The Timber rattlesnake was transferred to a wildlife facility by the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.

When you think of the Sunday scaries, it's usually the dread of returning to the office Monday. But for residents in the Old Town neighborhood, it manifested itself literally last Sunday in the form of the creepy and crawly—a real-life rattlesnake!

On June 13, officials from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria responded to a call regarding a Timber rattlesnake sighting. The viper was spotted slithering through the 400 block of Gibbon Street, and following the snake's seizure, was transferred to a wildlife facility under the advice of the Department of Wildlife Resources.

The animal shelter detailed the encounter on Tuesday in a Facebook post, emphasizing the reptile's rarity in the area.

"While timber rattlesnakes are extremely rare in our region, it is not impossible for them to live in our climate, though Animal Services officers saw no sign of additional snakes or a nest," the post reads. 

Otherwise known as the canebrake or banded rattlesnake, the Timber rattlesnake is one of the few reptiles of its kind in the Northeast United States and an endangered species in the state of Virginia. They reside in steep, mountainous habitats in the western and southeastern parts of the region, and join the copperhead and water moccasins as the few venomous snakes in the Commonwealth. While the DWR states that residents are allowed to own up to five reptiles as pets, many local jurisdictions can have separate rules—in the case of Alexandria, residents can only own a rattlesnake if they have the proper license to do so.

Like many of us, seeing snakes in the flesh gives us the heebie-jeebies. Thankfully, you don't have to be alone in handling it. Should you spot a rattlesnake or other creatures in your neck of the woods, the AWLA urges you to call the Animal Services line at 703.746.4444, and their team of professionals will be there to help.

Have you ever encountered a Timber rattlesnake before? Share your wild animal experiences in the comments.