Category: YouTube

Your Bird Feeders are Attracting Rattlesnakes

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

Bird feeders can attract more than just birds. Marissa and Josh respond to several calls where rattlesnakes have taken advantage of bird feeders as hunting spots. When you attract birds and rodents, you also attract the animals that feed on them.

We explain why this happens, what homeowners should watch for, and why bird feeders can unintentionally create good hunting opportunities for rattlesnakes. At the end, we share some practical tips on bird feeder placement and other ways to keep enjoying backyard birds while reducing the chances of rattlesnake encounters.

Rattlesnake Survey in Dangerously Hot Conditions

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

Arizona’s hottest months can make it seem like wildlife disappears, but that’s not really what’s happening.

I headed out before sunrise for a local rattlesnake survey to see how animals are coping with the extreme heat. During this time of year, many species shift their activity patterns or spend much of their time underground, relying on survival strategies that have helped them endure desert summers for millions of years.

One of those strategies is aestivation, which is similar to hibernation but occurs during hot, dry conditions instead of winter. Many rattlesnakes reduce their activity and spend extended periods sheltered underground, emerging only when conditions are more favorable.

Building a Naturalistic Rattlesnake Enclosure

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

I recently added a baby Desert Massasauga to my collection, courtesy of Cody at Rattlesnake Ranch AZ. Before building its enclosure, I wanted to spend some time in the habitat these snakes actually live in to get ideas for how to recreate it as accurately as possible.

Cody joined me in the field to help photograph the habitat, talk through enclosure design, and look for Desert Massasaugas and other wildlife along the way. We found plenty to see, including rattlesnakes, a Mexican hognosed snake, round-tailed horned lizards, and several other desert species.

Mojave Rattlesnake Stuck in Rat Trap

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

Jeff responds to a large warehouse facility where a security guard spotted a Mojave rattlesnake caught in a rat trap. The snake had likely traveled from nearby native habitat across the street before finding itself in trouble.

Later that night, Bryan heads out to look for rattlesnakes but is interrupted by an unexpected call close to home. A rattlesnake has been found in a backyard, turning a night of searching into a night of relocations.

The Truth About Rattlesnakes and Heat

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

This time of year in Arizona, one of the most common things we hear is that rattlesnakes “love the heat.” The reality is a little different. Like anything else out here, rattlesnakes have to deal with extreme temperatures too, and once it gets too hot, they adjust their behavior to stay out of it.

Marissa responds to a home with two rattlesnakes tucked in beside pool equipment. Jeff heads out after dark for a large western diamondback in a flower box in a neighborhood surrounded by new development. Down in Tucson, Josh is called to a backyard for a rattlesnake and ends up finding another one unexpectedly on the way.

Large Rattlesnake Found in Garage

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

Garages and storage units are common places for rattlesnakes to end up. In this episode, Jeff shares a few simple tips to help keep them out in the first place.

Then we head out on two calls. Austin handles a large western diamondback found inside a garage, and Jeff responds to another one inside a storage unit.

These situations are more common than you’d think—and all preventable with the right setup.

Cleaning Rattlesnake Enclosures in the Snake Room!

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

Cleaning and resetting rattlesnake enclosures after winter! I’m working with Mojave rattlesnakes and Western Diamondbacks—doing some routine maintenance while talking through how I got each of them and clearing up some common myths, especially about Mojaves. I also show a few of my “odd” Western Diamondbacks and why those particular individuals can be a bit more complicated to work with

Rattlesnakes Breeding on the Front Patio

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

Springtime is when most rattlesnakes have one thing on their minds—reproducing. Lately, many of our calls have involved snakes that are courting, breeding, or males engaged in combat. In this video, Marissa responds to a call where this behavior was unfolding right on a homeowner’s front patio. Afterwards, a Sonoran Gophersnake was found in a front yard in Ahwatukee.

Rattlesnakes Breeding in a Garage

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

Marissa responds to a call that doesn’t happen every day—two rattlesnakes mating inside a homeowner’s garage. This time of year, reproduction becomes a top priority, and snakes will travel, take risks, and end up in some unexpected places to find each other.

Later, another “two snake” call comes in—but with a twist. One is a rattlesnake, the other turns out to be a Sonoran gophersnake tucked beneath an AC unit. These spots are more than just convenient hiding places—shaded, cool, and often undermined by rodent burrows, they create the perfect microhabitat for snakes trying to escape the desert heat.