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.
Well, that’s not a good place to store your rattlesnakes.
Residents found this adorable yearling Western Diamondback Rattlesnake curled up in a shoe on their patio. They had a small child and cat that frequently played out there – just inches from where the snake was found. There were large gaps in the patio walls, providing easy access for critters, and the area was newly developed near the Santa Cruz River. Aleksa captured the snake and relocated to suitable habitat.
These homeowners thought they might have a gas leak when they started hearing a strange noise coming from behind the stove. When they checked it out, it turned out to be a little Western Diamondback rattlesnake that had snuck inside through an open door. The snake was safely removed and relocated to suitable habitat nearby. East Tucson.
A call came in for a rattlesnake on the front porch. The homeowner was no stranger to rattlesnakes, as we have been to the property several times in the past. This one was tucked in between the back corner next to a rock and some decorations. There was a water bowl for lizards and birds within a couple of feet of the snake, near the front door, which was likely the reason the snake was there. Josh went out to capture the snake and relocate it to a deep rock crevice within its natural home range.
A hotel in Tucson called us for help with a rattlesnake resting in front of a guest’s room. Gary went out there to retrieve this absolutely beautiful Tiger Rattlesnake. He checked it out to a more appropriate spot and got reservations at a packrat midden built into the base of a palo verde.
How it feels one hour after telling yourself “I’m just going to have a salad” at the Mexican restaurant… This neonate Western Diamondback was resting on a customer’s front porch after having a very large meal. It patiently let Gary put it in the bucket (not that it could have crawled away very quickly had it tried) and was summarily taken to a deep, rocky refuge on the side of an arroyo where it could safely sleep off its meal.
A homeowner in Tucson called about a rattlesnake on the front porch. They’d just hired some people to do some yard work, and a couple of packrat nests had been removed. When Gary arrived, he found this nice looking Northern Blacktailed Rattlesnake, likely displaced by the rodent nest removal. He relocated it to a different packrat nest on a rocky slope within its estimated home range.
A call came in for a pair of Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes at a property in Tucson. They were both resting alongside a planter box in the yard, likely taking advantage of the higher ambient moisture. Gary safely captured them and took them to a perfect spot within their estimated home range.
Nick was called out to pick up this Western Diamondback Rattlesnake found cruising around a backyard in Tucson. While he was hiking it out to release, he spotted another Western Diamondback Rattlesnake in ambush, a good indication that he’s found the right spot.
To those who have followed us for awhile: what in the photos might a reason this snake was here and what could be done to prevent future encounters?
From Dave on a late November snake relocation call: “Was called out to a home that I’ve been to many times over the years. A rattlesnake was coiled and rattling at the cats at the sliding glass door. As I was preparing to leave,I discovered a smaller Diamondback heading across the driveway and towards the carport. An interesting observation that the basal segment on the smaller gup was yellow, not black.”
– The reference on the rattle color is that the first segment of Western Diamondback Rattlesnake’s rattles is typically all or at least mostly black. This one was a little interesting.
