Venomous · North Carolina
Timber Rattlesnake
Crotalus horridus
Large rattlesnake with a rattle and dark bands or chevrons. Protected or sensitive in many areas.
Venomous. Keep your distance and do not handle. This page is a field guide, not a definitive identification service.
At a glance
Size
Usually 36-60 inches.
North Carolina range
Mountains, Piedmont, Coastal Plain
Habitat
forests, rocky ridges, swamps
Diet
Primarily mice, rats, squirrels, and other small mammals; occasionally birds.
Pattern
dark chevrons
Venomous
Yes
How to identify it
Large rattlesnake with dark chevrons or bands, a broad triangular head, and a prominent tail rattle.
Where to look in North Carolina
Scattered populations occur in the Mountains and Coastal Plain, with fewer records in the Piedmont.
Mountain forests and rocky ridges, Piedmont woodlands, and Coastal Plain swamps and pocosins.
Regional maps show broad physiographic provinces, not county-level records.
Photo guide
Use the gallery to check pattern, body shape, and context—not just overall color.
