Rattlesnake Removal

Dedicated exclusively to field herping.

Moderator: Scott Waters

Post Reply
User avatar
shredsteban
Posts: 199
Joined: April 7th, 2012, 8:53 pm
Location: Riverside, Ca

Rattlesnake Removal

Post by shredsteban »

My aunt called me yesterday morning and said that there was a snake in her neighbors yard just behind their fence. She told me that it was grey in color and struck one of the dogs in her neighbors yard. She also said that the snake wasn't rattling. I know that area really well when it comes to herps, as it she lives across the street from a speck hotspot that I discovered back in 2008. The only thing I thought it could have been was a Speck. So my wife and I grabbed the kids and jammed over there as fast as we could. Once we got there, I walked up through my aunts backyard and peeked through the fence to see where the snake was. Turns out it was a medium sized speck that appeared gravid. She was sitting in the damp soil in the shade of the planter next to the fence. Here are a couple photos I took before relocating the snake back to its final resting place.

Also, the dog (labrador) that my aunt witnessed getting bit was fine. That dog wasn't envenomated. But their husky started showing signs of being envenomated shortly after the first dog was taken to the vet. Both dogs are fine, but the husky stayed the night at the vets. The rattlesnake was also missing its rattle, and there was some fresh blood on the tip. You can notice it in the last picture, just before she left for the rocks.

This first photo was through the fence/gate that separated the two properties. In situ.
ImageIMG_4789 by Nick Barrientos, on Flickr

Top view of the speck from neighbors yard. In situ.
ImageIMG_4793 by Nick Barrientos, on Flickr

In the tubImageIMG_4799 by Nick Barrientos, on Flickr

In habitat. I let her go in the shade next to a rock pile where I've observed countless specks over the years.ImageIMG_4815 by Nick Barrientos, on Flickr


ImageIMG_4825 by Nick Barrientos, on Flickr
User avatar
Calfirecap
Posts: 638
Joined: June 16th, 2010, 8:09 am
Location: Santa Cruz Co. California
Contact:

Re: Rattlesnake Removal

Post by Calfirecap »

Well done, I think most cases like this end up with the snake at the business end of a shovel. I just hope the snake doesn't return to the same location..

Lawrence
User avatar
Speckled Rosy
Posts: 308
Joined: June 11th, 2010, 12:07 pm
Location: Canyon country, Ca

Re: Rattlesnake Removal

Post by Speckled Rosy »

Nice! was that near corona or the orange county boarder.. pretty neat find for that area..
User avatar
shredsteban
Posts: 199
Joined: April 7th, 2012, 8:53 pm
Location: Riverside, Ca

Re: Rattlesnake Removal

Post by shredsteban »

Calfirecap wrote:Well done, I think most cases like this end up with the snake at the business end of a shovel. I just hope the snake doesn't return to the same location..

Lawrence
Thanks, Lawrence. I'm glad my aunt called me. She fits the mold for someone who is irrationally afraid of snakes. But she's too afraid to kill a snake because of the possibility of it being a rattlesnake. I was able to let her take a good look at the snake and give her some identification advice. She runs a swim lesson business in her backyard, so I know she will see the information as invaluable. Also, I was able to show some people in the neighborhood the snake and did a little educational talk. Basically told people that there is no need to kill the snakes since they play important roles in their respective ecosystems. I gave them numbers of people who would do snake removal in our local area since they expressed that Animal Control wouldn't come out for rattlesnakes. They were asking me for cards but I'm relocating to New York in two weeks. It was great!
- Nick B
ramblon
Posts: 77
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 10:14 am

Re: Rattlesnake Removal

Post by ramblon »

FYI, animal control will respond to any wild animal that poses an immediate threat to person or domestic animal (i.e. Rattlesnake in a yard). How quickly they respond is another story...

Good story and photos, lucky for the crote, you got there in time. Many of the specks don't turn out well in my neighborhood either, it's a bummer but makes the few I can get to in time that much more rewarding.

:beer:
Post Reply