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I relocated from DC, and didn't know if I'd be snake phoebic. Turns out..I'm not. I was vigilent for a few weeks..and the vigilence since is natural. In fact..I find them awesome ...and beautiful (rattlers-bulls-red racers)!
Furthermore..it depends upon where ur friend is planning to live. Bet there hasn't been a rattler spotted within 10 blocks of the plaza for sometime (wild). dfk
Santa Fe doesn't sound so bad on the snake front, except for the 8 snakes Towanda encountered on the outskirts of Sante Fe. Coyotes are being sighted in NY now, My brother saw one where he parks his truck near a wooded park along the Hudson River.
A local reporter was attack by rattlesnake on a SD hiking trail while I was there..
From everything that I have read, watched and observed, rattlesnakes don't go on the attack. There is something I have read about them being 'Gentlemanly'. Unless one steps on them, they'll usually just rattle and give you chance to back off. They don't go 'on the attack'.
Coyotes are not to be feared unless they display rabid behavior in my own humble opinion. While living in Sierra Vista AZ, I saw them get hit sometimes at night on Fry Blvd.; the main street going through SV.
While in SV one time on vacation in the winter, I saw what I thought was a funny looking cat with interesting ears. I looked it up and it was a bobcat (nosing around a hotel in the middle of the city limits)! We kind of observed it quietly and let it go about its business. Interesting experience.
North, a funny story because it ended ok. A dear friend of mine was captain of a crab boat in Alaska. One night he and friends were drinking and one had a dead but intact rattlesnake, in a jar, he had just brought from the lower states. Well you guessed it. The not so sober friend put his hand in the jar and had to be air lifted to a hospital outside Alaska that could treat the bite! The snake was dead but because of their neuro system can still release venom and bite down for about 72 hours after death.
I moved to Santa Fe about 1 year ago. I'm irrationally afraid of snakes, especially venomous ones. I asked lots of people about rattlesnakes because I like to go hiking with my dogs. Almost everyone said: "oh, don't worry, I've lived here for 20 years and never seen a snake..."
Well, I'm here to tell you that I have seen 6 rattlesnakes in the 12 months I've been here.
Yesterday there were TWO on my patio, just 12 inches from my back screen door. I went outside without looking around and the first one was coiled up and rattled at me. I F-ing lost it! I screamed like a child and ran off. Then I was watching it from a distance because I needed to get back in the house and I didn't shut the door behind me and my dogs were inside. The coiled rattler stayed in position for at least 10 minutes. Then, after that one slowly meandered away, a second one showed up, crawled all across my patio, went up to my screen door, acted as if he wanted to get inside but then slowly meandered away.
I live just past Harry's restaurant (Old Las Vegas Hwy), about half way between Harry's and Bobcat Bite burger joint. I called animal control and they said there are loads of rattlesnakes out here, especially in Eldorado where they receive most of their calls for rattlers being inside people's homes!!!
I just wanted to post this because most people act like rattlers aren't in Santa Fe and they SO DEFINITELY ARE. Keep in mind they mostly hunt at night so you aren't necessarily safe after dark (until the temp drops way down)
Aside from the two rattlers on my patio yesterday I've seen a few in my front driveway and a few while hiking. ALL were rattlers because they "rattled" and I could see their tails.
BE CAREFUL. Especially for your dogs. I'd surely live if bitten but my dogs are small...
Oh, and PS: I'm not even counting the other snakes I've run across (Bull snakes, etc) because these aren't venomous. But Bull snakes look similar to rattlers but without the rattles on it's tail, and they are HUGE.
You live in a secluded area next to lots of barren land. I live near Santa Fe High School and have lived in this part of Santa Fe most of my life and have never seen a rattlesnake. It depends on the part of town you live in.
If you see Bull snakes, LEAVE THEM ALONE! They feed on Rattlesnakes It sounds like you may live near a den. My dog was once bitten, she lived but she was larger. Check with your local vet, they will usually give you a syringe of antivenom to keep on hand incase of a bite, that way you can treat your pups immediately. It does happen. I cant speak for the Santa Fe area (yet) but I live in the Texas panhandle, grew up in the country. I am not un acustomed to seeing a rattler or two. My sweet husband is as petrified of them as you are, so I sympathize!
Luckily for you these critters are gearing up for hibernation as the winter approaches. There have been many, many heated debates on this forum about snakes but one thing is for sure: they eat rodents and that is fine with me!
Here is what is happening, and it does so every year: the rattlesnakes during the evening can sense the heat being emitted from homes, and they are basically drawn to them. They like to go under cars in driveways after dusk, as well. Just last Friday, I saw one on the street, I rushed back out with my camera and my shovel (I was going to attempt to move it back into the arroyo) but it was gone. I think another motorist probably took matters into his or her own hands before I was able to. The bottom line is they are now seeking out warmth any way they can find.
Two years ago, we went out trick or treating so it was October 31, and found this critter in our driveway as we were coming back:
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There are rattlesnakes in Santa Fe
It sounds like you may live near a den. My dog was once bitten, she lived but she was larger. Check with your local vet, they will usually give you a syringe of antivenom to keep on hand incase of a bite, that way you can treat your pups immediately. It does happen. I cant speak for the Santa Fe area (yet) but I live in the Texas panhandle, grew up in the country. I am not un acustomed to seeing a rattler or two. My sweet husband is as petrified of them as you are, so I sympathize!
