Rattlesnakes in your backyard? (Tucson, Pima: HOA, felony, university)

[Sockeye66]

Originally Posted by Caladan

I'm still laughing from that......

And I already gave a thumbs up on 509's 1st post and can't rep again.

[Ex New Yorker]

Originally Posted by 509

Hmm....12 years in Arizona and ONLY two snakes?? There a "magic" times when every snake comes out to wander. Generally, temperatures in the 60's with the ground in the 80's.

Killing snakes outside your home is probably a good idea. I don't do it. Just accept them as trespassers without permisson.

However, a friend of mine got bit by a rattlesnake on his property in Washington state. 3 days in intensive care and a $40,000 dollar medical bill. Don't fool with rattlesnakes.

I had a snake come in my garage one year. My wife called me and asked what to do. I told her to throw the cat into the garage and let them sort it out. Five hours later, we opened the garage door and the cat walked out. We are not sure what happened to to the snake.

Rattlesnakes are actually pretty nice creatures, but they have this ONE design flaw.

We've seen more than a few bull snakes, garter snakes, and only one king snake while hiking on the trail within our neighborhood. At first I thought that it was a coral snake but remembered the phrase: "red on yellow, unlucky fellow, red on black, friend of jack. I don't know about the snakes being trespassers? It may be the other way around? I don't know if it's true or not but I've heard that the bull snakes keep the rattlers away? If true maybe it's territorial?

The only time I've ever feared a snake was while living in New York. When we were on a lake and pulling up to a dock when a 4 foot black water moccasin slithered into our canoe with us in it. The snake was racing from one end of the canoe to the other with no place to go. My brother, my wife and I instantaneously jumped out of the canoe and into the water so freakin' fast it would make your head spin. I climbed up onto the shore and used an oar from the canoe to coax it out. I got it to go over the side and into the water. That really scared the living s**t out of all of us. In New York there are only three venomous snakes, the water moccasin, timber rattler and copperhead. Timber rattlers are rare and I've only seen one copperhead that my grandfather killed while he was building a stone wall. It was coming towards him when he smashed its head with a rock.

We've seen at least a half dozen tarantula's and there are lizard's all over the place. My wife and I both love those little critters (lizards). The tarantula's don't bother anyone and I found one black widow in my garage that I killed. We haven't come across one scorpion as of yet and even went out looking for them with a black light. When my wife first saw a tarantula right after we moved, it scared the hell out of her. It was just moseying along minding its own business. Don't get me wrong I know that there are plenty of rattlesnakes and scorpions throughout the state. One of our friends had scorpions in their house and had to call an exterminator to get rid of them.

Actually most of the time when we go out into the desert is when the temperatures are between the 60's and 80's even cooler. The desert is no place to be when it gets up into the 90's and 100's. With the sun beating down on you it feels a lot hotter than that. But it's a dry heat so I guess it's okay?

I'd love to come across a Gila monster someday. They are a protected species and from what I understand is that they are not seen very often? When I was in kindergarten I made one out of paper mache for a class project. I guess Arizona was always in my blood since then. But then again I've always been fascinated by the Great American Southwest.

We never let our cats out. There are coyotes and javelina all over. Not a month goes by without seeing or hearing them. I also saw one bobcat run through our neighbors yard. I've heard horror stories about javelina attacking people? But we've been outside many times when packs of a dozen or so would trot on by with their young. They never even looked at us and just went about their merry way.

When we go out in the desert I'm armed with both a S&W Governor loaded with .410 #9 shot and a 1911 .45ACP or a Ruger Redhawk .44 magnum. Not that I'm looking for or want to intentionally kill anything. I would never kill anything unless I absolutely had to. But you never know what you may encounter? So far except for target shooting I haven't had to use them against any wildlife. I hope to keep it that way.

Africanized bees are probably something that people should fear the most. About all you can do is run like hell.

[Ex New Yorker]

Originally Posted by bobsell

Only one way to get rid of rattlesnakes.

Vote them out.


ba dum tiss

Ain't that the truth!!! But vermin is more like it.

A big change may be coming this November. I'm sure as hell going to do my part and encourage others as well.

[Greenvalleyfan]

Originally Posted by Ex New Yorker

We've seen more than a few bull snakes, garter snakes, and only one king snake while hiking on the trail within our neighborhood. At first I thought that it was a coral snake but remembered the phrase: "red on yellow, unlucky fellow, red on black, friend of jack. I don't know about the snakes being trespassers? It may be the other way around? I don't know if it's true or not but I've heard that the bull snakes keep the rattlers away? If true maybe it's territorial?

The only time I've ever feared a snake was while living in New York. When we were on a lake and pulling up to a dock when a 4 foot black water moccasin slithered into our canoe with us in it. The snake was racing from one end of the canoe to the other with no place to go. My brother, my wife and I instantaneously jumped out of the canoe and into the water so freakin' fast it would make your head spin. I climbed up onto the shore and used an oar from the canoe to coax it out. I got it to go over the side and into the water. That really scared the living s**t out of all of us. In New York there are only three venomous snakes, the water moccasin, timber rattler and copperhead. Timber rattlers are rare and I've only seen one copperhead that my grandfather killed while he was building a stone wall. It was coming towards him when he smashed its head with a rock.

We've seen at least a half dozen tarantula's and there are lizard's all over the place. My wife and I both love those little critters (lizards). The tarantula's don't bother anyone and I found one black widow in my garage that I killed. We haven't come across one scorpion as of yet and even went out looking for them with a black light. When my wife first saw a tarantula right after we moved, it scared the hell out of her. It was just moseying along minding its own business. Don't get me wrong I know that there are plenty of rattlesnakes and scorpions throughout the state. One of our friends had scorpions in their house and had to call an exterminator to get rid of them.

Actually most of the time when we go out into the desert is when the temperatures are between the 60's and 80's even cooler. The desert is no place to be when it gets up into the 90's and 100's. With the sun beating down on you it feels a lot hotter than that. But it's a dry heat so I guess it's okay?

I'd love to come across a Gila monster someday. They are a protected species and from what I understand is that they are not seen very often? When I was in kindergarten I made one out of paper mache for a class project. I guess Arizona was always in my blood since then. But then again I've always been fascinated by the Great American Southwest.

We never let our cats out. There are coyotes and javelina all over. Not a month goes by without seeing or hearing them. I also saw one bobcat run through our neighbors yard. I've heard horror stories about javelina attacking people? But we've been outside many times when packs of a dozen or so would trot on by with their young. They never even looked at us and just went about their merry way.

When we go out in the desert I'm armed with both a S&W Governor loaded with .410 #9 shot and a 1911 .45ACP or a Ruger Redhawk .44 magnum. Not that I'm looking for or want to intentionally kill anything. I would never kill anything unless I absolutely had to. But you never know what you may encounter? So far except for target shooting I haven't had to use them against any wildlife. I hope to keep it that way.

Africanized bees are probably something that people should fear the most. About all you can do is run like hell.

I didn't know water moccasins existed in New York?

[steiconi]

I was cleaning my carport a couple years ago, crushing boxes and moving stuff around, when I realized there was a large rattler curled against one wall. I had walked past him a dozen times. He didn't want to bite me, just wanted to be left alone.

We called the fire department, they came and got him.

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

Do remember that the rattlesnakes control the growth of the pack rat population. Anyone who has dealt with pack rats and the damage they create welcome the snakes in the area. Most communities in the area have a snake patrol that removes snakes from your yard and deposits them out in the desert.

Very Valid Point . . .

Rattlesnakes eat all those nasty little critters. Definitely a GOOD THING.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by Bummer

Very Valid Point . . .

Rattlesnakes eat all those nasty little critters. Definitely a GOOD THING.

I heard that one local guy had approximately 20 pack rat nests in his large yard. He hired someone to collect snakes and bring them into his yard and place them near the nests. In a few months, the pack rats were gone and when the ready supply of rodents were gone, the snakes moved on also.

[The Kaiser]

There are no Water Moccasins in New York.

[Ex New Yorker]

Originally Posted by The Kaiser

There are no Water Moccasins in New York.

Sorry about that, I stand corrected. I looked it up and you're right.

Adirondack Serpent: The Northern Watersnake
Jul 17, 2010 · Northern watersnakes, to the untrained eye, might make one think immediately of water moccasins, or cottonmouths, both common names for the same venomous snake found in more southerly states. But we live in the Adirondacks where the only aquatic snake we have can be startling, can give a memorable bite, but is completely non-venomous.

Most of the snakes found in the Adirondacks are small to moderate in size, but the northern watersnake can grow upwards of four and a half feet long. https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2...atersnake.html

[wildflowers27]

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

I heard that one local guy had approximately 20 pack rat nests in his large yard. He hired someone to collect snakes and bring them into his yard and place them near the nests. In a few months, the pack rats were gone and when the ready supply of rodents were gone, the snakes moved on also.

Love this! Nature's exterminators.