British Columbia Canada we have the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake in the desert valley areas , I seen one on the edge of a trail it was not bothered the least by us , It just crawled around , It was not the scary thing you see on TV that is ready to get you
No. We don’t describe snakes as aggressive, since that could imply that the snake will go out of its way to attack a human. There’s not a big difference in defensive behavior that we’ve ever seen between the species. And some individuals can be more defensive than others.
Looks as liked the snaked did you haved just eated some thing or just was it being how were you holding her? Thosed are BIG snakes, is that being normals?
Rattlesnakes and other pitvipers are generally rounder in the middle, and this snake hadn't had a meal recently (we don't move them for several days after feeding so they don't get sick!). These can be bigger, but the ones in the video are a good average size.
Nice snakes. The timber rattler you were holding is a top 10-percenter - at least compared to the many I have seen in the wild. Very few of them get any bigger or heavier than that one. I know it happens, but it is rare.
Thanks Kristin! Excellent presentation as always. Lol. I see the hunters and fishers are still insisting adamanteus is still native to KY. Always somebody trying to convince the rest of Earth they know more than the actual professionals that do this for a living.
I live in western North Carolina and it seems like more people have been seeing the eastern diamond backs this year. I think its because of the mild winters lately.
The rattlesnakes that live in western North Carolina would be Timber rattlesnakes. The range of the Eastern Diamondback is limited to the east side of the state.
Kinda like people around the border of SW Virginia and NE Tennessee seeing water moccasins. People say they see them quite a bit, but they're not around here.
Hello from Kenya! I lived in Kentucky for nearly 20 years while going to school there. I never encountered any Timber rattlesnake. May be I did not do a lot of outdoor activities. I lived mostly in Louisiville and later on in E Town and Hodgenville area. These snakes look great.
I live where timber rattlesnakes are said to exist but I've never seen one in the wild. I was visiting Mammoth Caves and saw a big one on the road. I was told they are numerous in that area.
Timber rattlers are very common in Eastern Texas and can grow to unbelieveably large lengths and weights. They typically try to get away from any disturbances and unless threatened are not know to be aggressive.
I grew up living at the base of Rattlesnake Mountain in the East County of San Diego. Can a Western and and Eastern Diamondback breed or are they different subspecies? If memory serves me correctly, there are only 2 subspecies or genus’. If that is correct, I was told that the 2 cannot procreate together and many subspecies of the same genus will often times have sterile offspring or in a majority of cases the offspring will be sterile.
Western and Eastern Diamondbacks are separate species (Crotalus atrox and C. adamanteus, respectively). They can breed, and while it is generally true that animals of different species have sterile offspring, there have been many cases of fertile offspring from crossbred snakes.
i'm not posting this just because , i'm posting this because it's a fact , the eastern diamond back is the biggest rattler in the u.s. , and the biggest of them are in florida , close to 7 foot long and as big around as a big man's forearm
Their venoms are fairly similar throughout their ranges. There are timber rattlesnakes in the south who have a neurotoxin present in their venom, which would cause different symptoms in a bite, but it’s not necessarily more dangerous, especially if the bite victim gets antivenom in a timely manner.
They do crossbreed, yes. While it's generally true that the offspring of two different species of animal would be sterile, there have been many cases of fertile offspring between two different snake species.
Here in North Carolina we have Timber rattlesnakes and you ll hear them called Canebrake rattlesnakes in some areas. I ve seen 5 or 6 in my 64 years and no Diamondbacks. If someone went snake hunting just for rattlesnakes here in NC I'd say good luck. Copperheads are common and because their habitat concentrates them along waterways Cottonmouths are quite commonly seen but often are mistaken with our nonvenonous water snakes. No mistaking their toothy cousins the alligator along same waterways that keep snake numbers in check. Eastern Diamondbacks are a beautiful snake.
Back in the early 80's I have been told many stories of how these older men farmer type fellas. They have many tales of their hunting experience with rattlers. They were in southern Davidson County and the Uwharrie Mountains. They had been in Georgia for logging in the low country. They had to wear snake guards. Basically shin guards.
Back in the 70’s they released 20,000 eastern diamond backs in big south fork state park in fentress county Tennessee so there are eastern diamondbacks in Tennessee you should do your research on that.
That's actually a story that exists in several states, including Kentucky and Indiana. Here in Kentucky, our version says that the snakes were dropped from airplanes! Here is a link of the snakes of Tennessee: www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/reptiles/snakes.html
It depends on what part of the state you’re in. North Eastern in the mountains has abundant timber rattlers. Especially throughout the Talladega National Forest. The diamond backs population is in the upper and lower coastal plains. Roughly south of Montgomery.
@johnkilgore1055 There were a lot of eastern diamondback in central Alabama at the end of the Appalachians in Talladega & Coosa Counties, when I was a kid in the 1960's & '70's. I see more timber rattlers, sometimes called canebrake rattlers, nowadays, than I do Eastern Dimondbacks. I remember my uncle running over an eastern diamondback on the way to a family get together back in 1971. He stopped, put it in a paper bag, & my cousin cooked it on the grill. First time, I ever heard the phrase, "Tastes like chicken".
Most timber rattlesnakes in New York are in the southern part of the state, but there are some populations in the east. Their numbers have decreased over the years, and they are considered a threatened species in New York.
In East Texas we got the Timbers, and some get pretty darned big. They blend in perfectly with the wooded areas, so you need to be careful. What is surprising to a lot of people is there are rattlesnakes in Galveston area....even amid the cactus and sand dunes at the beach areas. I had my doubts...but soon found out different.
Snakes are nature's foremost control of rodent populations! By their shape, they are able to navigate spaces that other predators may not be able to access, and eat more rodents this way. The domino effect of that is less crop damage, fewer germs spread by rodent feces (some of which can transmit viruses to humans), and less structural damage caused by rodents making nests. They also eat rodents who are carrying external parasites like ticks, so those numbers are reduced as well.
They have cross bred before, but it isn't very common. The offspring are typically larger then the average of either species, and the pattern looks like a mixture of the two.
I live north of Pittsburgh PA, I was riding motorcycles with a few of my friends up near the New York border one day on the back road. And I saw a sign in a general store that sold everything from gas to Farmer jeans. At the end of the parking lot was a big sign that said, sign in here for rattlesnake hunt.. we were all getting gas in our bikes and taking a break. I strolled over to the registration table.. I went up to the guy at the table and said, are you serious about a rattlesnake hunt. He got pretty serious and he said, there are more rattlesnakes in Pennsylvania than there are in Arizona. With a tinge of disbelief on my face, he said let me show you, he took me over to the back of his pick up truck. He had cage after cage with timber rattlesnakes .. he told me that if you walk on the trail in the forests of Pennsylvania for a mile. You have walked within 3 feet of a timber rattlesnake especially on a sunny day.. he said they are timid and not aggressive at all unless you step on them.. A few years after that, I was Panning in a creek in Northern Pennsylvania for Gold.. I had forgotten all about the rattlesnake story by that time. That was until I saw a timber rattlesnake that had apparently swallowed something about the size of a rat because he had a bulge about 18 inches down his throat from his head. It looked like it was about 5 feet long overall.. that was in a creek up near Saint Mary’s Pennsylvania..
Timber rattlesnake average 2 to 4 feet in length, the biggest possibly reaching 5 feet. Eastern diamondbacks can be 5 or 6 feet on average with a record close to 8 feet, making them (and the Western diamondback, who can reach similar sizes) the largest rattlesnake in the US. 10 feet long is an exaggeration. There's a common phenomenon of photos in which the person is holding the snake outward toward the camera. This (intentionally or unintentionally) causes forced perspective, where the snake looks bigger in comparison to the person, but really it's just closer to the camera than the person.
Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake 7ft.9in.34lb documented in 1946 shot by a hunter named Rutledge. Legendary herpetologist Ross Allen of Silver Springs Florida who established the Reptile Institute offered a ten thousand dollar reward for any rattlesnake 8ft or longer which nobody has ever collected.
There are several comments on this video expressing concern with how close the snake's head appears to be to Kristen. Kristen is a professional herpetologist who, in addition to speaking at international conferences, training wildlife law enforcement officers, and sitting on the WHO panel for snakebite, has been handling venomous snakes for over 20 years. She knows how to handle this animal calmly and attentively. There is a moment where the snake does turn its head in her direction, but she is watching it closely and knows how to maneuver it away from her if needed. The snake in the video was also chosen because of its calm demeanor- that's not to say that it will always behave calmly, but her handling techniques would be different if the snake were acting more excitedly. We do not condone anyone attempting this, but wanted to use our knowledge and experience to share this animal with our viewers.
I gotta say from this camera angle it looked awfully close. 🤔
lol accidents still do happen though, Austin Stevens had been dealing for decades with venomous snakes when he got tagged by a snouted cobra
Kristen did a great job explaining and hands on showing the difference of these 2 rattlesnakes!!!
LOL
Tell that to Steve Irwin . Sting rays are bloody harml->>>>>>>>>> peirced = x( rip
Warning! That snake is obviously used to being handled by that keeper because early in the video the snake is within striking distance, but the snake didn’t bite her. If you encounter a rattlesnake in the wild, do not get that close to the snake’s head!
The keeper in the video is one that tends to be calm, but she is using a hook to keep distance. There is a bit of forced perspective when she and the snake are turned toward the camera, but her hook is 4 feet long and she is keeping her attention on the snakes movement to reposition if it gets too close. And you’re right, snakes in the wild should be given plenty of space for their comfort and human safety.
With Rattlesnakes the hotter it is the meaner they are.
Well thank you captain obvious. Pretty sure the handler is in control of the situation.
And ummm what did the op say about the Eastern not being in areas of Kentucky. I invite you to cub run Kentucky and I'll show you much different. All across our county we have caught multiple eastern rattle snakes, not timbers. Actually that timber you had was huge compared to what I've found in 40 years of herping. We have documentation of eastern diamonds over six foot caught all over my county. South Central Kentucky.
Good observation. At 0:19: hook to danger noodle business end is cutting it close, at least from the camera angle.
Ran across the largest timber I've ever seen in East Tennessee. Sunning himself on a large rock. That snake was bigger around than my big arms.
The eastern diamondback we saw in Florida made that timber rattler look like a redworm.
Amazing.
Thanks for that notice. I live in East TN, in the foothills of the smokies. I wasn’t really aware of the timber rattler being here. They are massive and dangerous. In populated areas, you won’t see them very often. Cottonmouth and copperheads are more common in populated areas. I see several non venomous snakes which is supposed to be a good sign that venomous snakes aren’t around close by.
This woman shows more bravery in 7 minutes than I have in my entire life!
You are probably the calmest snake handler I have ever seen.
Here in North East Texas we’re seeing large timber rattlers around our 1800 acre ranch. We’ve always had rattlesnakes but this is a Post Oak Savanna that’s become really wooded & we farm Pine trees in this area. It’s got rocky hills & gullies, pine, & hardwood forests & grassy savanna. It generally doesn’t stay below freezing during the day in winter but can get into the lower 20s (F) or even the teens occasionally. We rarely get single digit temps or light snow. It Did snow in February 2021 & got down to 0 degrees Fahrenheit one night. The big freeze killed the tops of some large trees & we’ve only seen a couple of timber rattlers since then.
Yeah man I live in San Antonio TX and I thought it was crazy how unpredictable and unexpected that was, found quite a few dead western diamondbacks and other snakes out here when that happened, but man I felt like that damn frozen ass weather followed me and family out here from Maryland lol
My place is up in Red River county. I have a big timber with great chevrons. I named him Sergeant Major.
Haven't seen him since the big freeze though. Hope he found a gopher hole (and ate all the damn gophers).
Thanks for taking time to create this amazing video!
Great video, thanks for putting these together and sharing!
I saw an Eastern Diamondback a couple years ago near me that I swear was 9 feet long. It's head was the size of my fist. He had a terrible disposition also.
Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake Guinness book of world records killed by a hunter named Rutledge in 1946 7ft.9in.34lb documented is the largest and longest specimen ever 😀.
@@richardhincemonu want ur damn 🍪 & 🌭 now buttercup 🦄
Where is a picture of video showing it being stretched out and measured? People and their tall tales.
A really big one would be around 6 -7 feet… 9feet is unheard of…
Great video and actually learned a lot. I didn’t not realize the Eastern wasn’t further north.
Excellent video! Thanks for posting. Please keep them coming.
I have well over 50 years of experience, and eastern diamongbacks, timbers, and cottonmouths have always been very easy to handle after a few mintes. I have handled thousands and thousands and have never been bitten by a venomous snake. I always respected what they could do, no matter how complacent.
I wouldn't want to keep testing that theory
That is an extremely docile snake. BEAUTIFUL specimen!
I wonder if the other snakes teased her when she was young. "Haha, your chevrons are incomplete!" You know how kids can be.
Another terrific video Kristen! I am subscribed.
That's a chill Timber. Great video.
I LOVE how smart Kristin is and how educated she is on all of the differences between each breed! 😍
Excellent channel. Can't wait to watch all your videos.
The head on that Diamond Back! It's like a pit bull!
C. adamanteus is hands down the most beautiful Crotalus we are blessed to have in the states. I love them all and they're all truly amazing, but adamanteus just really do it for me. Gorgeous animals all across the board!!!!!
I know I'm considering spurring an effort to reintroduce timber rattlesnakes in any parts of Maine that they were formerly in but were hunted out of. If they can do it with caribou and birds and other things they can do it with the timber rattlesnake it's one species of venomous snake and it's native to here. I mean whether you believe in God or nature or both they were put here for a reason and the reason they're not here is not the cold in the winter as many say foolishly it is the fact that after a series of men working in the woods got themselves bitten fatally in the early 1900s Maine launch an all out extermination campaign. They claimed to have successfully eradicated them from the state I see that it's just another example of human ignorance I say to these people really so you have checked every single Rocky outcrop in the state? There are countless ones within r historic range in the state. And wilderness that nobody visits with no trails that is where I believe they still are but I think they need to be more plentiful they're beautiful. Unfortunately they breed slowly so it's imperative that a good faith effort be made to reintroduce them I mean Massachusetts had a really successful program for copperheads and timber rattlesnakes on an island. I think maybe that might be palatable to the people of Maine as we have many unoccupied islands that could be used as a nature preserve to essentially build up the timber rattlesnakes numbers and then address when to reintroduce them to the mainland as in as a state we can have that conversation later. But I don't think that rebuilding the population on an island where no one lives would hurt anything as a matter of fact I think it should be done for other things like timber wolves and gray wolves and mountain lions other things that have gone extinct or nearly extinct in our state. We need natural predators without them we are going to be bogged down with pests deer are pests for example so few wolves deer run rampant and cause so many fatal accidents it's not even mentionable rodents are everywhere it's just a really gross situation
I have to agree with you, however that is not a very pretty timber she is displaying. In Missouri in natural areas around St. Louis, we have very yellow/cream timbers with dark black chevrons, with a bright rusty spine stripe. They are quite handsome. To me the what makes the eastern the royalty of the crotalids is their size and their huge heads. She is showing a nice bright adamanteus with a lot of color contrast.
I agree that Eastern Diamondbacks are stunning.
Eastern's are by far my favorite snake period. But wasn't in love with the color of the one she was showing.
Here in SE Georgia we have the canebrake rattlesnake in addition to the Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake. The Canebrake is a subspecies of the timber rattlesnake. Their habitat can be very similar to the diamondback rattlesnake. It seems like I see canebrakes more in lowland forests, whereas I see more diamondbacks in sandy upland forests and agricultural fields. But after a clearcut of a planted pine forest, it's not uncommon to find both laid up in the same pile of stumps and felled treetops. Anyway, I thought that I would mention this because in coastal areas of the Deep South we do have a type of timber rattlesnake that occupy a different sort of habitat than the one you described.
I recall seeing a huge timber rattler in N E Florida that was crossing a 2 lane road and was so long , the body stretched from the with line along the edge to at least a foot past the yellow line. The cercumfrence had to be the size of my calf and the head had to be as ig as my hand. I would guess if I'd encountered the snake in the wild and annoyed him/her enough to striking, the strength would have broken my leg. All this is WAG as I was not getting close if I could help it. I'm a firm beleiver in if you encounter a snake in the wild, venomous or not, just leave it be.
Technically the Canebrake and Timber rattlesnake are the same species of snakes. The Canebrake lives along the Southeastern Coastal plains and long leaf pine forest which the Timber lives Inland and mountains as far North as New York and as far south as Florida and as far west as Texas they inhabit 27 total states. The Canebrake has hemotoxic and neurotoxic venom which the Timber just has hemotoxic venom. Crofab antivenin is used for treating all North American pit vipers.
so thankful Ive ran into neither of these in the wild..we have a lot of copperheads in the Carolinas though.
It always makes me uncomfortable watching people handle venomous snakes in this way. I love the view of the snake you get from doing this, however. I found a coral snake in my driveway one time. It didn't seem to be bothered by my presence, but I kept a respectful distance from it regardless. I think it was about 10 inches long so I am not sure whether it was a young snake or fully grown. I can say that pictures to not do the coral snake justice. In person it was absolutely breathtaking. Like taking a picture of a mountain isn't the same as being there looking at the mountain. I can't explain it. I am generally fearful of snakes.
I caught a copperhead for my sister. Because she asked. after she would not eat in lock up returned her to the wild. (NOTE my sister is perfect with reptiles) wild snakes do not do well in a box.
Those snakes should not be handled. Doing so is ignorant
Very cool video!! Always enjoy your channel
I love the way you love it. Thanks for the informative video!
As a youth in the state of North Carolina, the boys and I were rambling through what turned out to be, a small in the back woods, snake infested creek. In the front of the group, I believe the vibrations of footsteps alerted a very large, thought to be, water moccasin. It was poised to strike as I just happened to look down at it. We were all barefoot in shorts and either myself or the others would have taken a direct hit. I yelled, SNAKE ! and everyone jumped what seemed to be 10 feet out of the water,self included. We were cured of roaming in areas of the Southeast where venomous snakes inhabit with no protection!! #Cottonmouth or ???
Also called a Canebrake. These videos are wonderful
Only snake to appear on a flag.
I had one scare the excrement out of me when I was in my twenties (73 now) while I was fishing on Laughery Creek here in Indiana, there is no mistaking that sound.
Ft Benning a few yrs back.....almost stepped on one of these while on an exercise.....
As soon as I heard that I got shivers, lol there's SO many in the area here. On a hike once in early fall, there were at least four in a tiny little spot giving me warning. I wasn't sure if I was actually hearing rattles or some kind of big bug..then remembered bugs don't warn us of their presence.
That EDB was totally chill! Not irritated at all at being handled. Very cool
Wow such a relaxed snake that timber 😍
The handling was very impressive! Calm, collect, as if there were no danger within a foot or two. Outstanding video!
Your videos are extremely well paced and provide just enough useful information. Of course in Australia we don't have Crotalids, but they're beautiful creatures. Are you going to do a video on my favourite new world species, the Bushmaster?
We have done a recent video on bushmasters now!
Cali native, but I have no small envy for how outright majestic these two easterly species in particular are. A good safe encounter in nature with either has to be an awe-inspiring experience.
That dorsal stripe is more likely found south of the Mason Dixon line on the Timber. We would find equal amounts of yellow and black phase but in PA, NY, and New England (barely) the horridus don't seem to carry that trait. Must be a rebel thing.
*redneck rattlers. lol!
Very informative! I learned something new.
Great video, thank you for this educational post.
Not an east coaster but have seen countless pics/videos of Eastern Diamondbacks. That one is absolutely spectacular. ...and the Timber ain't too bad either.
Diamond backs might not live in Kentucky but the do use gopher holes through the winter in Georgia.
Recently witnessed Eastern Diamondback rattlesnakes in Georgia living in Gopher tortoises burrows as well as Indigo snakes.
Absolutely beautiful
I’m in Tennessee, eastern middle on the Highland Rim. I know we have the Timber Rattlesnake in this area, but, I myself have never seen one in person, in this hilly, rocky, wooded rural area where I live. I cannot believe how big around that snake she had was!!! Holy smokes, now I’ll be on the lookout for the Timber Rattler and Copperhead snakes! I have been fortunate to always see only Black Snakes and Rat Snakes on my property .
The timber rattlers we have in the wilderness areas of West Virginia are mostly black with rust-colored chevron markings.
WHAT do u feed him FILT MIGNON? :)
Timbers are among the most beautiful snakes.
I live in the mountains of eastern Ky. I have seen diamond back rattlers in the wild twice in 35 years. One had crawled into my cousins driveway. The other was crossing the road and I ran over it with my car. The one in the road was a good 6 feet long and about as thick as a man's upper arm. Now I can't say they are originally from here because I don't know. Maybe someone brought them in. But I can say I've seen two loose in the wild.
Which of the two is more common here in Virginia for I do hear them rattle in the forest at a distance of course ?
You would be hearing timber rattlesnakes in Virginia.
Something about difference in aggression, venom toxicity would be interesting to me.
This lady is fearless. I respect that.
She is also stupid bringing that snake so close to her.
I knew an older lady who lost a leg, she was on oxygen and in overall poor health. Well, she died and news hit where I worked as she was a customer. Anyways I noticed her obituary said she was 34 so I asked my boss and it turns out, she was bit by a diamond back (here in South Carolina) and she was in icu in a coma for a month. Lost her leg, lost her health and literally lost her life 4 years after the bite. I thought she was at least in her 50’s
Bites from Eastern Diamondbacks have caused serious issues such as loss of limb, but if her death occurred 4 years after the bite, she most likely had other health complications. The venom alone could not deteriorate her health that badly over that length of time.
I just watched the video of eastern diamondback vs cane brake rattlers. I have seen eastern Diamondbacks in various colorations that I believe come from variant hybridizations. The snake I saw on your video I believe came from central Florida, from just below Ocala to west of okeefenokee GA. I believe that the home range of Eastern diamondbacks being interspersed with the cane brake allows for variant hybridizations. The diamondbacks I used to collect 40 years ago, had more yellow tones and were more a pure species the ones with a lot more grey and less diamonds on the neck the more hybrid. I used to catch em with diamonds right up to the first cervical vertebrae.
Yeah Bob you're on point .. Had two hefty males come through my property in highlands county about 14 miles out of Sebring a year ago ...both were really dark with bright yellowish outlines...one 6 foot about the 1st of December the other a 4.5 foot in mid January.. I believe the darkness could be how they are underground quite a bit in winter in gopher tortoise holes ... Which are prevalent in this area .. I have 75-90 lb American bulldogs and staffs so had to pack em up and relocated them down the road a bit ... The first was stretched out laying across my shellrock driveway entrance about 2 pm in the afternoon sun .. head and rattles in the air ... Likely leaving a scent ..
Everytime I've seen this
.. Within a couple months there's another big one shows.up in the area ... Lots of pigmys here abouts also
Little late to this party - Timbers, although now locally extinct, are native to the Southwestern area of the Canadian Province of Ontario. My question is, are Cane breaks and Timbers the same snake? Their pattern seems to indicate yes, but I don't think I've heard the term used inter-changeable in the same video.
Yes, the Canebrake and the Timber rattlesnake are both Crotalus horridus. There's been consideration of making them different species or the Canebrake a subspecies of the Timber, but as it stands they're just the same species.
@@kyreptilezoo Thank you!
I don’t care where they are found you’re one brave lady i live in Southern California and i have plenty of western Diamond back and green Mojave.
Am I correct that the color phase of a timber does not indicate sex?
You are correct! The color phases are caused by genetics, environmental pressure for camouflage, etc.
My first exposure was at 18, finding one caught by a car tire while out sunning on a too-warm Thanksgiving day in New England. A little blood from the mouth, but seemed fully functional, so a grabbed a long stick, prodded him onto it, and headed up towards a cliff. As I'm bushwhacking along (over boulders and downed trees and such), my new friend was calmly easing down the stick towards me. In the meantime, I'm trying to calculate strike distances while hopping boulders, both arms trying to keep my prize aloft! Sheesh, that is/was a great memory. I am surprised how often I wonder how that snake fared. For all of the thousands of backcountry miles I've hiked, that was my first rattler...
The lil’ gal trusted ya given her demeanor 👍
The one I caught in Pennsylvania was a beautiful green color, the tail was dark and the animal must have been 3” to 4” thick. A very beautiful specimen to be certain, the snake in this video looks to be 6 to 8 years old. The snake I caught must have been around 10 to 12 years…
She is a seasoned handler and friend of the Eastern Rattle Snakes !
In British Columbia Canada we have the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake in the desert valley areas , I seen one on the edge of a trail it was not bothered the least by us , It just crawled around , It was not the scary thing you see on TV that is ready to get you
Are the eastern diamondbacks more aggressive than timber rattlers?
No. We don’t describe snakes as aggressive, since that could imply that the snake will go out of its way to attack a human. There’s not a big difference in defensive behavior that we’ve ever seen between the species. And some individuals can be more defensive than others.
Looks as liked the snaked did you haved just eated some thing or just was it being how were you holding her?
Thosed are BIG snakes, is that being normals?
Rattlesnakes and other pitvipers are generally rounder in the middle, and this snake hadn't had a meal recently (we don't move them for several days after feeding so they don't get sick!). These can be bigger, but the ones in the video are a good average size.
Nice snakes. The timber rattler you were holding is a top 10-percenter - at least compared to the many I have seen in the wild. Very few of them get any bigger or heavier than that one. I know it happens, but it is rare.
I have caught and moved one at a place we have in WV at least 30% bigger but to your point you don't see many really big ones.
It's the ones i've heard, but couldn't see, that worried me most.
I've seen many that were over 6', but the largest was 8'. It was stretched out on the concrete in front of my 8' double door on my barn.
Thanks Kristin!
Excellent presentation as always.
Lol. I see the hunters and fishers are still insisting adamanteus is still native to KY.
Always somebody trying to convince the rest of Earth they know more than the actual professionals that do this for a living.
I live in western North Carolina and it seems like more people have been seeing the eastern diamond backs this year. I think its because of the mild winters lately.
There are absolutely no Eastern Diamondbacks in Western North Carolina.
The rattlesnakes that live in western North Carolina would be Timber rattlesnakes. The range of the Eastern Diamondback is limited to the east side of the state.
Kinda like people around the border of SW Virginia and NE Tennessee seeing water moccasins. People say they see them quite a bit, but they're not around here.
Hello from Kenya! I lived in Kentucky for nearly 20 years while going to school there. I never encountered any Timber rattlesnake. May be I did not do a lot of outdoor activities. I lived mostly in Louisiville and later on in E Town and Hodgenville area. These snakes look great.
Gorgeous snakes…thanks for sharing!
Good afternoon to all from SE Louisiana 24 Jun 22.
5:00 Haha, it’s like that snake was late for an appointment. Got somewhere to be, things to do.
Excellent video! Thanks!
I live where timber rattlesnakes are said to exist but I've never seen one in the wild.
I was visiting Mammoth Caves and saw a big one on the road. I was told they are numerous in that area.
What are used them in Kentucky in Church
Timber rattlers are very common in Eastern Texas and can grow to unbelieveably large lengths and weights. They typically try to get away from any disturbances and unless threatened are not know to be aggressive.
NW Florida Panhandle we have diamond backs and pigmy rattle snakes. I have seen some monster diamond back.
I grew up living at the base of Rattlesnake Mountain in the East County of San Diego. Can a Western and and Eastern Diamondback breed or are they different subspecies? If memory serves me correctly, there are only 2 subspecies or genus’. If that is correct, I was told that the 2 cannot procreate together and many subspecies of the same genus will often times have sterile offspring or in a majority of cases the offspring will be sterile.
Western and Eastern Diamondbacks are separate species (Crotalus atrox and C. adamanteus, respectively). They can breed, and while it is generally true that animals of different species have sterile offspring, there have been many cases of fertile offspring from crossbred snakes.
i'm not posting this just because , i'm posting this because it's a fact , the eastern diamond back is the biggest rattler in the u.s. , and the biggest of them are in florida , close to 7 foot long and as big around as a big man's forearm
Is the venom from a Tinber Rattlesnake as dangerous as that of a Diamondback?
Their venoms are fairly similar throughout their ranges. There are timber rattlesnakes in the south who have a neurotoxin present in their venom, which would cause different symptoms in a bite, but it’s not necessarily more dangerous, especially if the bite victim gets antivenom in a timely manner.
Would a diamondback & timber possibly crossbreed?
They do crossbreed, yes. While it's generally true that the offspring of two different species of animal would be sterile, there have been many cases of fertile offspring between two different snake species.
"But you were talking to someone Kaa, who was it"
Boy thats a docile snake it could nail her at will but isn't even a little aggressive. She is lucky. If she hasn't been bit, she will
Here in North Carolina we have Timber rattlesnakes and you ll hear them called Canebrake rattlesnakes in some areas.
I ve seen 5 or 6 in my 64 years and no Diamondbacks.
If someone went snake hunting just for rattlesnakes here in NC I'd say good luck.
Copperheads are common and because their habitat concentrates them along waterways Cottonmouths are quite commonly seen but often are mistaken with our nonvenonous water snakes.
No mistaking their toothy cousins the alligator along same waterways that keep snake numbers in check.
Eastern Diamondbacks are a beautiful snake.
Most of the Eastern diamondbackrattlesnake sightings have come from Onslow County North Carolina.
Back in the early 80's I have been told many stories of how these older men farmer type fellas. They have many tales of their hunting experience with rattlers. They were in southern Davidson County and the Uwharrie Mountains. They had been in Georgia for logging in the low country. They had to wear snake guards. Basically shin guards.
Excellent presentation and information. Thanks very much.
If given the opportunity can timber rattler and an eastern diamondback create a hybrid species ?
It is possible for the two species to have hybrid offspring, yes. It is unusual in the wild though.
@@kyreptilezoo - thanks for the info ⚡️
Back in the 70’s they released 20,000 eastern diamond backs in big south fork state park in fentress county Tennessee so there are eastern diamondbacks in Tennessee you should do your research on that.
That's actually a story that exists in several states, including Kentucky and Indiana. Here in Kentucky, our version says that the snakes were dropped from airplanes!
Here is a link of the snakes of Tennessee: www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/reptiles/snakes.html
That thing was moving sooooo close to her hand/body!! Efffff that.
She must be wearing that mask to prevent the snake from getting COVID
Great video, the easterns in virginia survived the snow, but not nearly as harsh winters as Kentucky.
Alabamian here and all I've ever seen in my life have been timber rattlesnakes. Pretty sure I've never once seen a diamondback.
It depends on what part of the state you’re in. North Eastern in the mountains has abundant timber rattlers. Especially throughout the Talladega National Forest. The diamond backs population is in the upper and lower coastal plains. Roughly south of Montgomery.
@johnkilgore1055 There were a lot of eastern diamondback in central Alabama at the end of the Appalachians in Talladega & Coosa Counties, when I was a kid in the 1960's & '70's. I see more timber rattlers, sometimes called canebrake rattlers, nowadays, than I do Eastern Dimondbacks.
I remember my uncle running over an eastern diamondback on the way to a family get together back in 1971. He stopped, put it in a paper bag, & my cousin cooked it on the grill. First time, I ever heard the phrase, "Tastes like chicken".
CAN YOU FIND THEM IN UPSTATE NY?
Most timber rattlesnakes in New York are in the southern part of the state, but there are some populations in the east. Their numbers have decreased over the years, and they are considered a threatened species in New York.
@@kyreptilezoo well that sucks thats a scary thing to find out the hard way i dont wanna wake up with one of them in my sleeping bag with me lol
In East Texas we got the Timbers, and some get pretty darned big. They blend in perfectly with the wooded areas, so you need to be careful. What is surprising to a lot of people is there are rattlesnakes in Galveston area....even amid the cactus and sand dunes at the beach areas. I had my doubts...but soon found out different.
What service to nature or society do they serve to be protected?
Snakes are nature's foremost control of rodent populations! By their shape, they are able to navigate spaces that other predators may not be able to access, and eat more rodents this way. The domino effect of that is less crop damage, fewer germs spread by rodent feces (some of which can transmit viruses to humans), and less structural damage caused by rodents making nests. They also eat rodents who are carrying external parasites like ticks, so those numbers are reduced as well.
What happens if you cross breed them?
They have cross bred before, but it isn't very common. The offspring are typically larger then the average of either species, and the pattern looks like a mixture of the two.
I live north of Pittsburgh PA, I was riding motorcycles with a few of my friends up near the New York border one day on the back road. And I saw a sign in a general store that sold everything from gas to Farmer jeans. At the end of the parking lot was a big sign that said, sign in here for rattlesnake hunt..
we were all getting gas in our bikes and taking a break. I strolled over to the registration table..
I went up to the guy at the table and said, are you serious about a rattlesnake hunt. He got pretty serious and he said, there are more rattlesnakes in Pennsylvania than there are in Arizona. With a tinge of disbelief on my face, he said let me show you, he took me over to the back of his pick up truck. He had cage after cage with timber rattlesnakes ..
he told me that if you walk on the trail in the forests of Pennsylvania for a mile. You have walked within 3 feet of a timber rattlesnake especially on a sunny day.. he said they are timid and not aggressive at all unless you step on them..
A few years after that, I was Panning in a creek in Northern Pennsylvania for Gold.. I had forgotten all about the rattlesnake story by that time. That was until I saw a timber rattlesnake that had apparently swallowed something about the size of a rat because he had a bulge about 18 inches down his throat from his head. It looked like it was about 5 feet long overall.. that was in a creek up near Saint Mary’s Pennsylvania..
They are both Beautiful but that Timber was a really pretty snake. Thanks for sharing!
Do we have them n Maine,years ago with my ma,I thought I saw one,up n Phillips,Me
Timber rattlesnakes were in Maine historically, but the population has been reduced and now New York is as far north as they are found.
How big do rattlesnakes get? I hear tales of them 10 feet long. And there are pictures online of monster rattlers. Anybody have any info?
Timber rattlesnake average 2 to 4 feet in length, the biggest possibly reaching 5 feet. Eastern diamondbacks can be 5 or 6 feet on average with a record close to 8 feet, making them (and the Western diamondback, who can reach similar sizes) the largest rattlesnake in the US. 10 feet long is an exaggeration. There's a common phenomenon of photos in which the person is holding the snake outward toward the camera. This (intentionally or unintentionally) causes forced perspective, where the snake looks bigger in comparison to the person, but really it's just closer to the camera than the person.
Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake 7ft.9in.34lb documented in 1946 shot by a hunter named Rutledge. Legendary herpetologist Ross Allen of Silver Springs Florida who established the Reptile Institute offered a ten thousand dollar reward for any rattlesnake 8ft or longer which nobody has ever collected.
Finally a good comparison. Thankyou
thanks! a great review on the 2 species and territory.
Those are some massive snakes tho.. I wouldnt dare wanna see either one of em anywhere near me in forceable future
Canebrakes aren't usually that calm.. The ones here, are usually more tan almost a gold with a dark brown stripe down the back.
That makes me VERY nervous how easily that snake can turn around and strike her. Good grief!