omega_man wrote:Interesting points WW. I was talking with a state DNR biologist a couple of weeks ago after working up that E. Diamondback in the picture. Apparently (according to him) Timbers can have a mix of myo, hemo, and neurotoxins--and there's no way of knowing. Whereas Diamondbacks are, I believe, hemotoxic (i.e. not neurotoxic, that's the bad one).
As far as aggression, the professionals down here are more concerned about Timbers. I've heard and read from a few sources that E. Diamondbacks are fairly passive. All snakes do their best to get away from people (except Black Mambas), but Timbers seem to have a little more aggressive reputation here (not saying they are aggressive, just more so than the coastal Diamondbacks).
The "Canebrake" debate is always an interesting one too. Current research suggests that they are so genetically similar to "common" Timbers that they are not even considered sub-species. The best way to describe the differences in the Timber variations is as "races", similar to the pigmentation differences in humans. Either way, there is a lot of research currently being conducted on Timbers, with some ground-breaking radio telemetry studies being done close to where I live at Table Rock State Park. BOL anyone?
And, while we are on the topic of rattlesnakes...
More research is showing that rattlesnakes are beginning to avoid rattling because it gives away their position. This is most likely due to the high level of ridiculous persecutions of humans killing them just for fun or out of ignorance. Don't get me started on those idiot hicks in Florida and Texas and their petty dick-waving rattlesnake round-ups. It is digusting and ought be illegal.
Here is how the Timbers around my neck of the woods act. The Timber has a complex reaction to a threat.
1. Stay still and don’t rattle at first. Sometimes they never rattle. This is what almost got me into trouble. I think there is a night photo of that snake someplace in this thread. No rattling means a greater chance of accidental trampling or opps I dropped something in the bushes and going to reach down without any care. Their camo breaks up the pattern so despite being easy to see once seen they tend to be very hard to see before your mind recognizes the image. Not sure if that’s clear.
2. Rattle and slowly retreat rattling on the fly. This happens once the snake knows I know of its location.
3. Strike and bite or maybe bluff. I think this is the last ditch reaction. Even then they might (by this I mean sometimes) give dry bites but that’s based on research not personal experience.
4. They like to bring the rattle towards their head in an attempt to distract me from the head.
They never seem in a big hurry to go anyplace even when looking to get away. My feeling is they’re always wishing to avoid conflict with people as there is nothing to gain. We are too big to eat and too dangerous to fight. Lots of bluffing going on but this is part of the problem with them. Once I touched a Timber with my hiking pole and it turned around very fast. I was surprised and we parted company. I could see how the nature of these snakes might make someone complacent and then attempt something foolish. My guess on what snake is more aggressive or passive was based on only a few Easterns some years ago so would go with those pros for sure. I think the Timber depending on population has a more toxic venom aka the most toxic population of Timbers vs. most toxic population of Easterns but as stated size of snake and quantity of venom plays a big roll. Timbers can get large as well so size combined with a nasty venom makes them something to be respected.
I fear Lyme disease from rodent ticks far far more than any snake and for good reason. Anything that kills rodents dropping Lyme ticks is helping me within the environment and doing it harm is basically kicking my own ass. Circle of life and mumbo jumbo like that.
I think Timbers are calmer than an Eastern but both want nothing to do with people.
I need to start taking more pics, but here's some for right now:
Besides, some of us EAT rattlers and only kill one if we intend to eat it and it is a large enough snake to be worth eating. I myself tend to just use a snake stick to move them out of the way ( we normally see them on the roads out here).
I have alway carried a snake bite kit (little plunger gizmo) in my pack when in CA, AZ, NM, etc. Until I recently read they were pretty much useless.....