Rattlesnakes, like all terrestrial snakes, can and do climb! It’s not uncommon for a rattlesnake to be found in a bush, tree, up in rocks, or any number of surprising places. This is a very different situation than a rattlesnake climbing straight up a relatively smooth surface. A common misconception, fueled by a combination of a general lack of knowledge of snake physiology, is that rattlesnakes can easily climb up and over a backyard block wall.
So … let’s put it to the test! If rattlesnakes can climb over a block wall, they will have no problem getting over a shorter version. Right?
The Experiment: Put rattlesnakes in an approximation of a standard Phoenix-area block wall and see if they can climb out.
Watch the experiment and additional information here:
Whenever we talk about Rattlesnake Fencing, we get comments saying it can’t possibly work because rattlesnakes can just climb over the wall. Well … let’s see if they can!
We put it to the test with every species of rattlesnake in our service area, along with a couple of non-venomous snakes. According to the comments, all of them should be able to climb the wall and escape without any trouble. But what actually happened isn’t a surprise to anyone with a bit of knowledge of how snakes work.
Snakes included in the experiment:
Adult Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Two juvenile Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake
Mojave Rattlesnake
Sonoran Sidewinder
Tiger Rattlesnake
Blacktailed Rattlesnake
Newborn (days old) Western Diamondback Rattlesankes
California Kingsnake (common, harmless snake)
Sonoran Gophersnake (common, harmless, BIG snake)
Why Can’t Rattlesnakes Climb Over?
Rattlesnakes can climb a tree, up rough stone, and other sufficiently rough surfaces, but going up smooth surfaces isn’t something they are capable of. If the wall has big problems, like an uneven surface or other ledges, then this is considered part of the rattlesnake fence design. What no rattlesnake can do, however, is climb right up a wall like a slug.
Why is knowing what rattlesnakes can climb important?
The physical capabilities of rattlesnakes, and snakes in general, are widely misunderstood. It’s no mystery, too, as to why. We’re raised to believe they’re slimy, supernaturally evil creatures. But, a little knowledge shows this is not the case. And, sometimes, those misconceptions can actually be dangerous.
When can not understanding rattlesnake physiology be dangerous? When it prevents people from taking basic actions to protect their properties. An example of this that we discuss every day: people who choose not to have rattlesnake fencing installed or take other preventative measures because a neighbor or random Facebook person told them that rattlesnakes can just climb over the block wall, so it’s useless. Anyone with a little knowledge of snakes knows this is not the case, but we know that the misconceptions about them are typically louder than the facts.
This is not snake trivia, it’s a message of public safety. Rattlesnake encounters and rattlesnake bites are largely preventable issues. It requires letting go of cultural misconceptions, however, which ironically perpetuate needless danger.
Temperatures are finally coming down and the air in the morning has just a little bit of cool. And, being from Arizona, we’re all pretty excited about that. Not just people but wildlife as well, including rattlesnakes. We are about to enter one of the periods with the most random rattlesnake encounters.
Here’s a summary of what rattlesnakes will be doing this fall, why they do it, and how you can best avoid an unexpected encounter. Note: This applies to Arizona south of the rim. In other locations, timing and behavior will differ.
“Why are rattlesnakes more active in the fall? I thought they loved heat.”
While temperatures were lethally hot in this record-breaking year, rattlesnakes were doing about the same thing we were: hiding. They spend a lot of time in one location, tucked away and only coming out at night to move short distances. The locations the snakes choose to hide away are very specific, which means that rattlesnake encounters are more predictable in some areas.
But now that nights are cool and daytime reasonable, they are out and about with a lot to do before winter sets in. Rattlesnakes need to find prey and water and start their often-long journey to the dens where they will spend the winter. They also may mate during this period, adding even more activity.
This all means that rattlesnakes are on the move in less predictable locations, regardless of the presence of attracting factors. Random encounters with rattlesnakes of all age classes are highest during the fall.
Baby rattlesnakes can be just about anywhere in the fall.
In addition to the adult rattlesnakes, who may have just given birth and need to move and eat, there are a huge number of baby rattlesnakes trying to score their first meal. These newborns have to accomplish a lot in their first couple of months. They must find prey, succeed in hunting, and establish the beginning of their home range.
While this may be informed by scent and interaction with other rattlesnakes, these little ones are on their own. As a result, they often show up in unexpected places. Being under a foot long, they can be easily missed.
During this time, many of them are eaten by predators, fail to find food in time, pick bad locations for hibernation, are killed by cars or the sun, and countless other threats. Many will not survive to the next year, meaning that right now is the highest number of rattlesnakes out there in any given year.
Situations like this, with a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake hiding under a door, are often temporary, random events during the fall.
When are rattlesnakes most active during the fall?
During these cooler, transition times, rattlesnakes become crepuscular, becoming most active in the twilight transitions in the morning and at night. They often bask and hunt in the morning, hide away during much of the day, then leave again as the sun sets to travel longer distances.
Throughout September and early October, the first hour after sunset will see a surge in rattlesnake movement. It slows overnight, but rattlesnakes can be active even as temperatures dip into the 50s. Then again in the morning, rattlesnakes will be out in relatively random locations, typically near temporary hiding spots.
In late October through about the second week of November, rattlesnake activity changes a little bit, with less morning movement. Starting in the late afternoon, around 3 pm, they make large straight-line movements towards den locations. This will carry through and peak in the first hour after sunset, then largely stop.
By the third week of November, most rattlesnakes are where they intend to be for the next few months. So while encounters will still happen, their nature and cause are very different.
Rattlesnakes resting at a den site. During the fall, rattlesnakes are making large movements towards these locations, sometimes on a path through the backyard.
What can pet owners do about rattlesnakes during the fall?
The situation of dogs with rattlesnakes is very different than it is with people. Rattlesnake bites to dogs are typically on the muzzle and face, meaning it is a secondary encounter. Rattlesnakes don’t attack dogs; dogs go after snakes, and the snakes defend themselves. The difference is intention, and this means that much can be done.
For any dog owner living where rattlesnakes are, here are some essential actions:
Get your dog rattlesnake avoidance trained. We recommend our friends at Rattlesnake Ready in Cave Creek.
Walk the yard before letting the dogs out in the morning and at night. Just a quick perimeter check can reduce the majority of snake bites.
Never leave dogs unattended in the backyard at dusk or in the first hour after. This is when rattlesnakes are most active, and the majority of bites will occur.
Contact 24-hour emergency vets in the area ahead of time, and have a plan. Be sure to ask if they treat with antivenom. If they say no, find a different one. Doing this work in advance can save time in the event of a bite, which can greatly affect outcomes.
“What can be done to protect my family from rattlesnakes in the fall?”
Unlike dogs, people can learn and change their behavior with new information. It’s unlikely that you’d intentionally stick your nose on a rattlesnake, so that leaves accidental bites as the situation to avoid.
Here are a few things you can do on a single Saturday that would reduce the chances of you or a loved one taking a rattlesnake bite:
Keep flashlights near all doors, and have a rule that shoes and lights are to be used at all times without exception.
Clean up any debris in the yard, remove hiding spots, reduce clutter, and do any maintenance necessary to make the yard less snake-friendly.
Consider having a professional visit to inspect the property, make recommendations, and evaluate if the property may be a candidate for rattlesnake fencing.
Continue becoming knowledgeable about snakes in the area via passive means. We recommend joining a snake identification Facebook group to get a slow flow of information. Over time, this can help immensely with how you feel about the situation.
Keep this number somewhere handy: 480-237-9975 (Phoenix area) or 520-308-6211 (Tucson area).
Learn about the snakes in your area:
For a full list and more details of rattlesnake activity during the fall and steps you can take to be safe, take a look at this article:
It’s egg season. But rattlesnake eggs? Never. We get a good number of calls and inquiries about rattlesnake eggs in the backyard, but we can tell you right now: the eggs you see are not from a rattlesnake.
But, the reasons why a person might think so can be interesting. Here’s our take, and a note for those of us who devote our time to work with the public on matters of reptile conservation.
Why is it so common to think bird eggs are rattlesnake eggs?
Human brains are tricky. Be clear: this situation is a perfectly normal part of the way we often approach the unknown. Because we know a thing or two about snakes, and you likely do as well, means little – it’s something we all do. It’s a form of confirmation bias. Once an idea is in play, it’s difficult to start from a clean slate and inaccurate answers can be the result.
You’re likely familiar with hikers posting photos of dog tracks in the mud, commenting “is this a mountain lion? I think it’s a mountain lion” … and regardless of subsequent comments and evidence showing that it’s just a dog print, the initial assessment remains: there was a Mountain Lion here until proven otherwise.
We are all subject to confirmation bias. Yes, even you.
It’s a logical process issue we all can be subject to, where the least likely, but most interesting situation is the default thought, with evidence used to reluctantly disprove rather than inform.
This shows up here in rattlesnake world with things like the common misidentification of the Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake as the cooler-sounding and less often seen Tiger Rattlesnake. Or the “Mojave Green” rattlesnakes draped across mountainous landscapes across the west, which are of course something else entirely. And even lizards get this, where it’s not uncommon for us to see Chuckwallas initially labeled as a venomous Gila monster. It’s also covered here in our video about how to tell the difference between a Mojave Rattlesnake and Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (https://rattlesnakesolutions.com/mvd)
So what does a person tend to do when faced with mysterious eggs in the backyard. Could they be from the birds back there every day, or the lizards on the block walls … once the idea that they could be from a rattlesnake creeps in, everything else falls away. And, thankfully, we can always answer with complete certainty when asked.
It’s just another aspect of how interesting thought processes are when it comes to anxiety-producing topics, like rattlesnakes. The longer we do this work, the more time is spent understanding the thought processes themselves, rather than be frustrated with the results. Education is certainly important, and we all know that fear and ignorance go hand-in-hand. However, what can feel like an endless, helpless situation can change when we focus on how these thoughts are produced, protected, and perpetuated.
A community may never care for rattlesnakes, and that’s not a surprise. But they certainly care about other things: how they fit into the local culture, how useful or beneficial are they to their “tribe”, which aspects of a personality are desirable to express, and so on. By thinking about how rattlesnakes might fit into those boxes for an individual, or a community, change can be acheived. When being knowledgeable and kind to wildlife, including rattlesnakes, becomes a mark of local importance with all of the social benefits therein: watch what happens.
This post isn’t exciting, but it is necessary. We are so happy that the tides seem to be changing on the topic of rattlesnakes. The old ways of killing them are being replaced with smarter practices. Short-distance relocation and prevention, like snake fence installation and habitat reduction, are becoming the norm. Not only are these practices better for the environment, but they are more effective in avoiding encounters than the old ways.
But, that comes with it’s own troubles. More people than ever are offering their services to the public to relocate snakes and install snake fencing … but are they doing it right? Is the service even legal? More often than not, unfortunately, multiple laws are often broken by well-meaning individuals. It’s wonderful that this goodwill exists out there, but now comes the more complicated second half of the task: making sure that providers are acting responsibly. As a homeowner, the laws of snake relocation and prevention are important to understand. So get a coffee and get ready, because this will not be exciting.
Snake Relocation in Arizona REQUIRES a Wildlife Services License
Snake Relocation services offered to the community requires a Wildlife Services License from the Arizona Game and Fish Department! Private certifications and training do not allow legal offering of these services to the community, and should not be confused with legal permits to perform these tasks. Removal and relocation of a rattlesnake is a complex matter, which is not as simple as simply putting a snake in a bucket and taking it to another location – that’s where the real work begins.
EVERY snake relocation person needs their own license
Any entity or business offering snake removal services must have EVERY member of the team be granted individual Wildlife Services Licenses. If one member of the team has a license but others are performing relocation services without it, this is against the law. If you live in a community where the security guards offer snake removal services, it is most likely against the law.
Snake Fence Installation often requires licensing from the state
Snake Fence installation requires a contractor’s license in most situations. AZROC licensing and insurance protect your property. If the total cost, including labor and materials of your project, is above $1,000, make sure the company is licensed, bonded, and insured with AZROC. You can check here: (https://roc.az.gov/search).
For your protection as a homeowner, and many other reasons: work with licensed contractors. It might seem great to save a few bucks up front, but when the installer ghosts you or messes up an expensive gate, you’ll be left without recourse.
Insurance! Don’t let someone on your property to catch a venomous snake who can hold you liable.
Rattlesnake bites are expensive! So are your walls and gates. The guy down the street who wants to help with a snake seems great, but what happens if his internet Steve Irwin act doesn’t work out? A rattlesnake bite is expensive, and you don’t want to learn this the hard way by being held liable.
What kind of insurance should be carried by ANY individual visiting a property to capture a venomous snake?
General Liability and Workers Compensation at minimum. As a property owner, I’d be cautious about inviting anyone to my place to catch a venomous snake that could hold me liable if they are bitten in the process.
Love it or hate it, the HOA has its say in your snake fence.
HOAs and private communities usually have very specific rules about snake fencing. Some of these rules can be complicated to work through or have requirements that would make any snake fence installation ineffective. If you have an HOA, it’s advisable that you inquire about these rules BEFORE getting any contractor involved. Unfortunately, we are often in the position of having to remove/fix snake fencing installed by landscapers and companies who circumvent these rules, and the homeowners end up with a mess.
Any changes to drainage can cause big problems if not properly assessed. In some parts of the county, drainage and flood aversion may be subject to special consideration. Check in advance!
Wait, is this just a way to get people to call you instead?
It might seem like that, but our real interest lies elsewhere: making sure that the snakes survive and that homeowners are protected … not only from rattlesnakes but the shady business practices that often feed on fear. There are many businesses that offer these services ethically and legally to choose from, so this article in no way singles out Rattlesnake Solutions as the only choice. Think of it this way: making sure to go through the proper legal channels, licensing requirements, and insurance coverage ensures that the business you hire has been scrutinized by regulatory entities and is a verified professional service. Kind of like “you must be this tall to ride this ride”, someone you call to catch a venomous snake in your garage should be able to meet certain requirements to be considered a viable service easily.
This is not as fun as our usual posts, but as a homeowner, I’d want to know these things about any contractor coming to work at my place. Snake-related services are kind of niche, so many aren’t aware of them. But now you are. Just remember, the same as anything else: if a price seems too good to be true, it’s likely some shortcuts are being taken.
Many of you may have seen the recent story of a rare fatal bite from a Gila Monster. Here’s what you should know about that as an Arizona residents who live and recreate where these animals live.
You do not need to worry about Gila Monsters beyond the typical warnings to not pick them up, attack them, or other needless behavior. The individual who was bitten had the animals in illegal captivity, which is a very different situation from seeing one on a trail or walking across your driveway. One of the animals in question was illegally exported from Arizona.
There is no danger if you see a Gila Monster in the wild and do not intentionally choose to interact with it. If you hike with your dog on-leash, there is no danger. Just keep doing the obvious: don’t interact with animals that can deliver venomous defensive bites.
If you see anyone making remarks that Gila Monsters need to be killed or otherwise mistreated due to sensationalism around this incident, please consider providing a reasonable response. It may seem crazy these days, but it was not uncommon, even relatively recently, for people to kill these animals when seen due to fear and misinformation.
There are a lot of rumors and speculative comments out there as well; everything from assuming an allergic reaction to drugs, poor health, and more. Currently, there is no official word on the cause of death or toxicology, and speculation is neither helpful nor necessary.
Some relevant facts about Gila Monsters:
Gila Monsters are venomous, rather than the false rumors about bacteria-loaded saliva and other nonsense. They are the only venomous lizard in the United States.
Gila Monsters do not need to “chew” venom in order to evenomate. Even a quick nip can result in an envenomation.
Beaded Lizards, though in the same genus as Gila Monsters, are not found within the U.S., despite rumors and colloquial misunderstanding.
Gila Monsters, while they do have a venomous bite, do not “spit poison”, have “poison breath”, “sting” or other variations of old cowboy stories that still infect common discussion.
A Gila Monster as they are typically seen, just cruising around doing its own thing without harming anyone. If a person chose to do something stupid here and are bitten, that is a decision and should not be confused with the intent of the animal.
Gila Monsters in the reptile hobby pet trade
Captive Gila Monsters are very often handled inappropriately by those who keep them in captivity. This often means unrestrained handling, as if they are a bearded dragon or similar non-venomous pet, involving a word that has no place in any reasonable venomous protocol: trust. This deliberate activity makes up a significant portion of bites from these animals, and these decisions should not be confused with an accident. While it’s not possible to know if this was the case in this instance, improper handling is the unfortunate standard in the hobby pet trade of Gila Monsters.
Despite the abundance of captive-born individuals out there for the pet trade, Gila Monsters are still unfortunately often poached from Arizona.
As rattlesnakes start to show up on the surface again this year, a few things are predictable. Some hikers and homeowners will report rattlesnake sightings, complete with photos of usually-sleeping snakes, with various warnings and declarations about warm winters and misreads on words like ‘brumation’.
So we’ll state plainly and to the point: rattlesnakes are not coming out early; it is typical every year for rattlesnakes to begin the early staging portion of den egress in mid-February.
This is based on our relocation data from more than 14 years of operation, as well as field observations from our team over the past 20 years. It’s also just keeping track of when these sightings tend to start each year, which is easier than ever thanks to social media. We can state with complete accuracy that the rattlesnake emergence activity right now (February 2024) is typical and going as planned.
In the next two weeks, sightings will increase, but rattlesnakes will not be out and about just yet. This “staging” part involves a lot of laying around in the sun near the entrance to their den. That might be sleeping in the grass right next to it, lounging under a nearby bush, or coiled on top of a packrat nest. They may make short movements, but are still tethered to the den until springtime conditions stabilize in March.
A Western Diamondback Rattlesnake doing its thing, as they do every February. This snake will hang out, along with a few others, right around the entrance to its winter den for a few weeks before leaving for the Spring. Most people would never see this without intentionally seeking it, so don’t worry.
How to avoid rattlesnakes in the staging period of den egress
Hikers can avoid rattlesnakes right now by simply staying on the trails. If you notice, most of the posts from hikers on social media where a rattlesnake is spotted are off-trail, climbing boulder piles or other situations where seeing a rattlesnake might even be expected. In comparison, a trail with people coming and going is not a place that most rattlesnakes will want to deal with for these sensitive situations, and will avoid them. Put your dog on a leash if it isn’t already, and it’s time to put the headphones away for the year.
Homeowners who see rattlesnakes in February should know that they’ve likely been there for months at this point, and it’s possible there are others on the property. If you’re doing any work like a garage cleanout, using a grill island, anything involving the pool equipment area, or general yard cleanup, be aware that this is when rattlesnakes might show themselves. And if you do see one, AVOID the fire department’s version of “rattlesnake relocation”, which is to dump it on the other side of the fence … which this time of year would guarantee an immediate return to the place of capture or a neighbor’s property.
Rattlesnakes may be visible, but prime rattlesnake encounter time is still a month or more away
Think of what they’re doing right now like this. It’s that part of the morning where you’re getting up and pouring some coffee. Maybe you’re checking some email or texts from overnight, but you’re not getting into all that right now. You’ve got that 45 minutes or so to let your brain adjust to daytime, and those sweat pants aren’t going anywhere for now. Think of rattlesnake activity in February like this, and for many of us, it will make perfect sense.
You can keep an eye on how the overall rattlesnake season is progressing by looking at our Rattlesnake Activity Forecast: based on real-time snake relocation information coming into our hotline. As you can see for today, it’s not something to really concern yourself with.
Some easy responses to common comments about rattlesnakes in February:
“OMG they’re out early!”
No, this is very normal. Every year, rattlesnakes start the den egress process in favorable conditions starting as early as January.
“I’m done hiking for the year!”
That’s unfortunate! While the fear of rattlesnakes may be real, the danger is relatively easy to mitigate. If hiking is something you enjoy, working on learning to feel ok out there to keep hiking the other 9 months of the year may be worthwhile.
“They never go away for the winter”
Sure they do. Being on the surface at the den is part of the larger, complex behavior of hibernation. While it’s true that in some conditions rattlesnakes can be seen in specific locations at any time of year, this behavior is largely predictable and to compare behavior over the winter months to, say, April, is simply inaccurate.
It’s that time of year when every rattlesnake sighting prompts the question: when will rattlesnakes disappear for the winter? It’s a topic that causes some confusion with many people who believe that reptiles only want heat, and as soon as it starts to cool, they disappear entirely. But like many things with animals, the reality of the situation is much more complicated. Fortunately, after more than a decade of working with homeowners on conflict situations, during this time of year, we have the data to answer this question quite accurately. This observational assessment is based on the frequency, timing, and nature of the more than 15,000 snake relocation calls we have run since 2009.
Late October is peak time for rattlesnake encounters. This is completely normal. While there is no calendar for wild animals, there are some strong trends that are more or less true every year. Even though it’s still hot outside right now, we see no reason to believe this year will be any different. Here’s the timeline:
Throughout October, rattlesnakes are moving. By the third week of October, much of this activity takes place in a short window of time immediately after dark. This may only be an hour, where everything appears to move at once. Encounters with the snakes, may also happen in the early morning, as people see them resting in the temporary location they have selected. This behavior will reach a peak in the last days of October, through the first week of November. By the second week of November, even this behavior begins to wane. By the end of the second week of November, most rattlesnakes are where they intend to be for the winter and the encounter is driven by their traveling and mating. Behavior will have more or less ended. By Thanksgiving, any rattlesnake relocation requests we receive are snakes that are in garage, or other on property hibernaculum, indicating ingress has completed.
A screenshot from our Rattlesnake Activity Forecast tool, driven by real-time data from snake relocation hotline activity. You can watch it at the Rattlesnake Solutions website.
Late October rattlesnake encounters are perfectly normal
As days, go, shorter, and temperatures drop, usually, rattlesnake activity is going to change in a number of ways. First, although some may hunt and continue to do so later into the year, most are in transit. They are moving towards areas that they have selected to spend the winter. Some rattlesnakes like the young of the year or those who have been displaced by construction or other issues, may be in a wandering pattern, looking for a suitable spot. Others, maybe successful adult rattlesnakes that know exactly where to go, and they are moving in a straight line to get there.
Along the way, there may be conflict with humans. This could be, as the snake is crawling through a backyard and, spotted by the dog, forgets held up in a maze of block, walls and stucco. And increasingly, the overwinter destination itself may be on the property. This could be in a garage, under a shed, in the foundation of a home, under slabs of concrete, under air conditioning, or pool, equipment, and any number of scenarios.
The nature of these encounters can be different, because unlike those in the spring, where temperatures and day links were similar, the objectives of the animals may be different. Setting up ambush positions to hunt is no longer a priority, and rattlesnakes may be more likely to rattle out a person or a pet that discovers them as they are in transit. While in the spring time, most rattlesnake encounters at homes may be a snake soundly coiled in a corner, in this time of year it’s usually a snake on the crawl or moving across the surface. With winter, approaching, and the opportunity to hunt in the cool weather, drawing to a close, rattlesnakes are in conservation mode. Essentially, they have the food, energy and water that they have, and it’s time to get to a place for the winter to hang onto it. Remaining above ground, even in otherwise favorable conditions, has no benefit, and may only serve two accelerate the desiccation that may occur in an Arizona dry winter. Rattlesnakes in the low desert may even select overwintering sites that are cooler, to keep a lower, metabolism and slow, the loss of resources.
The fall is also mating, season, again. Wow, much of this behavior happens in advance of moving towards dens, it still occurs up until the end. This can mean that, in addition to traveling rattlesnakes, a homeowner can see pairs in courtship or mating. However, while this behavior is common, it does not seem to drive encounters the same way that it does in the spring time. In March for example if we find an adult female Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, we can often find males in the area searching for her. This is such a strong driver of encounters that in peak spring time, mating season, this might be something that we even expect. In the fall, however, this does not seem to be the case and courtship and meeting may be an aspect of opportunity as snakes continue to come together anyway to group social situations.
Rattlesnakes can still be encountered in the winter
Once snakes are in their dens, it does not mean that homeowners don’t need to think about them during the winter. Please note that I did not use the word “fear” there, as it isn’t necessary or helpful when all that must be done is to remain rational and, take minor precautions. This means that if you live in an area where rattlesnakes can occur, just do as you always would, and follow the basic rattlesnake safety measures you do the rest of the year. Don’t reach where you can’t see, always watch where you walk even on cold days and nights, use flashlights and wear shoes, etc. Just because rattlesnake encounters are much less frequent does not mean they don’t occur, in fact, they often do, so just stay sharp.
Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes using a packrat nest built into a rock pile as a winter den. These situations are often emulated on properties, and rattlesnakes move right in.
Keep rattlesnakes from using your property as a den:
Here are some things that you can do as a homeowner, often relatively easily, to reduce the chances of your property, becoming a rattlesnake den. If this is a concern, devote hey Saturday, and in most cases, you can be done in that time one.
Identify and remove any deep hiding opportunities. This might mean pavers stored along the side, yard, those cinderblocks you meant to do something with, but the project has stalled, the old pool toy box full of deflated floaties, etc. Any items that are stored, long-term and not disturbed can create thermal protection that rattlesnakes and other animals can use
Move the firewood stack to a different location. In fact, do this once a year. It doesn’t need to be far; you can just move it right next to the original location if you choose, but just make sure that it is not a permanent location. Firewood piles are a favorite for rodents and the holes that they dig can be used by rattlesnakes. We often are called to remove rattlesnakes from firewood piles during the winter, and simply moving them, seems to prevent that quite well.
Find and repair any openings into the foundation of structures. These do not need to be large openings, they can even be what look like in minor cracks, going up into the flashing, or a wall joint that has eroded or settled. This can also include sheds or other secondary structures, built on concrete pads that have rodent tunnels going under them or other openings. The quick fix is expanding foam, easily obtainable at any hardware store, while the long-term fix can be arranged.
Learn what a packrat (wood rat) nest looks like and destroy the ones you find on your property. Paquerette nests are favorite homes for rattlesnakes at any time of year, including the winter. Rattlesnakes live alongside these rodents in these often deep and well insulated spaces. To remove a packrat nest permanently, traps, and other rodent control won’t do the trick. Destroy the nest itself. You can do this by flooding it entirely with a garden hose several times, then using garden tools to remove and spread the surface debris and collapse all entrances. Repeat until it is no longer being repaired by the rodent. This single step may be the most important one in this list.
Repair any gaps in garage door seals or call somebody to make sure that gets done. If you see debris and dirt in the corners alongside the edges of garage doors, that means that they are not sealed and animals, including rattlesnakes can get in. You may also want to use this time to get to that long, awaited garage, clean out, and re-organization you wanted to do forever. Cluttered garage are great places for a rattlesnake to spend the winter undisturbed in safety and relative warmth, and they often do. Because it’s a long corners and walls, and reduce the number of hiding spots as much as possible.
Check the areas around seldom visited parts of the yard, like the pool pump, equipment, and air conditioning units. These are often mounted on concrete pads which rodents do you under to create spaces. These are also out-of-the-way locations that people don’t visit very much and as a result, the place where things like bricks and discarded pool toys end up being discarded. Clean up any of these items and fill or collapse any rodent holes going underneath.
If your yard has large and extensive tracts of low-cover landscaping, such as lantana, rosemary, and natal plum, consider upgrading to less rattlesnake-friendly plants. These popular landscape vegetation choices, often create inches of rotting organic material underneath while also retaining moisture We have removed hundreds of rattlesnakes from the situation at homes over the years.
If your property uses riprap, or other piled rock, as decorative or erosion control material, be cautious. The best situation in either case is that the rock is situated to be no more than one or two rock layers deep. This means that each rock in the layer is exposed to the sun and touching the ground. This is not necessarily a useful feature to be a rattlesnake if done like this. If the rock is several layers, deep, however, creating spaces and thermal opportunities within, rattlesnakes, and other animals will, of course find this useful, and perhaps no time more so than in the winter. If this rock area is made of piles of cantaloupe-to-watermelon sized boulders, and several feet thick, you can probably count on rattlesnakes using it. Of course, this rock may be in place for functional needs like erosion control, but if you have an abundance of rattlesnake visits throughout the spring, it may be worthwhile to consider other options
Be especially cautious, when pulling out items from storage that have been there for a long time without being disturbed. Specifically, holiday decorations. It is likely that your plastic Christmas tree and box of tangled lights have been sitting in the same corner of the storage shed without being looked at since you put them there last January, that means by the time you reach for them again in December, they have served only as a potential hiding spot for animals that doesn’t want to be disturbed. This is the same for Halloween, Thanksgiving, New Year, or whatever other holiday or overwinter things you might only look at once a year.
If there has been a dry period for more than two months, and rain comes, rattlesnakes will come out of the den to drink it. This will happen in any temperatures above freezing. That means that if it is the middle of December, and it’s midnight and 35° outside and it starts raining, rattlesnakes will be out. They won’t go far, maybe a few feet to a nearby bush for a little while, but this phenomenon is very reliable. Keep this in mind when going out to get firewood or other activities in such an event.
Stacks of firewood are often used by snakes and other animals as overwinter homes. This can be largely avoided by simply moving the location of the stack each year.A Western Diamondback Rattlesnake using a stack of roofing tiles as a winter den.
In the past few days, I’ve been to a multiple homes to catch rattlesnakes in garages. That’s normal and right on time. Which brings up the topic: when do rattlesnakes start moving again, and what should homeowners expect?
When will rattlesnakes come back? Our predictions, based on 11 years of relocation hotline activity:
Early February (you are here): Rattlesnakes will start to “stage”, or move closer to the entrance of, their winter dens. We will start to receive calls to remove small groups of rattlesnakes from garages, storage closets, sheds, and other out-of-the-way structures. Rattlesnake removal calls will frequently be multiple animals.
Late February: Rattlesnakes will start to appear out in the open near their selected dens. Garage removals will be more common. However, there will be an increase of calls to pool pumps, courtyards, and homes with rip rap and rock pile erosion control.
Early March: Snakes will start to make short movements from dens to hunt, drink, and engage in social behavior. They will be highly visible on the surface with peak activity occurring mid-morning before returning to the den or other nearby staging area. Mating activity is high, and multiple snake removal calls will be common.
Late March: Rattlesnake sightings will become common as they leave dens entirely. Peak activity will be between 3pm and 5pm.
April: Very high rattlesnake activity and sightings will be common. At this point they have entirely left the dens and sightings are more likely to be random encounters.
If you’re a hiker or outdoorsy type, you’re still not likely to see a rattlesnake in February. Be more watchful and aware in March, however.
Now is the best time to get to any maintenance or prevention activities you have on your to-do list. Landscaping, debris removal, fixing the snake fence, having the dog trained … get it done before the snakes show up.
Rattlesnakes often den in the garage. If you are using these last mild-weather days to get to “that” side of the garage, use extra caution.
Educating yourself is the best way to stay safe and feel better about the whole situation
As with most things, fear of rattlesnakes is mostly in our heads. Not the fear itself of course, that’s a real thing, but most of what we believe about rattlesnakes as a culture is simply false. Down to the idea that they are aggressive, or territorial (in the way that people use the word) and more, most of us just haven’t had an opportunity to learn factual information.
If you fear rattlesnakes, spend an afternoon going through these resources and watch what happens 🙂
Videos of early-spring rattlesnake captures and info:
More articles about making peace with rattlesnakes this spring:
The spring emergence of rattlesnakes is a big topic with homeowners and hikers – obviously we’ve discussed this in the past quite a lot! Here are some of those articles that can help make sense of it all.
We’re happy to make the following changes to our COVID91 response based on recommendations by the CDC, effective 05/24/21:
Rattlesnake Solutions personnel visiting homes who are fully vaccinated may no longer wear a mask, either while working outside or inside, unless requested.
If any employees are not yet fully vaccinated, they will wear a mask while indoors, but not outdoors or while working.
Masks will still be worn upon request by any employee in any situation.
Our policy for individuals who suspect they have come in contact with COVID-19 will remain the same:
Any employee or contractor who feels ill or has come in contact with a potential COVID-19-infected person will be removed from rotation to follow a 14-day quarantine.
In the event that one of our team is tested positive for COVID-19, any customers who have been serviced by that individual will be notified immediately.
Starting in early March, rattlesnakes will again be a part of our lives in Arizona! While we’re excited, you may not be as much 🙂 Even when a rattlesnake fence is installed perfectly, things happen; rodents dig, branches fall, gates shift: we’ll make sure you’re good for Spring.
To make sure your yard is as good as it gets before things start getting all rattlesnakey out there, we’re offering a check-up and maintenance service to our Rattlesnake Fence customers through the end of February.
Inspection of rattlesnake fence, and up to 1 hour of repair and maintenance (materials included!)*
Full property inspection, checking landscaping, snake-hiding spots, to look for possible snake dens and advise on potential trouble areas
Removal and relocation of any snakes found, both in and outside of the protected areas
Spot-check garage, storage shed, etc (checking corners and walls for snake tracks and signs of activity)
Booking through the end of February for $200. (You don’t need to be there, but you’ll get more out of it if you are).
If you’re NOT a rattlesnake fence customer, we’ll add an 1-hour credit of labor and materials to an estimate for a new rattlesnake fence, good for anytime in 2021.
* Repairs not related to workmanship or materials requiring more than 1 hour of labor/materials may be performed at additional cost, with your approval
