Rattle snakes!!!??? (Phoenix, Scottsdale: new house, neighborhoods, scorpion)

[Belladonna35]

Hi, I was just reading a post where someone said that when they take walks they have to jump over rattle snakes! Are snakes a problem there and what about scorpions? I'm starting to get a little worried, Am I going to constantly be worried about these kind of things getting into my house? I know it's the dessert and these animals live there but I thought that they might stay away from people.

[exit2lef]

Snakes, scorpions, Mormons -- There are a lot of scary creatures here! In all seriousness, rattlesnakes are something you should watch for when hiking in the desert, but rarely do they invade residential neighborhoods. As for scorpions, they're more likely if you live in a new house built on the edge of the desert. They can be managed with regular visits from a pest control company.

[sablebaby]

You know, I knew that was going to scare someone! That was in Jill Warner's post about Vistancia. You'll have to ask her what that's about. I've never seen a rattle in my 31 years of living here, but I don't go looking for them either!

[tucsondesertdweller]

Yes you may see a snake or a rattlesnake!!!! I am deathly afraid of them. Swore the first one I saw I would either die on the spot or move back east.
So first one I saw, well I guess I prepared myself and I saw it before it got the chance to make me faint.
So, it depends on the area you live in. We have had rattlesnakes in our development and we live in a walled one, sidewalks, etc. There was so much building surrounding our develoment that I guess they slithered on into our neighborhood.
We never go out in the dark without a flashlight, especially in warmer weather. Just look around before you step outside
One neighbor got bit, he is ok. Another neighbor had one in her yard, it bit her dog, the snake apparantly had been in her yard and her kids had gone past where it was all day without noticing it or the snake bothering them, but the dog must have got curious and got bit on the nose.
Ok, so I walk around my neighborhood and look for them, but honestly they are not all over the place.
Last one I saw was a dead one it looked frozen!!!
We have seen coyotes walking down our street in daylight, javelina's, bobcats, etc. Its not an everyday sight, but until these aminals have nothing left due to overdevelopment, we are lucky to see them once in a while.
Oh, another thing, don't leave your doors open, or your garage door open, neighbors have had a snakee come in, a bobcat.
We used to see tarantula's in the summer, sorry to say have not had one in our yard for a few years.
Just be aware thats all.

[sablebaby]

Yeah, we do see coyotes running down our streets. I see one or two every month or so, mostly at night. They are kind of ghostly like, as they don't want people to see them.

We had one tarantula in our house when I was a kid, but that was the last wild one I have seen.

[MotleyCrew]

I am sooo sorry if I scared you. Was not my intention do do so. When we first came here they hired a reptile expert to come and speak to our community. They had brought all kinds of bugs and snakes and lizzards. I really was afraid to step out onto our back patio for months. When my daughter and I started to use the walking trail thru the homes and out into the desert, we ran (almost literaly) into 5 snakes the first summer. I became sort of bewitched by them. They would just come out onto the sidewalk and stop all stretched out and we would wait to see who moved first. We even walked by one that was coiled and he did not strike at us. You just have to keep your eyes open, don't panic and know they are very much afraid of you too. They don't like to waste their venom on large animal unless you are right on top of them. We also have Javalina (wild pigs) here and they wander into the neighborhood that are on the outskirts. I am more afraid of Orb spiders (why I do not live in Hawaii) than I am of snakes. Come on over and visit and tour, see if it is a place for you.

[scottie]

Originally Posted by Belladonna35

Hi, I was just reading a post where someone said that when they take walks they have to jump over rattle snakes! Are snakes a problem there and what about scorpions? I'm starting to get a little worried, Am I going to constantly be worried about these kind of things getting into my house? I know it's the dessert and these animals live there but I thought that they might stay away from people.

Being from Ohio and considering ASU for college, I had the exact same questions about snakes and scorpions. I also have spent time in the Valley area with my family the past few years, so I am somewhat familiar. If you are building on the edge of the desert, from what I know, you can count on scorpions and possibly snakes if youre far enough out. But, if youre in a well developed suburb, then you should have no problems. Like I said, I have spent a few weeks in the Valley area the past few years (Phoenix, Scottsdale) and have never seen a live scorpion or snake. I think a native valley person put it best when he said that the real vermins have two legs, and not four or none or any kind of animal. By that, he meant traffic, gangs, crime, heat and so on are 100X more of a concern than any kind of animal. I would take his advice and not sweat the creatures and instead worry about some other things

[Steve-o]

Rattlesnakes, scorpions, tarantulas, black widows, giant centipedes are all part of desert life. If youre afraid of them, definitely dont move to AZ, you WILL encounter them, guaranteed. AZ is home to over 30 different species of rattlesnake. THe most often encountered is Crotalus atrox (western diamondback) which can get to be 6' long and has a ferocious bite, delivering copious amounts of venom. Just watch where you walk and carry a flashlight with you at night. Dont reach around or behind things, IOW keep your hands and feet where you can see them. Theyre abundant, particularly around the outskirts of town. I found a juvie rattler in my F-I-L's front yard last October and hes in Scottsdale. As for scorpions only being in the outskirts, you couldnt be further from the truth. IN fact, my F-I-L had MORE in his central Scottsdale home (on Shea) than he has in his new home out in the desert in North Scottsdale. Scorpions thrive where prey is easily obtained, and thats usually in urban areas just as much as in rural areas. The only scorpion to be aware of is the AZ bark scorpion (Centruroides exilicauda), theyre potentially lethal. Black widows (Latrodectus hesperus) are also potentially lethal, so be on the lookout for those as well. Tarantulas can bite, but are generally docile, the ones you see wandering are ultimate males (mature) in search of females. THey can live 20 years and up and are VERY important in the eco-system. It must be made clear that even though people are afraid of these creatrues, you must remember that they were in the neighborhood 6,000 years before you were. Youre in THEIR neighborhood and must respect them. Theyre not out to harm you and in fact tarantulas have NEVER killed anybody, their venom is too weak to kill a healthy human, even the species with higher venom toxicity. Ive kept many tarantulas as pets including many from the Aphonopelma genus, those are the ones that reside in AZ. If you have any more questions, let me know!

[tucsondesertdweller]

I was and still am afraid of rattlesnakes and I moved here!!!
I have seen a few and am proud to say I survived!!!!!!!!lol
Ok, some who live further out in the desert see them all the time, some don't, maybe because further out the snakes have more terrority and don't have a reason to come up closer to a house.
We live in the suburan desert and many many of our neighbors have had them in front of their house, driveways, etc.
Up until recently when I saw a fire truck I thought, oh they are going to remove a snake, did not think of fire. Neighbor went outside on his front porch at night as he forgot to check for a delivery, so good thing he put his porch light on, rattler on the porch area under a chair!!!! Husband has seen a few slithering down the street and a few dead ones also in the street.
Snakes still freak me out, I hate them

[MAB]

the only things Ive seen around my house are black widows.
I have seen scorpions and wind scorpions at work.
At first I was terrified,but once I cought one,and played with it I was not afraid anymore.
If you go out at night to a dark area in the desert,bring a black light,scorpions glow under the light.
Wear boots and heavy pants and just keep your eyes open.

For some reason people think that here in the desert we have scorpions and snakes crawling around everyhouse.Even in heavy populated areas,its just not true.

To be honest with you,I saw more insects and snakes when I was growing up in Ensenada.

I say,dont worry about it and just kep your eyes open.