Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
2 locals told her that the snakes are everywhere, in town, in parking lots of stores, restaurants, they come into the apartments because they are set against the mountains/desert, they come into the porch area, they crawl into the engine of your car, this is what she was told by friends who wanted her to move there, I do not think that makes her paranoid.
If the stories are true, YES. She will look somewhere else.
I do not understand why friends who want her there would lie?
May I ask where your mom lives now? The odds are she is in a part of the country with ticks that carry lyme disease and other serious diseases that scare the daylights out of me far more than a snake or scorpion that at least I can see/know where I stand with them.
We have ticks in AZ but they don't carry lyme and what they carry here isn't anywhere near the level of seriousness other ticks carry in most other parts of the country. Our dry climate saves us in this regard and I read lizards can neutralize serious diseases a tick can potentially spread to humans.
I have a family member and friends in other parts of the country who have chronic lyme disease, some for decades, that have messed up their quality of life big time, had to quit their jobs, have been bed ridden for long periods of time, chronic neurological problems, etc. A few people I know have almost died from some of the things the lyme tick can spread to the heart and such. And many have had it for decades/can't get rid of it because it got to a chronic stage, didn't have the bullseye rash that 50% of people don't get, and wasn't caught early when antibiotics could have taken care of it(in theory) and it has seriously messed up their quality of life. And it's commonly misdiagnosed as it mimics so many other diseases.
I can tell you a book about it but I bring all this up for one reason.....you and your mom might have far more to fear in your own backyard. Someone in my family lives in a lyme disease area and has lots of ticks right in her lawn where she lives, no woods nearby. This is not to scare/spread fear but it's reality and perhaps might give your mom a different perspective on the level of risk/what to fear if she really wants be concerned about something. Snakes are ultra easy to see/avoid and the vast majority of people who get bit are doing dumb things like playing around with the snake. And give me a scorpion bite that feels like a bee sting to most people any day over a tick carrying lyme/other ugly disease that in the nymph stage is the size of a poppyseed that you more than likely won't see on your skin until it has bit you and engorged in blood and a 50-50 shot you'll never get a bulls-eye rash to know you were bit. Hopefully this might help your mom see another side of what to fear/what not to fear out here in AZ.
Good luck to your mom if she decides to make it out to AZ.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BIG CATS
I wouldnt move to Alaska if I was terrified of moose and bear. I wouldnt move to the Everglades if I was petrified of gators.
Seriously, its teh desert. Scorpions and tarantulas were here long before humans ever were. Now, on to the wives tales and their RIDICULOUSNESS. Scorpions dont climb up from drains. If that ever happens its because they accidentally fell in and are trying to get the heck back out. Tarantulas are absolutely harmless, despite their appearance. Their venom is slightly less potent than a bee sting. To get bit by a tarantula requires a massive, massive, massive amount of skill. They are generally extremely docile critters. I know, I used to own a dozen tarantulas at one point. Snakes? Just watch where you walk. Its as simple as that. If you see one, go around it. Problem solved. I dont see what the big deal is. Dont reach around or under things without looking first and there wont be any problems whatsoever.
Do you people really think that snakes chase people to kill them or???? I just dont get the paranoia and unjustified hatred of these critters.
I suppose it could be because she did not know that snakes were in the streets?
I suspect that she wanted a nice town to retire in and be happy for once in her life and now finding out that a trip to the grocery store or leaving her door open for an hour to catch some rain could result in a snake encounter is leaving her with the willies.
I am scared of dogs--Yes, dogs. and while I know that every city has them and many people own them, if you told me that Kingman had them all over town, wandering around loose and they attacked people on a daily basis, I would think twice about moving there!
So while we know snakes are in Arizona, I do not think its unreasonable to be somewhat shocked that they are everywhere?
and to the other poster asking where mom lives in now--she lives in Barstow California where snakes do exist as well but NOT IN THE STREETS, THEY DO NOT SHOW UP IN THE RESTAURANT AND GROCERY STORE PARKING LOTS.
I should have known not to come here because of previous experiences with *******s.
My mistake. I will find the answers I need somewhere else.
That's not entirely true. Ive encountered rattlers in PV at night, over in Scottsdale by the golf course (near Hayden and Indian Bend), and in Phoenix by 40th Street. Granted the PHX location was kinda close to the PHX Mts Preserve, but there was a large western diamondback just sitting square in the middle of the road. I would never expect to find one, say, downtown, of course, but suburban areas? Most definitely, especially if its in an area near a park or up against the mountains. Kingman is just that... isolated and surrounded by nothing but open desert.
Excuse me? One former resident of Kingman, and one current one whose lived there for 20 years say there are no snakes in the road in the city limits of Kingman. Your speculation and weak anecdotal data from another area far away does not trump the direct experience of those who live there.
I suppose it could be because she did not know that snakes were in the streets?
I suspect that she wanted a nice town to retire in and be happy for once in her life and now finding out that a trip to the grocery store or leaving her door open for an hour to catch some rain could result in a snake encounter is leaving her with the willies.
I am scared of dogs--Yes, dogs. and while I know that every city has them and many people own them, if you told me that Kingman had them all over town, wandering around loose and they attacked people on a daily basis, I would think twice about moving there!
So while we know snakes are in Arizona, I do not think its unreasonable to be somewhat shocked that they are everywhere?
and to the other poster asking where mom lives in now--she lives in Barstow California where snakes do exist as well but NOT IN THE STREETS, THEY DO NOT SHOW UP IN THE RESTAURANT AND GROCERY STORE PARKING LOTS.
I should have known not to come here because of previous experiences with *******s.
My mistake. I will find the answers I need somewhere else.
enjoy Kingman.
Those are complete lies.
This thread is getting absurd. Don't let the door hit ya.
Excuse me? One former resident of Kingman, and one current one whose lived there for 20 years say there are no snakes in the road in the city limits of Kingman. Your speculation and weak anecdotal data from another area far away does not trump the direct experience of those who live there.
So this friend of yours combed every single inch, of every singl street, every night, in Kingman looking for snakes? Wow. He's a talented individual. And mad props to him for devoting so much time and effort towards his scientific research.
As an avid hobbyist herpetologist, I can assure you rattlers are on the streets in Kingman. Why? Snakes seek warmth when its cold out, and the street blacktop holds warmth that many cold-blooded reptiles desire. I would suggest you YouTube "road cruising for snakes in AZ" and just watch the astounding amount of rattlesnakes you can find on the roads at night in spring and fall, when the nighttime temps are cold. You'll find even more in the summer as theyre extremely active and cross the roads regularly in pursuit of prey. The rattlesnakes can be found in every city in AZ, Kingman is no exception, Unless there is some secret code amongst the rattlers that says "hey guys, lets stay off the streets of Kingman."
Location: When you take flak it means you are on target
7,646 posts, read 9,949,132 times
Reputation: 16466
OK - I'm going to be serious for a change in respect for the op's mom.
I have had a vacation home or lived in Mohave Cty for twenty years. We are in town, not the countryside, in Bullhead not Kingman, but it's the same thing.
I have NEVER seen a snake in town. Or a trantula. I saw one dead scorpion outside at our new house when we moved in last Sept. None since, though we spray the yard for bugs regularly. That is the only one I've seen here, ever. They are not going to climb out of the toilet.
I also haven't seen a snake on any road, anywhere, in a decade. We've squashed too many. When I was a kid there was always roadkill. I never see one now.
Yes, critters are around. But it is homes next to or surrounded by wildlands that get them.
In an apartment setting she will not ever see one.
But I must warn her, AZ is now infested with Californians. That is much worse.
So this friend of yours combed every single inch, of every singl street, every night, in Kingman looking for snakes? Wow. He's a talented individual. And mad props to him for devoting so much time and effort towards his scientific research.
As an avid hobbyist herpetologist, I can assure you rattlers are on the streets in Kingman. Why? Snakes seek warmth when its cold out, and the street blacktop holds warmth that many cold-blooded reptiles desire. I would suggest you YouTube "road cruising for snakes in AZ" and just watch the astounding amount of rattlesnakes you can find on the roads at night in spring and fall, when the nighttime temps are cold. You'll find even more in the summer as theyre extremely active and cross the roads regularly in pursuit of prey. The rattlesnakes can be found in every city in AZ, Kingman is no exception, Unless there is some secret code amongst the rattlers that says "hey guys, lets stay off the streets of Kingman."
Just stop it. You can't assure anybody of anything, because you know nothing of Kingman. You're speculating and you're wrong.
If someone has to comb every single inch of every street in Kingman at night to find a rattler, then you've proven my point. No one is saying it never happens, much like no one is saying nobody ever gets struck by lightning. But most people will live their whole lives in Kingman and never see a rattler in the road. It certainly doesn't happen with any regularity. Neither do rattler bites. Go ahead and show us the reports if you claim otherwise. Should be easy for you to dig up, seeing as it's practically epidemic as you make it out to be.
If you really knew anything about "road cruising for rattlers", then you would know that's done far out into the country outside of city limits. No one cruises for rattlers in the city, because there aren't any. The desert area around Kingman is particularly rocky and those rocks will be just as warm as asphalt is, but they'll also provide crevices for shelter for protection. Rattlers are very shy. They sure as hell don't hang out in populated areas, as any real herpetologist will tell you. The thought of rattlers coming into town to curl up on open roads in the city is laughable. Maybe that will happen in Phoenix because they've decimated most of the desert with urban sprawl. But the city of Kingman is tiny and completely surrounded by open desert. There is practically nothing in the way of encroachment when you compare it to the sprawling urban megalopolis of Phoenix.
So just knock it off already. You're speculating, you're wrong, and out of line.
Hi
My mom is looking to move into an apartment complex in Kingman Arizona called Kingman Station, its above the downtown area but near a mountain.
A friend of hers told her that she needed to be on the look out for Tarantuals, scorpions and snakes ,she said that the first 2 will come in your home, climb up drains and things along those lines and snakes can be spotted everywhere in town.
The man told her that the snakes have been spotted on side walks, in parking lots of various stores, close to the train tracks...my mom is 75 years old and she is terrified of these types of stories and I am in Oregon and too far away to help her if something happens, I am not sure she would even be safe now, I understand taking precautions and such but she walks on a walker and you can only move so fast on those things, if she encounters a snake in the parking lot of a supermarket....?
Is it really as bad as this man told her or is he just embellishing the story a bit? Anyone know much about the apartments I mentioned-connected to this question or even separate from it? She has visited Kingman over 300 times in the past 7 years and has never seen anything unusual she told me but she also did not stay long term or look for anything.
Appreciate any replies!
James
They say "Location! Location! Location!" with respect to real estate, but I believe that this saying also applies when talking about critters. The apartment complex which your mother is considering is located on the edge of town, and the chances of occasionally running into a snake or a spider would be greater than if she were more centrally located. However, I think that her friends were pulling her leg or maybe were even a little deranged with the tales they told.
We moved into a similarly "wild" area on the other side of town and I have no doubt that these new homes displaced the wildlife that existed there. For nearly a year the coyotes made a terrible racket at night, and one of our neighbors had 2 rattlesnakes in her yard. We found just one snake, which was difficult to identify because it was not full grown, but it appeared to be a non-poisonous grass snake. We also caught 2 wolf spiders inside our home, and one very interesting giant, hairy scorpion in the garage. All of these critters were returned unharmed to the desert.
Once things settled down our only concern was controlling the large, outdoor roaches. Pretty harmless but you wouldn't want to step on one while barefoot. Since your mother would most likely be living in a ground floor unit, a can of bug spray would be beneficial, especially for her peace of mind.
If your mother has travelled to Kingman 300 times, or about 3 1/2 times per month, she may not move well but obviously moves often. So, she may just be familiar with other buildings that are more centrally located - and not up against a mountain- and perhaps she could look into some of these. As for the shopping areas, I think that the only chance she has of seeing a snake or tarantula would be at Petco.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
.
