Five newborn timber rattlesnakes recently underwent medical check-ups at the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue in Indian Trail, North Carolina. The process was carried out with strict safety measures, as shown in a video posted by the rescue group on September 13. Staff used tongs, tubes, and other equipment to handle the snakes while checking their weight, markings, and sex.
“We never handle them without tools and safety precautions,” the rescue said in its Facebook post. “They are born venomous and capable of biting.”
The mother snake, named Athena, arrived at the rescue in May after being found injured in Onslow County. According to past posts and an email from the organization to McClatchy News, Athena had been attacked by at least one dog and suffered spinal injuries.
“Her injuries were severe, and at the time I wasn’t sure she was going to live,” wrote a representative from Carolina Waterfowl Rescue.
Athena later gave birth on September 8 but faced complications likely linked to her earlier trauma. Some of her offspring did not survive; among those lost was a two-headed snake.
Of Athena’s five surviving babies—two males and three females—all were found healthy during their recent exams. The rescue team is now waiting for guidance from wildlife officials regarding whether the young snakes can be released or must remain in captivity.
“They all have very distinctive personalities,” staff shared. “Some seem to be more docile, while others (are) a little spicier. We named one Baby Spice because he charges the glass every time we come into the room.”
The other four baby rattlesnakes are named Erich, Jigsaw, Luna, and Velvet. They may serve as educational ambassadors if they cannot return to the wild; Athena will also need a permanent home.
Timber rattlesnakes typically inhabit forested areas across Eastern and Western North Carolina. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission describes them as “reluctant to rattle or bite” and notes that they are ambush predators that can exceed five feet in length (https://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0/Learning/documents/Profiles/Reptiles/timber-rattlesnake.pdf). Their physical traits include dark crossbands or chevrons on lighter backgrounds, and they often hibernate together in large groups during mountain winters.
