Excitement with a rattlesnake

My neighbor just came over about 30 minutes ago asking for our help with a rattlesnake in her yard. We go over there and stare at the poor thing for quite a while trying to figure out how to catch it to relocate it cause nobody wanted to hurt it.

I go home to do some research on relocating rattlers (gotta love the Internet), and DH and neighbor get wise and push him into a garbage can with a long rake. They just drove him down the road to release him. I hope he comes out easier than how he went in.

I'll post pictures a bit later - DH is still out with the camera. That's was a bit more excitement than I wanted on a Tuesday night!

And yes, he was a handsome snake!!

I'm more daring than most, but then again, I've often handled venomous snakes (Kids, do not try this at home!).

I simply would have used a long stick or something similar to pin his head and then just pick him up

that's kinda scary..

Originally Posted by Arlyn

I'm more daring than most, but then again, I've often handled venomous snakes (Kids, do not try this at home!).

I simply would have used a long stick or something similar to pin his head and then just pick him up

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You would pick him up!?!? I would die.

Originally Posted by Arlyn

I'm more daring than most, but then again, I've often handled venomous snakes (Kids, do not try this at home!).

I simply would have used a long stick or something similar to pin his head and then just pick him up

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Oh how I wish you knew how to handle snakes about 30 minutes ago!!

Originally Posted by Trouts mom

You would pick him up!?!?

I would die.

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You'd not have gotten me out of the house in the first place!!! For sure!!!

DH is back with the camera. Here are a few pictures of him:





You gotta admit - he's kind of cute for a snake!

YIKES! I like little green garden snakes, but... that guy woulda scared me silly! You guys are very, very brave...

Poor guy, a 6 year old, and from the looks of it, he's ready to moult.
I'm not familiar with the pattern though, prairie rattler, or an eastern diamond back mutation?

Beautiful snake. Definately NOT something I'd like to mess with however.

I'm afraid that I'd have been going for my shotgun - I have a phobia of snakes and don't want them anywhere near my house.

Wow that is a beautiful snake! I see that his rattler is sticking up! I am glad that you guys relocated it rather than killing it! Thank you.

Originally Posted by katl8e

I'm afraid that I'd have been going for my shotgun - I have a phobia of snakes and don't want them anywhere near my house.

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Snakes are harmless, they won't strike unless you scare them. Snakes have a bigger phobia of humans than we do of them.

That is a gorgeous snake BTW. Thank you for relocating him. I love snakes, I even had 1 as a pet and as soon as I can upload pics to photobucket, I'm going to start a thread to tell you all about Neko's snake catching adventures.

Momofmany: Please check out www.reptileforums.com
here you can find out all the information you want about all different types of snakes, also if you sign up and post them pics, someone will be able to give you excellent info as to what type of rattlesnake he is.

Originally Posted by Arlyn

Poor guy, a 6 year old, and from the looks of it, he's ready to moult.
I'm not familiar with the pattern though, prairie rattler, or an eastern diamond back mutation?

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I've done some searching about snakes in my area and the one it looks most like is the Timber Rattlesnake. And based on this description, most likely a female.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timber_rattlesnake

OMFG! I almost died when I had a non-venomous indigo snake in my backyard. This would have sent me over the edge!

I have to give you credit. You are surely braver than I!

Umm-no thanks, I will pass!!

It is nice that you all relocated it though.

And after more reading. This snake is endangered in most of the states that it resides, including our area. So we are even more happy that we relocated it rather than killed it.

Tail looks far too long for a female, but very lovly, and very different looking from the Timber Rattlers we have here.

I'm the kind of person that would have kept it a couple months just to admire it before releasing it.
It could have enjoyed some free meals

I simply love snakes, they are extremely fascinating creatures.

She is beautiful and add me to the group that is happy that you choose to relocate. I think snakes are beautiful and amazing creatures.

What a beauty!!