Imagine this – you’re coming home from work and notice something different in the corner and are about to meet one of our crew, who’s about to tell you all about why this happened and what can be done to prevent it in the future.

That happens every day here in Arizona, a few times at least. Even in the wintertime, rattlesnakes sometimes make a short trip from where they are hibernating to get some sun or a drink. Sometimes those locations are right under the concrete of a patio. Keep it in mind: this is very normal, and we can help.

Shaded overhangs of Arizona entryways are common places to encounter a rattlesnake. These are often easy retreats from the sun, which emulate microhabitat conditions they’d naturally seek before all these stucco boxes were here. After a relocation of a snake like this, our crew can advise on how to reduce the chances of situations like this in the future.

A nice-looking little Western Diamondback Rattlesnake that was hibernating under the pavers supporting an AC unit. This is a common situation, and homeowners often discover their longterm visitors on a warm spring day.

This little Western Diamondback Rattlesnake was hanging out in the restroom of a public park. A worker was rattled at while doing a check and called it in. The building has a small storage area with a small gap under the door, which is where the little one had likely been hibernating.

The entire area was bulldozed last month, so this little snake had nowhere to go. This is one of those situations where we must relocate it a bit further than preferred, and an example of an important element missing from the larger discussion about snake relocation: reality.

Pool equipment areas are typically tucked away, out of sight, and often out of mind. The combination of shade, structures, higher ambient moisture, and general privacy make them ideal situations for rodents and other animals to move in. This Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, found in such a situation, is an example. This is very familiar to us, and likely every pool service in the state.

Marissa relocated this Western Diamondback Rattlesnake to elsewhere within its native home range.

This Western Diamondback Rattlesnake decided that the middle of the driveway was the best spot to coil up and rest. Marissa went out to have a chat about making good decisions, then helped it find a safer spot back within native habitat. – Scottsdale AZ

This snake was spotted on the patio of a Scottsdale home. Just around the corner, a large pile of rocks placed for erosion control almost certainly served as its winter den. This kind of short staging behavior is common on the right day for hibernating rattlesnakes, and often misinterpreted as general distribution due to a random sunny day. In reality, hibernation is much more complex.