An Ahwatukee homeowner was outside with his dogs when he noticed a snake slithering along the side of his house. He quickly got the dogs inside and called us to come take a look.
When Marissa arrived, she found the rattlesnake hiding beneath a covered patio chair, not far from where the homeowner had originally spotted it.
There wasn’t much cover in the rest of the backyard, so the shaded space beneath the chair was probably one of the better hiding places available.
Across the street, a large drainage connects the neighborhood to some good native desert habitat. Corridors like these can provide routes for wildlife moving between natural areas and developed neighborhoods, occasionally bringing rattlesnakes into backyards along the way.
Fortunately, the homeowner spotted this one before either of his dogs got too close.