A defensive Western Diamondback Rattlesnake in Scottsdale. This guy didn’t stop rattling from the moment CJ stepped into the backyard until the time he was released.
The property sat at the base of a boulder-strewn hill that was all private land, so CJ took the snake a bit farther to suitable public habitat.
He released it into deep cover among granite boulders within its estimated home range, in an area with clear signs of recent rodent activity.
A rare snake for us to get on a call, this Sonoran Sidewinder was curled up in the only shaded part of the yard this afternoon in Casa Grande. With temperatures in the low 100s, this snake had little choice but to stay put and wait until after sunset to make any moves.
The homeowner mentioned her neighbors thought they had seen the same snake in their yard the night before but lost sight of it, so hopefully this was the right one.
Austin relocated the snake to suitable habitat within its estimated home range, placing it into a rodent hole at the base of a large bush.
From Jon: This beauty found its way into a cool garage, likely from the door being left open for a short time. The homeowner initially spotted just the tail sticking out from under one of the cars and was able to keep an eye on it as it moved to another area of the garage.
It was safely relocated to suitable habitat within its estimated home range, placed under cover of a large tree with a packrat nest at the base.
From Jason: I arrived in the late evening to a call to a parking lot in North Phoenix. On the sidewalk next to a busy street, I found an overturned bucket weighed down with a very heavy rock and an ominous sign taped to it. I was warned that a “very good sized snake” was waiting for me just beneath.
I prepared for something truly massive, but what I found was slightly less remarkable… a younger Western Diamondback Rattlesnake.
While the area itself is a concrete jungle, it’s full of lush, dense landscaping that provides plenty of places for a now street-smart snake to spend its first winter.
I was able to find a packrat nest in what remains of the nearby native desert, and because of the caring individuals who made the call, this snake just might one day become “a good size.”
A pair of Tiger Whiptails were found in a gluetrap and mistaken as snakes. Austin was able to very carefully free them from the trap to release them in a safer spot. These harmless lizards eat a variety of invertebrates, and would remove many more of the intended target than the trap ever would, so the net return on these kinds of traps is not people might expect.
An Ahwatukee homeowner called about this large Western Diamondback Rattlesnake slithering along his backyard wall. By the time Austin arrived, the snake had retreated into a corner.
The home backs right up to South Mountain, with plenty of surrounding habitat, so it’s no surprise this guy was in the area.
Austin hiked the snake into the preserve and released it to a rock pile within its estimated home range near the base of a hill, with a large drainage below so the snake can continue its springtime activities.
Jon went out to capture a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake cruising along the edge of a public building. he caught the snake and recognized that it is a male, likely looking for something, so he searched for more … and more he found. A pair of mating Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes were spotted as well. All were captured together and released to a perfect spot to continue making more little rattlesnakes.
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
This homeowner found a juvenile Western Diamondback Rattlesnake tucked into the corner of her garage behind some gardening tools. When Josh arrived, he carefully captured the snake and relocated it to suitable habitat within its estimated home range, where it was released into a rodent burrow.
This beautiful Western Diamondback Rattlesnake was taking a dip in the family pool. The homeowner was doing some work on the pool when he spotted him swimming near the water feature. A few months ago, the homeowner was envenomated by a neonate Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, so this encounter understandably had him on edge and ready to call right away. Jon safely removed the snake and released him to suitable habitat within his estimated home range under the cover of a large rodent burrow.
