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Probably a majority of the adult residents of Rappahannock County have a snake story which they’d enjoy sharing with a specialist in the field.
William H. Martin is that specialist and he’s looking forward to hearing those tales and discussing them with the tellers on Thursday, November 10, at 7:30 p.m. when the Rappahannock County Library presents a special program on the life and habits of the timber rattler.
Rather than provide data about his personal experiences in herpotology, Martin preferred to describe the behavior of his favorite snakes when interviewed recently.
According to the expert, the timber rattler is usually 3-3‘/z feet long and has a life span of 20 to 30 years. Man is the timber rattler’s sole predator and a formidable foe he has proved to be since the mean age of this snake species only reaches six years.
Timber rattlers live in communal dens, rarely travel further than two miles and usually hibernate from October until April. These reptiles are not very productive; they do not breed until they are six or seven years old and then do so only at two, three or four year intervals. A litter includes about eight snakes and from birth in September until October hibernation, the little ones remain in the care of their mother.
While the venom of these creatures is not necessarily deadly, Martin readily acknowledges that it is best not to be bitten. Since the snake’s habitat tends to be in rocky, wooded areas at high elevation, the rattler is not often encountered in the normal course of events and his pursuit in search of knowledge on the snake’s behavior can be a strenuous task.
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