Tag: mojave rattlesnake

A Close Call in an East Mesa Garden with a Mojave Rattlesnake

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

An East Mesa homeowner was foraging around in his garden and nearly put his hand directly on top of this Mojave Rattlesnake. Fortunately, he spotted it just in time.

From the snake’s perspective, the garden was a pretty good place to be. The soil was damp and the large plants provided plenty of cool cover. Like much of East Mesa, there is also a tremendous amount of development happening in the surrounding desert, so snakes navigating these changing areas occasionally end up in places like this.

Austin captured the Mojave Rattlesnake and found a good release site in native desert nearby, where a large creosote mound was surrounded by deep rodent burrows. The snake was released directly into cover.

A Stunning Mojave Rattlesnake in San Tan Valley

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

This stunning Mojave Rattlesnake turned up in a San Tan Valley neighborhood with very little native habitat remaining around it. Based on the location, Austin was expecting to arrive and find a Sonoran Gophersnake or something else that had been mistaken for a rattlesnake. Instead, it was very much a Mojave.

With so little desert left immediately around the neighborhood, making its presence known may have worked out pretty well for this snake. Austin was able to relocate it to undeveloped State Trust land south of the neighborhood, where there was considerably more suitable habitat.

After searching for a good release spot, he found a large rodent burrow at the base of a creosote bush and released the snake directly into it.

Creosote bush, rodent burrow, Mojave Rattlesnake. The Mojave special.

The Toads Were Clearly in on It – Mojave Rattlesnake and Toad Buddies

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

A call came in from a rural Surprise home for a Mojave Rattlesnake sheltering behind some patio furniture.

When Jason arrived, he discovered that the snake had some help staying hidden. It was tucked underneath a pile of Sonoran Desert Toads, who appeared to be conspiring against him to conceal the location of their rattlesnake friend.

The homeowner explained that the toads are somewhat permanent residents and was happy to let them stay. The Mojave Rattlesnake, however, had worn out its welcome.

Jason captured the snake and relocated it within its estimated home range, releasing it into a deep rodent burrow in the native desert away from the home.

A Bunny Sounds the Alarm on a Mojave Rattlesnake

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

A homeowner in Dewey looked out her garage window and noticed a small rabbit hopping around frantically. After watching for a moment, she realized what had the bunny so worked up: a Mojave Rattlesnake was nearby.

Dane responded and safely relocated the snake from the property. Sometimes it’s the behavior of other animals that gives away a rattlesnake’s presence before anyone ever notices the snake itself.

A Baby Mojave Rattlesnake in a Growing Mesa Neighborhood

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

A Mesa homeowner was taking the trash cans out when he spotted this baby Mojave Rattlesnake coiled underneath one in the backyard.

There wasn’t much about the yard itself that appeared particularly attractive to a rattlesnake. The bigger story is what surrounds it. This is a relatively new community surrounded by desert, with additional development continuing throughout the area.

As desert is converted into neighborhoods, young snakes dispersing across the landscape can occasionally find themselves navigating brand-new yards, walls, roads, and homes that weren’t there before.

Marissa safely relocated this little Mojave Rattlesnake.

Baby Mojave Rattlesnake at a Mesa Chemical Plant

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

This baby Mojave Rattlesnake was found all alone at a chemical plant in Mesa, surrounded by busy concrete surfaces that weren’t exactly the best place to start life.

Fortunately, the landscape surrounding the facility was a different story. Flat, sandy creosote scrub provided excellent habitat for a young Mojave Rattlesnake, with plenty of natural places to find shelter and begin life on its own.

Jason relocated the little rattlesnake away from the active areas of the plant and introduced it into a deep rodent burrow within suitable habitat, giving it a much better place to disappear underground and get started.

A Mojave Rattlesnake Deep in the Neighborhood

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

The dogs found this Mojave Rattlesnake coiled quietly in the corner of the back porch.

At first, Jeff was a little surprised to find a Mojave Rattlesnake this far into a suburban neighborhood. Looking around the area provided a likely explanation. A drainage corridor runs through the neighborhood, providing a route the snake could have followed from surrounding habitat.

There wasn’t anything particularly attractive about this backyard from a rattlesnake’s perspective. Sometimes a snake isn’t seeking out a property for food, water, or shelter. It simply ends up there while moving through the landscape.

Mojave Rattlesnake Crosses Into an Unusual Neighborhood

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

A late-night call came in for a Mojave Rattlesnake that a neighbor had attempted to contain with a bucket before deciding to leave it for the professionals. CJ was surprised to find the snake on the east side of North Valley Parkway, as the closest natural habitat there is much more mountainous than what Mojave Rattlesnakes typically prefer. After safely securing the snake, he relocated it to more suitable habitat within its estimated home range on the other side of the parkway, where a deep rodent nest beneath a shaded Foothills Palo Verde provided an ideal place to settle in.

Mojave Rattlesnake in Anthem

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

Feeling lucky with our Mojave scores today.

This Mojave Rattlesnake was found by the homeowner right near the side gate just outside the backyard. The home sits next to a large natural desert wash, so activity like this isn’t too surprising.

By the time Apryl arrived, there was basically a full neighborhood gathering watching the snake. The same area had a larger Western Diamondback Rattlesnake removed just a week prior, so this spot has definitely been active.

Apryl secured the snake and removed it from the community, then released it into a desert preserve area within its estimated home range.