A homeowner in Tucson called about a rattlesnake on the front porch. They’d just hired some people to do some yard work, and a couple of packrat nests had been removed. When Gary arrived, he found this nice looking Northern Blacktailed Rattlesnake, likely displaced by the rodent nest removal. He relocated it to a different packrat nest on a rocky slope within its estimated home range.
It’s late in the season, and the snakes are on the move one last time before things cool off.
Marissa heads out to a school where a Mojave rattlesnake was found tucked against the building — a good reminder that rattlesnakes don’t just live out in the desert. Jeff gets an alert on the Ring app about a loose snake in his own neighborhood and heads out into the mud to see what’s going on.
I end up in a neighborhood surrounded by perfect desert habitat, relocating a big western diamondback just a few streets away from where I was bitten years ago.
This Mojave Rattlesnake was found hanging out in a shady corner of the building for a few days. There were kids in the area and a school nearby, so eventually it was decided that it should get a ride elsewhere. There was some vegetation and a drip system at the building, which were likely factors in why the snake picked this spot. A replacement site that emulates the situation of capture was selected and the snake was released there.
Landscapers spotted this adult Western Diamondback Rattlesnake coiled by the water box … and left the area immediately. Marissa went out to catch the snake, and noticed she’d been at the same house a week prior to get a snake in the same spot (not the same snake!). The home has a decorative fountain in the front yard, which is likely an attracting feature to the thirsty snakes living in the preserve across the way. The water box also had some moisture in it, making for an easy spot to drink, stay cool, and hunt rodents looking to do the same.
This pretty Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake was found in a bush at a home next to the preserve. Great care is taken to find the right spot to relocate specialist species like this.
Rattlesnake Gives Birth Under a House! Late summer in Arizona means baby rattlesnake season, and things can get interesting fast. In this episode, Marissa responds to a call at a home she’s been to before. A western diamondback is resting along the side of the house, but as she approaches, it quickly disappears into a small hole. When she floods the hole to safely remove the snake, we find out it’s not just one—this is a mother with babies.
Some calls are straightforward. Others… not so much. In this episode, Marissa takes on one of the most dangerous things we do—freeing a large rattlesnake tangled in chicken wire. It’s high-risk for everyone involved, especially the snake. While that’s happening, I’m called to a carport where a rattlesnake found a cool spot to hide, and Jeff races the rising heat to save a young rattlesnake left under a bucket in the middle of a neighborhood before it’s too late.
A home next to a preserve in Phoenix had a visitor in the shaded space between the home and a column. Katie helped the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake get back to the preserve, carefully selecting a spot that emulates the situation of capture.
Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes may look similar, but when viewed side-by-side, there’s a lot of variation! Here are just a handful from recent relocation calls.
During the warmer months, it’s always good to be a little cautious going out to grab packages from the front patio. A homeowner learned this recently near South Mountain. Marissa was called out to get this Speckled Rattlesnake to a better situation.
