By Kristy McCaffrey
I live near open desert north of the Phoenix metropolitan
area in Arizona and we have frequent interactions with rattlesnakes. I thought
I’d share a few pictures with you all and perhaps dispel a few myths.
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake |
We have Western diamondback rattlers. Their distinguishing
feature is a series of black and white rings on the tail. This has helped me to
quickly identify a snake I encounter, since bull snakes appear almost identical
in markings but aren’t poisonous. Western diamondbacks aren’t aggressive unless
cornered and will try to escape you at the first possible opportunity. However,
when we find them on our property we do capture and relocate the reptile since
we have dogs.
A bull snake that wandered into our backyard. At first glance, they look like a rattlesnake. |
One myth is that snakes hibernate. We’ve not found this to be the case. In colder weather, they are less mobile but we’ve nevertheless seen them. If we’re in the desert, these encounters are benign because the snake is too cold to coil and can’t strike. But if the snake is near our house—usually resting against a wall to get warm—they can be a bit more feisty.
We often find rattlesnakes hidden in the dirt around our house. Don't wear flipflops while doing yard work. |
Rattlesnakes are pit vipers. They have a heat sensing pit located behind each nostril that can detect temperature differences, sometimes only a fraction of a degree apart. The heat given off by an animal can be sensed by the snake to determine if it is predator or prey. In captivity, they can live as long as 20 years. Their main source of food is mice, rabbits, lizards, gophers, and other small animals.
A baby rattler my husband caught just outside of our garage. In the summer, they're attracted to water and this one was lounging in a puddle. |
Another myth dispelled—you can tell the age of a rattlesnake
by counting the number of rattles it has. Each time a snake sheds its skin, a
new rattle is added. However, these can break off. Also, the frequency of
shedding varies from snake to snake, so counting rattles isn’t a reliable way
to confirm age.
How do we capture such a strong and dangerous creature? My
husband uses a long stick with tongs at the end. He wrangles the snake, then
lifts it into a tall garbage can with a tight lid. In the past, we’ve loaded
the can into our truck, driven several miles away, and let the snake go while
remaining in the truck bed to avoid it slithering toward us. But we’ve recently
learned that this can be a death sentence for the rattler because it will be
unable to find its water source. We now transport the snakes about a mile away,
but still within their territory.
I’m sure you’re wondering—why don’t we kill them? Many of
our neighbors do. While they aren’t my favorite desert critter to encounter,
they do have every right to be here. Moving them from our property allows my
husband and I to honor their presence as an important link in the desert
ecosystem.
*****
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Hi, Kristy! I'm so grateful for people like yourself and your husband who are willing to put in the time and effort to relocate the snakes rather than kill them. They are magnificent creatures, aren't they? Wishing you and your family and all your critters both domestic and wild a happy holiday season!
ReplyDeletePatti,
ReplyDeleteI agree--they are magnificent. I'm still not completely comfortable handling them, and wouldn't if my husband weren't with me, but it seems terribly wrong to kill them. I do love the bull snakes. They're really quite sweet. We've had some big ones around our house. Of course, as soon as we start oohing and ahhing over them, they leave as quickly as they can and don't return. :-)