New Jersey's One Rattlesnake

With warmer weather, many of us are more likely to be out walking in rural and forested areas of our state. Like many people, I'm a bit wary of snakes, but I know about their importance in the ecosystem. That fear is almost always tied to a lack of knowledge about them and an inability to differentiate between the poisonous ones and the non-poisonous ones. So, it troubles me to see headlines like 4 Rattlesnake Hotspots In New Jersey "Hotspot" hints at a place where they are slithering all around, and that is not reality.  

There are 23 snakes that have made New Jersey their home. New Jersey has only two venomous snakes - the Northern Copperhead and the Timber Rattlesnake. 

The Timber Rattlesnake, also called the Canebrake Rattlesnake, can reach 60 inches (152 cm) in length and weigh up to 1,500 grams. They have keeled scales with dark brown to black crossbands on a yellow-brown to gray background and a characteristic rattle on the tail. A Timber rattlesnake's color varies and can be characterized by either a yellow or black phase of keeled scales.

Timber rattlesnake Photo by Kris Schantz via state.nj.us/dep/

The yellow phase coloring means the ground color is yellow to brown, featuring dark brown or black jagged “V-shape” blotches and bands towards the snake's head. The black phase coloring features a similar pattern to the yellow phase; however, the dark brown to black color obscures most of the snake's pattern. In both instances, the snake's head remains unmarked, and the last few inches of the tail are dark brown or solid black in adults. Additionally, sometimes Timber rattlesnakes may be completely black.

While potentially the most dangerous snake in New Jersey due to size and venom yield, they are generally mild-mannered and give warning signals before striking. There have been no reported instances of bites other than by those handling the snakes (which is not recommended unless you're a trained snake handler). However, that doesn’t mean these snakes aren’t dangerous. If threatened, they will defend themselves, so always keep a safe distance.

Timber Rattlesnakes are ambush predators, feeding on small mammals, frogs, birds, and other snakes. They are found in lowland thickets, river floodplains, agricultural areas, and deciduous or coniferous forests. 

This snake is a state-endangered species, with only three timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) populations remaining. These remaining populations include New Jersey's northern region along the Kittatinny Ridge, southern New Jersey within the Pine Barrens, and the Highlands region.

Download an illustrated Snakes of New Jersey brochure

sample page from brochure

Hibernating Time

This month as the polar vortex dips into New Jersey and we say goodbye to warm days, animals may not be the only ones in our state thinking about migrating south or about some winter hibernation.

The popular idea of hibernation is probably closer to a storybook version of fattened bears curled up in a cave than the ways that New Jersey's creatures are preparing to hibernate using a variety of physiological strategies.

After an animal finds or makes a living space (hibernaculum) that protects it from winter weather and predators, the animal's metabolism slows dramatically.

Little brown bats with white nose syndrome - Al Hicks, NYSDEC, Bugwood.org

Our over-wintering bats, including the federally endangered Indiana bats, are true hibernating mammals who regulate their metabolism to create a torpid, cold, inactive state. That's why White Nose Syndrome is a serious threat to them. The fungus disrupts their sleep, causes them to fly, and exhausts their fat reserves even if they only wake up in mid-winter for brief periods.

Also in that hibernation category are some rodents like woodchucks and chipmunks. They can maintain a constant body temperature of 38 degrees. But woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, will not be coming out of hibernation naturally as early as February 2 to satisfy some news crew's need for a Groundhog Day story.

For chipmunks, their den temperatures remain mostly above freezing because burrow entrances are plugged and their burrow system extends below the frost line. Their body temperature drops to within a few degrees of the burrow temperature and is often around 40°F. Every few days, chipmunks elevate their body temperature to over 94°F.

Timber rattlesnake - photo by Kris Schantz via state.nj.us/dep/

Our timber rattlesnakes in the Ridge and Valley and Highlands regions will hibernate in deep, rocky mountain crevices with a southern exposure.

In the Pinelands, lacking those rocky crevices, the rattlesnakes will hibernate in the springs and roots of cedar swamps where the water movement means it probably will never freeze.

The Northern pine snake, which also inhabits the Pinelands, will first fully digest their last autumn meal before hibernating. (Undigested food in a reptile can lead to bacterial infection and death.) Then, they will burrow into upland sands about four feet below the surface to hibernate.


Fish and many reptiles and amphibians don't go into a true hibernation but rather into dormancy. That is a period in an organism's life cycle when growth, development, and physical activity are temporarily stopped. This minimizes metabolic activity and therefore helps an organism to conserve energy. This allows some species to survive extremely low oxygen conditions in the mud and deep water of ponds.

Aquatic frogs such as the American bullfrog typically hibernate underwater. They do not spend the winter like aquatic turtles which dig into the mud at the bottom of a pond or stream. If hibernating frogs did that, they would suffocate. Hibernating aquatic frogs require oxygen-rich water and spend a good portion of the winter just lying on top of the mud or only partially buried, and may even slowly swim around from time to time.

A hibernating turtle's metabolism slows down so drastically that it can get by on the mud's poor oxygen supply.

Of course, we also have terrestrial frogs that normally hibernate on land. American toads and other frogs will burrow deep into the soil, safely below the frost line. Not all frogs are diggers. The wood frog and the spring peeper will find deep cracks and crevices in logs or rocks, or, not as safely, just burrow down as far as they can in the leaf litter. Be careful raking or kicking those leaf litter piles!

Is this bear hibernation or just sleeping?

Black bears are still our number one popular poster species for hibernation, but they are not true hibernators and in New Jersey may be active all year long.

Black bears begin entering their winter dens in the fall to avoid periods of food shortage and severe weather. Impregnated females typically enter dens first, during the last week in October. Males may not enter dens until December.

Unlike smaller mammals that hibernate, black bears do not drop their body temperature appreciably. They enter a state of torpor (low metabolic activity). The small amount of urine that is produced is reabsorbed by their kidneys, and they don't have to wake up to urinate or defecate.

Bears are too big to allow their bodies to get really cold, and they need to be able to wake up quickly in an emergency. Den sites generally include ground nests, excavation sites, brush piles, hollow trees, rock cavities, and, more rarely, caves (which are not very plentiful in NJ). Sometimes they might even be found beneath houses and other buildings. The den sites are typically small in size to retain body heat and ensure that black bears stay well insulated.

They live off of their body fat, which is metabolized to produce the calories and water that they need to survive. That is why autumn is such a critical and active feeding time for them. They generally lose between 18-20% of their body fat while in their dens, and they can maintain their bone and muscle mass. While in torpor, black bears are capable of being easily awakened if disturbed, and they may leave their dens on mild winter days in search of food.

New Jersey's Two Venomous Snakes

We have only two venomous snakes in New Jersey, but there are four snakes on our endangered or threatened species list.

Of 22 species found in New Jersey, only the timber rattlesnake and the northern copperhead are venomous. Both the copperhead and rattlesnake are reclusive and shy, but each will defend itself if threatened. In reality, though, you have a greater chance of being struck by lightning than of ever being bitten by one of these snakes.

Because snakes had a bad reputation and are so easily misunderstood by the public, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the ones that can be dangerous and the ones that are not and are an important part of the ecosystem. This site at usasnakes.com/snakes-in-new-jersey/ has photos of both types.

NJ REPTILES
Endangered		Threatened
Rattlesnake, timber	Crotalus h. horridus	Snake, northern pine	Pituophis m. melanoleucus
Snake, corn	Elaphe g. guttata
Snake, queen	Regina septemvittata

Northern copperhead     Photo: Mike Muller via state.nj.us/dep/

Copperheads are social snakes and often hibernate in communal dens with other copperheads or other species of snakes, including timber rattlesnakes and black rat snakes.

Adult copperheads eat mostly mice but will also eat small birds, lizards, small snakes, amphibians and insects, especially cicadas.

Copperheads have fangs that inject prey with a hemolytic venom that subdues its prey by causing the breakdown of red blood cells, making it easy for the snake to swallow. The copperhead seeks out its prey using its heat-sensitive pits to detect objects that are warmer than its environment. This also enables them to find nocturnal mammalian prey.

A copperhead, one of New Jersey’s least common snakes, is frequently confused with the northern water snake and the eastern milk snake, among the state's most common species. Copperheads have a dark-colored pattern that forms hourglass-shaped bands from side to side, but coloration is highly variable among individuals and changes according to seasonal shedding periods.

You should never approach this snake, or try to handle it, or disturb it. Copperheads and other snakes help to control rodent populations in their environment."

Timber rattlesnake Photo by Kris Schantz via state.nj.us/dep/

The timber rattlesnake inhabits three distinct areas – the Kittatinny Ridge and the northernmost portion of the Highlands as well as the sprawling Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey. The copperhead is limited to hilly, forested regions in portions of northern New Jersey and a few isolated, hilly areas of Hunterdon and Somerset counties.

While the rattlesnake has its rattle to distinguish it from other snakes, many other snakes mimic the rattlesnake by shaking their tails on leaves, twigs and other objects. A rattlesnake has jagged and dark bands extending from side to side around the center and back end of the snake.

The snake below may look dangerous but it is a non-venomous milk snake Lampropeltis Triangulum. Because it has color variations, it can be confused with some venomous snakes.

Know your Jersey snakes! 

For more information, see  state.nj.us/dep/daw/snakes/

Snakes in New Jersey

Common and non-venomous eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)
Photo: Wilson44691 - Own work, Public Domain   

New Jersey is home to 71 species of reptiles and amphibians. The Division of Fish and Wildlife's "Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of New Jersey" lists reptiles and amphibians and links to fact sheets excerpted from the Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of NJ. The frogs and toads also have a link to each species' calls which are shortened versions of those found on the vocalization CD. This online field guide is intended to provide instant access to pictures, maps, calls and descriptions for New Jersey’s reptiles and amphibians.

In this post, we are focusing on New Jersey's snakes. People more often than not have a fear of snakes. Much of that fear comes from a lack of ability to distinguish species and a fear that a snake id dangerous/venomous.

On this site, we often get comments about snakes that are almost always misidentifications. The most common misidentifications are about venomous snake sighting. We only have two venomous snakes in the state - the Northern Copperhead (more common to the northern part of the state) and the Eastern Timber Rattlesnake (more common in the south).

Northern Watersnake, Nerodia sipedon, non-venomous and found in NJ

Water moccasin or cottonmouth, not present in NJ,
venomous and sometimes misidentified for a water snake
Photo by Ltshears - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

1. Black Rat Snake    Elaphe o. obsoleta
2. Corn Snake (E)    Elaphe g. guttata
3. "Coastal Plain" Milk Snake    L. t. triangulum X L. t. elapsoides
4. Eastern Garter Snake    Thamnophis s. sirtalis
5. Eastern Hognose Snake    Heterodon platyrhinos
6. Eastern Kingsnake    Lampropeltis g. getula
7. Eastern Milk Snake    Lampropeltis t. triangulum
8. Eastern Ribbon Snake    Thamnophis s. sauritus
9. Eastern Smooth Earth Snake    Virginia v. valeriae
10. Eastern Worm Snake    Carphophis a. amoenus
11. Northern Black Racer    Coluber c. constrictor
12. Northern Brown Snake    Storeria d. dekayi
13. Northern Pine Snake (T)    Pituophis m. melanoleucus
14. Northern Redbelly Snake    Storeria o. occipitomaculata
15. Northern Ringneck Snake    Diadophis punctatus edwardsii
16. Northern Scarlet Snake    Cemophora coccinea copei
17. Northern Water Snake    Nerodia s. sipedon
18. Queen Snake (E)    Regina septemvittata
19. Rough Green Snake    Opheodrys aestivus
20. Smooth Green Snake    Opheodrys vernalis
21. Southern Ringneck Snake    Diadophis p. punctatus
22. Northern Copperhead    Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen
23. Timber Rattlesnake (E)    Crotalus horridus

Wikipedia also has a useful list of snakes in New Jersey with links to individual articles about each species with photos. See wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_snakes_of_New_Jersey

Timber rattlesnake Photo by Kris Schantz via state.nj.us/dep/

Northern copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen, one of two venomous snakes found in New Jersey
Photo: Public Domain

Snakes On the Move

Timber rattlesnake Photo by Kris Schantz

Snakes in New Jersey are at the end of their mating seasons and on the move within their territories. That means you are more likely to see one.

Snakes are quite misunderstood, largely because the majority of people are not able to identify species and don't know which ones are dangerous and which are harmless to humans and beneficial to the ecosystem.

As I have written before, New Jersey only has two venomous snakes: the Eastern timber rattlesnake and the Northern copperhead.

Firefighters in Knowlton (northwest NJ) posted on Facebook about one timber rattlesnake that was probably moving down from the mountains near the Delaware Water Gap to lower areas and was found in a backyard garden compost pile. (It has been relocated.)

Timber rattlesnakes are found in New Jersey typically around the Kittatinny Ridge north of the Water Gap, the northern Highlands area and in the Pine Barrens and typically found in densely wooded and rocky forests.

Timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) are an endangered species in New Jersey and it is illegal to kill them. If you encounter one on your property, you can call the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife. In New Jersey, call the Department of Environmental Protection at 877-WARN DEP (877-927-6337). They have a specialized team of experts and trained volunteers who will relocate the snake.

Timber rattlesnake rely on its camouflage to stay out of sight, and generally will not attack. But, as with many animals, if provoked - and that may be unintentional, such as stepping unaware on or near one - they can strike. Stay 10 feet away from the snake.

In comparison, a Northern copperhead Photo by Mike Muller  

Pennsylvania has a third poisonous snake, the endangered Eastern massasauga, which only lives in the northwestern part of the state. The timber rattlesnake is not protected in Pennsylvania.

More information about snakes in NJ
printable brochure www.njfishandwildlife.com/ensp/pdf/snake_broch14.pdf
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/daw/snakes/ 

There's a Rattlesnake in the Neighborhood

A timber rattlesnake found in Manchester, NJ
(Credit: Manchester Police)

There is something about seeing certain species that automatically put the average citizen into panic mode. This is true with sharks, bats, some insects and snakes. For all of those examples, there are different species within our state of shoreline and some are potentially dangerous while others are not at all.

The danger for these species is that many people react in the same way to all of them - kill them.

The summer always brings media reports of sharks offshore and sometimes of snakes.

New Jersey has a good number of snake species (22), but only two are venomous - the timber rattlesnake and the copperhead. I have written often here about snakes, particularly because four are endangered or threatened.

One of the endangered snakes is the timber rattlesnake and this month a sighting in a New Jersey neighborhood made its way onto the NY TV news.

A CBS News report said that rattlesnakes have been spotted "slithering" around Manchester Township, in Ocean County.

The timber rattlesnake inhabits three areas of NJ – the Kittatinny Ridge and the northernmost portion of the Highlands as well as the sprawling Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey.

The copperhead is limited to hilly, forested regions in portions of northern New Jersey and a few isolated, hilly areas of Hunterdon and Somerset counties.

Everyone knows that the rattlesnake has its rattle to distinguish it from other snakes, but many other snakes mimic the rattlesnake by shaking their tails on leaves, twigs and other objects.

A rattlesnake has jagged and dark bands extending from side to side around the center and back end of the snake.

They are a rare sighting, but, yes, being bitten by one can cause death. Police in Manchester posted photos on Facebook, warning residents of confirmed sightings of a venomous snake of about five feet in length near Pershing Avenue in the Whiting section of the township.

Timber rattlesnakes like to bask in the sun when they come out of their dens in May, but are passive unless they are threatened or provoked - whether that is intentional or accidental. Now is the mating season, and male timber rattlesnakes are out seeking out females.

Of course, you should not approach or try to handle them or remain in the area. You should not try to kill them. In New Jersey, they are on the endangered species list and intentionally killing one is illegal.

If you see a timber rattlesnake, you should note the time and place and call the New Jersey Endangered and Non-Game Species Program at (609) 628-2103 for southern New Jersey, (908) 735-8975 or (908) 735-9281 for northern New Jersey, or (877) WARN-DEP on weeknights or weekends.

Responding to New Jersey's Snakes

Timber rattlesnake Photo by Kris Schantz

The NJ DEP's Snake Response Team, coordinated by the Division of Fish and Wildlife's Endangered and Nongame Species Program, helps people when venomous snakes get a little too close for comfort. It also works to dispel fears about the reptiles, using facts, tact and understanding.

Of 22 species found in New Jersey, only the timber rattlesnake and the northern copperhead are venomous – and each of these species is generally shy.

Under the state's Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act, it is illegal to kill, harm, harass or collect them or any native, non-game wildlife.

On the NJ Endangered and Threatened list are 4 snakes: the timber rattlesnake, Crotalus h. horridus, the northern pine snake Pituophis m. melanoleucus and the corn snake Elaphe g. guttata and the queen snake Regina septemvittata.

In relocating a venomous snake, the Response Team will look for suitable habitat in the same general area that won't harm the snake or create a conflict with another property owner.

Snakes see us as the predator,and their first choice is to try to lay still and blend in with their surroundings or, if feeling threatened, to try to get away.

Snakes fill an important ecological role, controlling rodents and insects and serving as a food source for raccoons, bobcats, hawks, owls and other animals. In short, snakes are indicators of a healthy, vibrant ecosystem.

Yet each year many are intentionally killed by people who don’t understand them.

Northern copperhead Photo by Mike Muller

The copperhead, one of New Jersey’s least common snakes, is frequently confused with the northern water snake and the eastern milk snake, among the most common species.

Copperheads have a dark-colored pattern that forms hourglass-shaped bands from side to side, but coloration is highly variable among individuals and changes according to seasonal shedding periods.

More Information at  http://www.state.nj.us/dep/daw/snakes/



Timber Rattlesnakes in Vermont & New York: Biology, History, and the Fate of an Endangered Species