Crotalus horridus                                                  Photo Fiona Sunquist ©

Timber rattlesnakes are known as Canebrake rattlesnakes in Florida. They are large, extremely thick-bodied snakes, adults regularly grow to three or four feet long, and sometimes longer - the record is 74 inches.
Canebrake rattlesnakes can be distinguished from Diamondbacks by their black tail and rattle, a reddish-orange dorsal stripe, and dark V-shaped bands that extend across their back and sides.

In Florida, Canebrakes are confined to the most northern portions of the State. They are found in parts of the Panhandle and a few counties in north Florida, where they live in dense wet lowland forests, and along the edges of rivers and streams.

Canebrake rattlesnakes are reported to be less aggressive than Diamondback rattlesnakes but if harassed they can inflict a potentially fatal bite.

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