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The Timber Rattlesnake’s scientific name is Crotalus horridus<\/em> and it is one of 3 venomous snakes found within Pennsylvania.\u00a0 The other venomous snakes are Copperheads and Pygmy Rattlesnakes.\u00a0 The venom produced by a rattlesnake is primarily used as a digestive enzyme – the more the food item is broken down into smaller pieces, the easier it is to absorb those nutrients.\u00a0 The diet of the Timber Rattlesnake typically consists of mice, voles, shrews, and chipmunks.\u00a0 Larger rattlesnakes may eat slightly larger prey like rabbits and squirrels, but that would be a very big rattlesnake.\u00a0 The Timber Rattlesnake typically exhibit one of two color patterns – a Black Morph or a Yellow Morph.\u00a0 A Timber Rattlesnake cannot change this trait throughout it’s lifetime – a yellow morph will always be a yellow morph.<\/p>\n The Timber Rattlesnake that now resides outside of Dr. Howey’s office (LSC 251) is a female, yellow morph Timber Rattlesnake.\u00a0 Some time in the past 5-8 years, she was illegally captured from the wild by someone who was trying to collect many different reptile species for their own personal collection.\u00a0 When this collection became known to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the illegally captured reptiles were confiscated.\u00a0 Unfortunately, because we do not know where this individual came from, we cannot release her back into the wild (she would not know how to locate a den to overwinter within and she may not know where to find food within her environment).\u00a0 Therefore, she will live out her life as a steward of her species; helping to educate the public on Timber Rattlesnakes.\u00a0 Hopefully, with the aid of this beautiful animal, we can help change the negative outlook that many people have regarding Timber Rattlesnakes.<\/p>\n The Timber Rattlesnake is in the top cage with the light on. She is currently sitting under the rock. The Ballot Box is shown below the cage, and ballots must be inserted into the mouth of the snake!!!!<\/p><\/div>\n So now that she has taken up residence among the halls of the Loyola Science Center, it is only fitting to provide her with a name!\u00a0 Of course, she will always have the name bestowed on her by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 as Crotalus horridus<\/em>, but we can provide her with a more updated name as well.\u00a0 So, we need your help in thinking up the perfect name for this beautiful animal!\u00a0 Swing by Loyola Science Center and introduce yourself to the rattlesnake.\u00a0 Then, when you have a good name, write it on a ballot slip and place it in the Deposit Box sitting next to her cage.\u00a0 Everyone is always welcome to come and visit the snake whenever you wish.\u00a0 And similar to zoos and aquariums, please don’t knock on the glass or try to scare the snake, because that is just rude.\u00a0 We want to make sure our new friend is comfortable and at ease the entire time she lives here.<\/p>\n On November 21st, we will stop accepting ballots.\u00a0 Then, over Thanksgiving Break, we will pick a name from among the ballots.\u00a0 If your entry gets chosen, then you will win a $25 Gift Card to Starbucks and you will get a picture with the snake<\/em>!\u00a0 Of course for safety reasons she will remain in her cage \ud83d\ude09<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This past summer, the Biology Department gained a new member – A Snake! To be exact, the snake is a Timber Rattlesnake, and it is the center of Dr. Chris Howey’s research here in the Biology Department.\u00a0 Much of Dr. … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/sites.scranton.edu\/biology\/files\/2018\/10\/NameSnake-e1541014979691-225x300.jpg\")