Tag: Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Rattlesnake and Chuckwalla in Mesa

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

An evening call in the Red Mountain area. The homeowner was working in the garage and his young nephew was just outside the backdoor of the shop playing when he noticed a rattlesnake moving about the rocks just outside the doorway, after alerting his uncle, I was called out to relocate the snake who had gone further down the side of the building and settled into a large pile of tile and brick materials. After the snake was contained they pointed out a Chuckwalla who sleeps every night between the gap along the side of the garage 😍 . The snake was released far from buildings within its home range into this cozy packrat nest for continued food and shelter. – Alivia

Young Diamondback Displaced by Construction

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

This young Western Diamondback Rattlesnake was found at an apartment complex near Loop 101 and Hayden in Scottsdale. Unfortunately, much of the surrounding desert habitat has recently been bulldozed for new construction, which likely displaced this snake along with many other native animals in the area.

Austin was able to safely relocate the rattlesnake to a healthier patch of nearby desert habitat that currently appears safe from development pressure. The new location offered much better cover and long-term shelter opportunities within the snake’s estimated home range.

Silent Rattlesnake at Cave Creek Front Door

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

These homeowners were already familiar with the routine of “babysitting” a rattlesnake while waiting for our arrival. This Western Diamondback Rattlesnake had first been spotted by neighbors crossing the road before eventually bedding down in the lantana ground cover directly beside the front door of their Cave Creek home.

This marked the third rattlesnake call from this property within the past year, which is not entirely surprising considering the home sits on a corner lot bordering one of the last small fragments of remaining desert habitat surrounded by expanding gated communities.

Interestingly, this snake had an enormous rattle that seemed to go on forever, yet it never made a single sound during the sighting or relocation process. Alivia noted the rattlesnake had an exceptionally calm and unreactive demeanor overall.

To give the snake a better setup away from homes, Alivia relocated it to a very large active packrat nest farther from nearby buildings where it would have access to both shelter and a reliable food source within its estimated home range.

Western Diamondback Finds Perfect New Home

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

This homeowner contacted us after discovering a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake cruising through his backyard cactus garden. Josh arrived quickly and safely secured the docile adult rattlesnake in a bucket.

While searching for a suitable release location nearby within the snake’s estimated home range, Josh stumbled across what could only be described as a jackpot of habitat. A large active stream running near a canyon created the perfect environment for wildlife, and alongside the water was an active rodent den absolutely teeming with life.

With abundant access to food, water, and shelter, the rattlesnake was relocated to an ideal area where it can hopefully live a long, healthy life with far less chance of future human conflict.

Rattlesnake Hunt Interrupted in Backyard

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

A homeowner contacted us early on a Sunday morning after discovering a juvenile Western Diamondback Rattlesnake in the backyard. While it definitely was not the way they hoped to start the day, Josh arrived quickly to safely remove the snake. When he arrived, he observed something many people never get the chance to witness in real time: active predation. The rattlesnake had recently struck a Desert Spiny Lizard and was patiently waiting for the venom to take effect. While interrupting a hunt is never ideal, leaving a rattlesnake in a residential yard was even less ideal. Josh safely secured both the rattlesnake and its soon-to-be meal in the bucket before relocating them to suitable habitat within the snake’s estimated home range. He released the rattlesnake into a packrat nest and placed the lizard near the burrow entrance so the snake could finish what it had started naturally.

Mellow Western Diamondback in Cave Creek

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

This very mellow female Western Diamondback Rattlesnake never rattled a single time during the entire relocation, only finally sounding off as she disappeared into her new home. Earlier in the week, the homeowner’s landscaper had torn out some heavily irrigated oregano in the backyard and spotted a snake but lost track of it.

A few days later, when the homeowner went to move a storage container unit, he was greeted by a perfectly flattened little pancake tucked beneath it. Fortunately, the property in Cave Creek sat directly across the street from preserve land, making relocation straightforward.

CJ was able to find a network of deep caves beneath a hackberry tree alongside a sandy wash, where the rattlesnake was safely released within its estimated home range.

Western Diamondback Resting Beneath Prickly Pear Patch

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

This homeowner was no stranger to rattlesnakes, having encountered several on her property over the years. This time, she discovered a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake cruising along the backyard fence line.

When Josh arrived, the snake had settled into the shade beneath a prickly pear patch to escape the heat. He safely secured the rattlesnake and relocated it to a nearby wash, releasing it into a rodent burrow within its estimated home range, but far enough away to avoid causing issues for nearby homeowners.

Baby Rattlesnake Beneath Trash Cans in Laveen

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

This homeowner went out to grab the trash cans from the backyard when she moved one and immediately heard a rattle. Underneath was a juvenile Western Diamondback Rattlesnake coiled tightly in the shade.

Marissa noted that this Laveen community is still relatively new and is surrounded by reservation land, which means wildlife activity in the area is still very common. The backyard itself had been completely cleared of vegetation, leaving the trash cans as the snake’s only available source of shade and cover.

The young snake was safely relocated to suitable nearby habitat within its estimated home range.

Second Rattlesnake Visitor in Goodyear

Posted on by Bryan Hughes

This Goodyear home was no stranger to rattlesnake visitors this month. This Western Diamondback Rattlesnake was the second individual found at the property in about two weeks. The home backs up to roughly nine miles of open desert, and the property itself provides abundant prey opportunities along with reliable water sources.

At the homeowners’ request, Jon released the snake behind the home within its estimated home range.

The fencing team will also be heading out to secure the rear yard in hopes of preventing any more surprise visitors in the future.