Homeowner in Fountain Hills called about a rattlesnake near his garbage can. Upon arrival I took one look at the snake and something didn’t seem right… removed a few bits of cardboard to reveal a second snake. Home is completely surrounded by desert and is up on a small ridge with a wash in the canyon below. This male and female diamondback were taken back into the desert and placed in a crevice of a large rock pile where they should be good to go for the winter.
This western diamondback rattlesnake had been making itself at home at a Del Taco for the past 3 days per the employees. He was showing up in the same spot in the afternoon, seen when taking out trash, and then would disappear at night. They did not know where the snake was when I arrived. I had flipped over a rat trap in the back parking lot several times. I lifted it up with tongs and felt satisfied that I could not feel the weight of a snake inside. I began to check the perimeter of the restaurant with no luck. The employee then showed me a photo of the snake and I realized it was very, very small. I went back to the rat trap, shook it vigorously, and out came the young snake! He was relocated to a much better taco-less home in the desert. Stay spicy, my friend.
Cave Creek, AZ – Apryl
This little Sonoran Gophersnake nearly died. It was thrown in the trash and tossed out in the sun. Marissa tried to advise on how to free it, but it wasn’t going to happen, so she went to rescue it. Thankfully, the snake was not meaningfully injured and was released right away.
The homeowner and his dogs had just stepped into the backyard through the sliding glass door when they heard the unmistakable sound of a rattle. They quickly spotted the snake, and he was able to get his pups safely back inside without incident. The yard itself didn’t offer much cover, but around the corner of the back patio there was a small drain pipe, about three inches in diameter, buried into the ground. That likely served as a winter refuge where the snake had been sheltering. This large Scottsdale community is surrounded by small patches of desert woven between the homes, which can provide enough habitat for rattlesnakes to overwinter and move through the area as temperatures rise.
This little Western Diamondback Rattlesnake was spotted hiding out by the front door when the residents got home. It’s very likely it was there when they left, too.
A knockout of a Mojave Rattlesnake found by a homeowner while doing some yardwork. Austin helped the little one find a better spot for the winter at the base of a creosote.
This homeowner is no stranger to rattlesnakes. We’ve been called out to her property several times for removals, and interactions with rattlesnakes have become a regular occurrence for this family. The homeowner’s sister went out to her car this morning and picked up a large piece of plastic that was right next to her driveway. When she picked it up, she found a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake coiled under the plastic. This snake was relocated to a nearby wash into deep cover.
– Josh in Tucson
From the weekend: A Western Diamondback was spotted by the homeowner while she was picking up a package from the front porch in Glendale. The home sits right next to the dry New River riverbed and very close to a desert preserve, prime rattlesnake habitat. A large shed in the backyard, raised slightly off the ground, may have offered ideal shelter. We safely removed the snake and relocated it deep within a natural rock structure that showed clear signs of rodent activity, giving it the resources it needs well away from the home.
A North Phoenix homeowner was about to grab landscaping tools in the corner of her garage when she noticed a baby Western Diamondback coiled just inside the door. The garage had small gaps in the corners that allowed access in and out, and the property backs up to a drainage that leads directly to open state land. We responded quickly, safely removed the juvenile rattlesnake, and relocated it back into suitable habitat away from the home.
A call came in for a rattlesnake in a garage. The home backs up to a golf course near open desert, so this is a common thing. Also common, unfortunately, is that the snake was hopelessly stuck in a gluetrap AND tangled in wire. Michael carefully cut it out fo the wire and brought it to our office to finish the dangerous job of freeing the snake. Fortunately, the snake was freed and was released oily but relatively unharmed.
