This snake was released back into the wilderness.

The Timber Rattlesanke is a pit viper which has highly sensitive organs for locating prey, by heat-sensing. These pits are easily seen in the photos of this Timber Rattlesnake found in Southern Illinois.

Glands behind the eyes, produce and store the venom. From the glands the venom passes through hollow fangs. The Timber Rattlesnake does have voluntary control over each fang. It can raise one, both or none when striking.

Pit vipers always have replacement fangs, as seen in the photograph you can see two fangs on each side. When and if bit there may be one, two, three, or even four puncture wounds. A dry bite is when no envenomation occurs and basically the snake missed.

Due to rattles breaking during the snake's life, one cannot determine the snake's age by counting the number of rattles.