Snakes and scorpions (Phoenix, Gilbert: house, scorpion, live)

[sherry5006]

Sorry if this has been asked, I saw in some older threads the mention of scorpion and snakes in some areas. We like the islands (Gilbert?), estrella mountain ranch and verrado. I am very concerned about the critters because we have 2 dogs and a disabled child who probably could not get out of the way fast enough to avoid being bitten/ stung (if that is even possible). What's the safest community of the ones I listed? Does spraying help? Do you have coyotes and mountain lions that attack pets near the mountains? I love the looks of being in the foothills but prefer not to have to defend my child and pets against the big guys.

[Ponderosa]

Your chances of seeing a snake in your yard about about the same as winning Publishers Clearing House. Scorpions are fairly common but stings less so and not that big a deal anyway. There's millions of people in AZ and no one has died from a scorpion sting in almost 50 years. Scorpions aren't aggressive, don't go after anyone. Everyone in my family (including kids) has been stung at least once - virtually all from stepping on one while walking barefoot in the dark. We all lived to tell about it without so much as a visit to the doctor. I suspect my dogs have been stung too, because they run away and cower when they spot a scorpion and that seems more like learned than instinctive behavior. Again, I don't know of anyone whose dog died of a scorpion bite. Rattlesnakes, yes, but again, when the dog was running loose out on the trails, not in the backyard.

Mountain lions and coyotes. I've lived here probably longer than you have been alive and never seen a coyote in my back yard. People will tell tales of them jumping block walls, but I don't know anyone that has happened to. I do see coyotes on the hill behind the house (we live next to an area of open desert), but they don't mess with my dogs. I keep the dogs in the house at night and all day most of the summer.

Anyway, you're making this way bigger than it needs to be. It's an irrational fear as you would come to understand if you lived here. I would try to just forget about it. As I have posted before, I have never ever heard someone complain much less say they want to leave because of the snakes, scorpions, coyotes, owls or whatever. It's the two-legged snakes you need to watch around here - starting with your realtor.

[Ponderosa]

Oh, and it's been asked - almost weekly. It seems to be a big issue with prospective residents for whatever reason. So if you search you should get lots and lots of reading.

[LocoAZnative]

I'd be more concerned with the ManBearPig then snakes and scorpions it is a much bigger threat or your kids and pets.

[Moveeast31]

Originally Posted by sherry5006

Sorry if this has been asked, I saw in some older threads the mention of scorpion and snakes in some areas. We like the islands (Gilbert?), estrella mountain ranch and verrado. I am very concerned about the critters because we have 2 dogs and a disabled child who probably could not get out of the way fast enough to avoid being bitten/ stung (if that is even possible). What's the safest community of the ones I listed? Does spraying help? Do you have coyotes and mountain lions that attack pets near the mountains? I love the looks of being in the foothills but prefer not to have to defend my child and pets against the big guys.

All beautiful places...especially The Islands! When I moved here from Illinois I spent so much time worrying about things like snakes and scorpions. I have been here for about ten years now and have never come across a snake. My sister did once while hiking, moved away and just kept going. As far as scorpions go I feel like some of the fear is the fear of the unknown, at least it was for me. I have only actually come across four in the ten years. One was already dead (I think my cat got it) one we thought was dead and we put it in a tupperware type bowl because we thought it was cool looking. Kept it up in a closet and when I took it down to show someone about a month later, kid you not, it was alive and seriously pissed off! Those things can live through just about anything...everything except my shoe which was the fate of the other two. Always be cautious of area rugs (they love getting under those and closed toe shoes but don't let the fear of them paralyze you any more than watching out for bees.

[Moveeast31]

Originally Posted by LocoAZnative

I'd be more concerned with the ManBearPig then snakes and scorpions it is a much bigger threat or your kids and pets.

Lol that just made my sides hurt!

[locolobo13]

You pretty much have to work at it if you WANT to see a snake in your yard. I've seen 3 small garden snakes at my house in the last 15 yrs.

The first was when I was cleaning a mess of my own making in the back yard. If the mess hadn't been there the snake would have been somewhere else. BTW: That snake was about the size of a pencil! Just as thin, maybe 8 in long.

The last 2 have happened because I have cats. They have a pet door and free access. Sometimes they bring me "gifts". Twice my stinker has run into my bedroom and literally dropped a live snake on my bare feet before I could kill him, the cat I mean.

They were both small garden type snakes, not dangerous at all. One survived and is presumably still out in my back yard, the other didn't.

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by sherry5006

Sorry if this has been asked, I saw in some older threads the mention of scorpion and snakes in some areas. We like the islands (Gilbert?), estrella mountain ranch and verrado. I am very concerned about the critters because we have 2 dogs and a disabled child who probably could not get out of the way fast enough to avoid being bitten/ stung (if that is even possible). What's the safest community of the ones I listed? Does spraying help? Do you have coyotes and mountain lions that attack pets near the mountains? I love the looks of being in the foothills but prefer not to have to defend my child and pets against the big guys.

I concur with all that's already been said here. In addition, The Islands in Gilbert is beautiful, but quite a bit older than Estrella and Verrado, so there would be less liklihood of encounterin any type of "wildlife" there. There are no mountains, mountain lions, or coyotes, in The Islands, either.

[sherry5006]

Glad to hear no coyotes. I can do without them.
The islands look gorgeous

[asufan]

I have to say that I did have an encounter with a rattlesnake a couple months ago, and he was about 3 feet from me, rattling and ready to strike. This was in far North Phoenix in the hills, though.