In the Sonoran Desert, snakes choose a number of different approaches to prepare for winter.
Each year, 1st Response Wildlife observes and is called to assist businesses and homeowners with snakes that either have taken up residence in their garage or home, or are reported on a property preparing for winter with a last meal.
In all cases, it is imperative that the species of snake be identified and appropriate action taken to ensure safety for the homeowner, the business, children and pets.
Below are two examples where 1st Response Wildlife was involved in identifying a winter-ready snake and/or removing it.
In the first, a gopher snake was observed and identified by 1st Response Wildlife, just after it had finished a last meal before winter. You will note there is a bulge of probably a round tailed ground squirrel half way down its body. While not dangerous, with a belly full of its last meal, this snake could not move as fast as it would if it did not have that extra weight/girth, so the guidance from 1st Response Wildlife, to the homeowner, was to leave it alone and let it find a winter home. (Gopher snakes are good to have around because they eat rodents throughout the warm season of the year.)
The second picture is a bit more troubling. It shows 2 diamondback rattlesnakes which 1st Response Wildlife removed from inside a home which they had chosen as a warm place to spend the winter. (These are only 2 of 4 rattlers that were removed by 1st Response Wildlife in November in response to calls from homeowners.)
These were captured in mid November but, it is not uncommon for calls to come in to 1st Response Wildlife in December-April, from a business or homeowner that has found a rattler behind a container, hidden along a wall, or even under a workbench. Snakes in sheds, garages, and even in homes, may be a little sluggish during those months but, nevertheless, they are still dangerous.
If you see a snake in or around your home or business, give 1st Response Wildlife a call to come, identify, and if necessary, remove it.
If you would like help with any other nuisance animals, noises, see or hear something in or around your home, business, or property and would like help identifying it, humanely removing it, with the assurance it will be relocated to live in a safe environment, please give 1st Response Wildlife a call to discuss your options.
Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife
Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517
Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), coyotes, snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, opossums, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), ringtails, exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7. Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children or have an exotic sighting in your neighborhood. 520-260-9517 Thanks!
Comments