第 0519 號，共 1 402 號

Timber rattlesnake

Crotalus horridus

名字的由來： Crotalus is Latin for a rattle or the sound of a castanet. Horridus is Latin for horrid or dreadful, probably because of its potentially deadly venom.1

可能致命不治療的話可能會害死你。如果牠咬了你，要趕快求救。

響尾蛇

咬吃：肉

對人的危險: 非常危險如果沒有治療，牠可能會害死一個人。

The timber rattlesnake is a venomous pit viper that lives in forests and rocky land in the eastern United States. It is the only rattlesnake in most of the crowded northeastern states, and it is one of the most northerly venomous snakes in North America.1

分布在

Eastern United States, from southern Minnesota and southern New Hampshire south to East Texas and North Florida. Extinct in Canada.1

北美洲

首頁

It lives in deciduous forests in rugged terrain, as well as lowland cane thickets, swamp edges, river floodplains, hardwood and pine forests, mountains and rural farmland. In winter it shelters in dens and limestone crevices, and in summer pregnant females favour open, rocky ledges.1

長度

91 cm 到 1,9 m (3 ft 到 6,2 ft)1

體重

500 g 到 4,5 kg (1,1 lb 到 9,9 lb)1

最高速度

大約 3,8 km/h（2,4 mph）

在陸地上, 粗略估計

牠吃什麼？

It eats mainly small mammals such as mice, rats, squirrels and rabbits, and sometimes small birds and frogs. It waits in ambush, often on fallen logs, then strikes and follows its prey until it can eat it.1

Timber rattlesnake 的照片 — Timber rattlesnake。照片：Peter Paplanus from St. Louis, Missouri。 CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons.

怎麼認出牠

Dark brown or black crossbands on a yellowish-brown or greyish background1
The crossbands have irregular zig-zag edges and may be V- or M-shaped1
A rust-coloured stripe often runs down the middle of the back1
The tail is black and looks 'velvety'1
Melanism (very dark colouring) is common, and some individuals are almost solid black1

毒液力量

咬

咬的時候，毒液會從毒牙或牙齒出來。

牠的毒液有什麼作用？

Its venom is extremely potent and can be haemorrhagic (damaging blood vessels and causing bleeding) or neurotoxic (attacking the nerves), depending on the population and location. Its long fangs, large size and high venom yield make it potentially one of North America's most dangerous snakes. Venom-induced incapacitation can progress rapidly.1

牠對人有多危險？

對人的危險: 非常危險如果沒有治療，牠可能會害死一個人。

It is potentially one of North America's most dangerous snakes, but it is usually shy and calm. It will retreat if it can and attacks mainly when cornered. Over many years in western Pennsylvania, one naturalist heard of only one death from its bite. Bites are widespread in some areas of Iowa's forests. Its remote, wooded habitat can make emergency medical care difficult or even impossible.1

牠害怕時會做什麼？

It rattles and feints a good deal before striking, and it will try to retreat first if it feels threatened.1

如果牠咬人

讓傷者保持不動和冷靜，讓被咬的手臂或腿保持在和心臟一樣的高度，取下戒指和緊身的東西，並趕快送醫院。

一定要先打緊急電話（112、000、911）。這是一般急救指引，不是醫療建議。急救基本知識

注意安全

絕對不要碰、抓或捉弄野生動物，就算是很小的動物，就算牠看起來在睡覺或已經死了也一樣。
給牠空間。如果遇到了，保持冷靜，慢慢往後退，讓牠自己離開。
如果被牠咬了：保持冷靜，保持不動，打緊急電話（112、000、911）或趕快去醫院。記住牠的樣子，有照片會很有幫助。

牠不是想來抓你。牠用毒液來捕捉食物或保護自己，而且牠更想躲起來。更多安全知識

在世界上的哪裡？

非洲亞洲歐洲北美洲南美洲澳洲與大洋洲

牠有多大？

牠有多長？

牠有多重？

跟 1 隻家貓一樣重

跟 4 隻家貓從鼻子接到尾巴一樣長跟 11 根香蕉頭尾相接一樣長大約跟一隻家貓一樣重可以在 95 秒內跑完 100 公尺（最快的人類需要 9.6 秒）

Timber rattlesnake 跟「你」比起來有多大？

只是在你的瀏覽器裡做算術。什麼都不會儲存，也不會傳送到任何地方。

牠有多快？

一隻陸龜 大約 0,3 km/h (0,19 mph)

Timber rattlesnake 大約 3,8 km/h (2,4 mph)

一個正在走路的人 大約 5 km/h (3,1 mph)

值得知道

小知識

Timber rattlesnakes return to the same winter den each year, and juveniles can track chemical cues to find relatives in it.1

Female timber rattlesnakes bask in the sun on open rocky areas called basking knolls before they give birth.1

They share winter dens with copperheads and rat snakes.1

It is the only rattlesnake in most of the populous Northeastern United States, and one of the most northerly venomous snakes in North America.1

Males often mate farther from the winter dens than females do.1

破解迷思

迷思： Rattlesnakes attack people as soon as they see them.

真相： Timber rattlesnakes are shy and will try to retreat from danger first. They attack mainly when they are cornered, so leaving them alone keeps people safe.1

給毒液專家

學名: Crotalus horridus
類群: 響尾蛇
家人: Viperidae2
排序: Squamata
各大洲: 北美洲
寶寶: Females first reproduce at a mean age of 9.6 years and average 7.7 offspring per litter. Most females reproduce only once in their lifetime.1
牠在野外的狀況: Extirpated in Canada, as listed under the Canadian Species at Risk Act in May 2001.1
對人的危險: 4 / 5: 非常危險3