Watch Your Step, More Timber Rattlesnakes Are Emerging From Their Dens Around Pennsylvania
By Beth Price-Williams|Published May 12, 2020
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Beth Price-Williams
Author
A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.
Spring means the return of wildlife. Spring peepers begin singing again. Hummingbirds flutter in our yards. And timber rattlesnakes in Pennsylvania awaken from their hibernation, emerging from their dens all around the state. If you haven’t already seen timber rattlesnakes during your exploration of PA, you should soon.
Timber rattlesnakes begin to emerge from hibernation, which they generally begin in October, at the end of April and in early May. Pennsylvania, in fact, boasts one of the largest…
Habitats for timber rattlesnakes in the Northeastern United States. Timber rattlesnakes are a common sight in the more than two million acres of Pennsylvania’s state forests.
You might notice timber rattlesnakes basking in the sun on rocks, beginning in early May. The sunlight provides the snakes' protection from dangerous parasites.
By mid-July and running through the beginning of September, the mating season begins. A timber rattlesnake can have as many as eight to 12 babies at a time, and all typically remain in the same den their entire lives, which can span 30 or more years.
Keep an eye out for the snakes, especially in July and August when the male timber rattlesnakes are on the prowl for mates. If you run into a timber rattlesnake, you are not permitted to kill it unless you have a permit.
A Venomous Snake Permit, with a tag for the timber rattlesnake, is required. Those who have illegally killed a timber rattlesnake, who have destroyed a rattlesnake’s habitat, or who sell timber rattlesnakes can face legal consequences.
You’ll definitely want to be careful when you’re hiking this summer, especially in areas known for timber rattlesnakes. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources advises taking precautions from May through October.
For example, wear loose-fitting pants, and never sit down anywhere without first checking to make sure there’s not a snake around. Perhaps, just important, if you see a timber rattlesnake that may be dead, leave it. Do not touch one that’s dead or alive.
Have you encountered any timber rattlesnakes in Pennsylvania yet this year? Let us know in the comments! Have you heard the spring peepers yet this spring?
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