Category: Snake Fence

A Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Trapped in a Fenced Yard

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

These homeowners had just returned from a few weeks away on vacation and let their dogs into the backyard for the first time since coming home. Thankfully, they spotted this Western Diamondback Rattlesnake before any of the dogs did.

The property already had rattlesnake fencing installed by another company, but a recently replaced gate now had large gaps underneath it. Those gaps created an unfortunate situation: a rattlesnake could easily get into the yard, but the surrounding fencing could make finding a way back out much more difficult. The backyard had essentially become a rattlesnake trap.

On an extremely hot day, with little landscaping or other good cover available, the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake had settled into one of the few places it could find some relief: the corner of the patio near the sliding glass door.

Alivia safely contained the rattlesnake, gave it some water and time to cool down, then relocated it within its native range to a deep, shaded wash with plenty of natural cover.

Black-tailed Rattlesnake Trapped Below a Basement Window

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

The homeowner happened to look out one of her basement windows and noticed a Black-tailed Rattlesnake coiled on the outside windowsill. The window sat at the bottom of a deep drop-down area with no obvious way for a snake to climb back out.

She then spotted a second snake moving in and out of a hole down there and initially thought she had two rattlesnakes. When Marissa arrived, she was able to safely remove the Black-tailed Rattlesnake that was out in the open and determined the second snake was actually a Sonoran Gophersnake.

The Sonoran Gophersnake disappeared into the hole and wouldn’t come back out, even when Marissa tried flushing it out with water. There may be a larger gap or space behind the opening than was visible, so the homeowner is going to keep an eye on it and call us when the snake makes another appearance.

We’re not sure how long the Black-tailed Rattlesnake had been trapped down there, but with how warm the space was, it probably hadn’t been there too long. The Laveen home sits right off South Mountain, so both snakes likely wandered in from the surrounding habitat and unfortunately found their way into a spot that was much easier to enter than escape.

When Amatuer Snake Fencing Becomes a Rattlesnake Trap

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

A landscaping company installed “snake fencing” at a property. But, not knowing anything about snakes or how that whole thing works, it didn’t work at all.

This Western Diamondback Rattlesnake managed to find one of those openings and get into the yard. The problem was getting back out. With fencing surrounding the property, the snake was actively pacing the yard trying to find its way back toward the natural boulder habitat behind the home.

Alivia contained the rattlesnake and gave it some water after all that activity. Although the community was designed with plenty of natural habitat between the homes, we decided a nearby preserve within its estimated home range would provide a better situation farther from buildings.

Alivia found a similar boulder pile in the preserve and guided the now-hydrated Western Diamondback Rattlesnake directly into a protected hole at its base.

Rattlesnake fencing can be extremely effective, but the details matter. If gaps or weak points allow a snake to get through, the rest of the fence can actually make it more difficult for that same snake to find its way back out.