A Gila Monster was found near a home and wasn’t going anywhere for the day. To keep it safe from dogs (and the dogs as well), it was relocated to a carefully selected location. Gila Monsters do not relocate well, so extra care was taken to make sure it was placed into the perfect spot within its estimated home range.
First call of the year for CJ was hard to get a photo of in situ. The caller spotted this Western Diamondback Rattlesnake poking around their neighbor’s porch before it settled into the eave of the house behind an aloe.
A classic case of the home being the closest structure to an open wash.
The area was heavily developed, so CJ took the snake farther than preferred to suitable public land. He found an active rodent nest atop a sandy terrace of a wash, shaded by creosote and Lycium, and released it there. Cave Creek.
Rattlesnake Fencing applied to this double gate and along the back fence … and a bunch of the details in between. This backyard is ready for rattlesnake season.
More information on Rattlesnake Fencing:https://rattlesnakesolutions.com/keep-snakes-away/snake-fence.php?p=social
This homeowner was in her garage when she spotted two Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes and quickly realized they were locked up mating. When they noticed her, they moved further into the garage, with the male actively pulling the female along. Marissa arrived and was able to safely scoop both snakes while they remained locked together. The garage was cluttered with plenty of hiding spots, along with clear signs of rodent activity, and there were noticeable gaps along the garage door when closed. With desert habitat just down the road, it made for ideal conditions for encounters like this. The snakes were relocated together and released to suitable habitat within their estimated home range while still locked up. Scottsdale
A homeowner in Cave Creek was doing yard work when he spotted a rattlesnake coiled by his yucca. He tried to push it out of the yard, but it ended up sitting in the road, so he set a bucket near it to steer cars away and called for relocation instead of leaving it to get hit.
When we arrived, the snake was coiled under a plant right by the garage, which had gaps along the bottom. Based on the warm day and how it was tucked in, it was likely spending the winter in the garage and just stepped out to enjoy the nice weather. With state trust land right across the street, we were able to move it into suitable desert habitat where it can stay out of trouble and away from the garage.
Marissa gets called to a shady courtyard in Phoenix where a big Western Diamondback is hiding under a bike. With a preserve and golf course nearby, it’s not hard to see how this snake got so large. Lots of food, good habitat, and plenty of cover.
Bryan responds to a rattlesnake on a front porch, sitting in the shade trying to stay cool. This is common in the summer. Snakes look for shade anywhere they can find it, and sometimes that means right up against a house.
From Maggie on a recent call in Carefree, Arizona: “I was called out to an active construction sight to grab this little rattlesnake who was accidentally halting progress. (Mostly due to cuteness!) The workers were able to watch it from a safe distance while I drove to the sight. I quickly secured the snake and relocated it into a a huge rodent nest in a vegetated wash.”
A homeowner heard a rattle when he got out of his car … in the garage. He didn’t see the snake, but that sound is unmistakable. He called our hotline, and Jeff went out to try and find it. It wasn’t visible, but tapping the ground with his tongs made it sound off from the corner near a water softener. With no clear entry point and garage door seals well maintained, it likely just wandered in while the door was open at some point.
As always during this time of year, the snake was released to a spot suitable for over winter hiding. In this area, that means a deep packrat nest (shown here).
The rattlesnake fencing team taking a little break while working on a huge dog park project for a community in Scottsdale. When they finished, the residents will have an easier going experience for their pups when rattlesnakes start moving again.
A big Western Diamondback Rattlesnake that Jeff caught in Queen Creek recently. This is at a new development with a desert-integrated neighborhood, so there will always be at least some random encounters with rattlesnakes. Homeowners can have control of the situation by reducing heavy landscaping, water sources, keeping up on rodent control by non-poison methods, getting dogs snake avoidance trained, and installing rattlesnake fencing.
