Tag: reptile relocation

The World’s Most Potent Rattlesnake at my Doorstep

I have seen more rattlesnakes around our home this summer than ever before. During the past six weeks, not a single day has passed when I have not seen at least one western diamondback here – on several days, I have seen as many as four. I don’t mind their presence. This would be a very dull world if it were danger – free, cleansed of any creatures that might harm us. The snakes have a right to be here – this land is not just habitat  for me and my family, but habitat that we share with many other living things.

Yesterday morning brought a surprise that lay snoozing a few feet from my doorway. It was yet another rattlesnake, but the instant I saw this one, I knew it was not a western diamondback, but a Mojave rattlesnake.

Most of the time, when I spot a poisonous serpent close to our home, I simply leave it alone. Given this snake’s proximity to an area that gets frequent daily foot travel, and the extreme toxicity of its venom, I decided to relocate it. I picked the rattlesnake up with a pair of snake tongs, lowered it into an empty trash can, and hauled it to a new home downriver. During the entire procedure, the snake shook its tail only once, and briefly at that.

I knew immediately when I saw this snake under the ramada that it was a Mojave. The greenish-yellowish tinge to its skin stands out in contrast to the local western diamondbacks, whose coloration tends to be more silvery gray. Note also the sawtoothed edging to the snake’s dorsal blotches. Our diamondbacks rarely show such edges on their “diamonds,” or dorsal blotches.

How toxic is this snake’s venom? Some sources say the venom of Mojave rattlesnakes is ten times more potent than that of other rattlesnakes. (There is one notable exception here – tiger rattlesnakes, which also occur in the Middle San Pedro Valley, are nearly as potent as Mojaves.) Other sources label this species as one of the most toxic snakes in the entire hemisphere. That is saying a lot, especially considering some of the elapid snakes that live in Central and South America. As if that were not enough, research has demonstrated that the Mojave rattlesnakes that inhabit Cochise County produce a unique venom that is even more potent than that of other Mojave rattlesnakes in other parts of their range. Rattlesnake venoms are complex organic cocktails consisting of many ingredients including proteins, polypeptides, metal ions, fats, enzymes, and more. Most rattlesnake species have hemotoxic venoms – venoms that destroy red blood cells, interfere with clotting, and damage tissue. The principal components of Mojave venom are neurotoxic – they act on the central nervous system. A bite from one of these snakes can cause severe paralysis and even cardiac arrest. 

So yes, I decided to move the snake away from our home.

This Mojave rattlesnake was captured and relocated by a warm-hearted friend a few years ago; he brought the snake to here to show it to me before releasing it back into the wild. This snake was on his doorstep as well, better relocated than shot or clubbed to death.

Much like sharks or grizzly bears, rattlesnakes are widely misunderstood and unjustly feared by the public. These fears are rooted in ignorance and a cultural bias regarding the world of nature and our place in it. Here in Arizona, where rattlesnakes are common and widespread, more than half of all bites are provoked. (Yes, Darwin was right!) Most of the remaining bites could be easily avoided by a combination of unflagging awareness, protective footwear, and snake gaiters. Awareness means keeping one’s eyes fixed carefully on the ground when moving around outdoors, and always using flashlights after dark. If you look carefully where you are going, you are much less likely to step too close to a snake. When I hike locally during the warm months, I always wear a pair of leather boots and snake gaiters. Simple precautions can really pay off.

Identification of Mojave rattlesnakes is not always a simple task; occasionally, these snakes hybridize with western diamondbacks. They also come in many differing shades of color. The most certain identifying characteristic are the two large scales atop the snake’s head that lie in-between its supraocular scales – (the very large scales that cover the upper portion of the snake’s eyes). Western diamondbacks usually have six or seven much smaller scales between their supraoculars.

If a person does get bitten, it is imperative to get medical help as soon as possible. Time is utterly crucial when it comes to treating snakebite victims. In this rural landscape, that means a helicopter flight to a hospital in Tucson. The average cost of treating a bite victim has risen to over $75,000 per incident. With that in mind, I think that a small investment in a pair of snake gaiters (most cost less than $100 per pair) and some good boots is a very wise move.

Tail markings are also useful in identification. Mojave rattlesnakes usually show narrower, less distinct black banding on their tails than diamondback rattlesnakes.

In contrast, most western diamondbacks have considerably wider, distinct black bands on their tails.

In closing this post, I must say that I do not recommend relocating reptiles. For rattlesnakes, relocation beats getting killed, but is stressful to them, and can result in an inability to survive. Rattlesnakes occupy definitive home ranges, areas that they come to know and navigate through successfully. One of the most critical aspects of their lives has to do with knowing where a suitable site is for hibernation. (The correct term in use these days is “brumation,” not “hibernation.” I used the old term because many more people are familiar with it.) If a snake cannot find its way to such a site, it is not likely to survive the winter. Relocated snakes have been documented to have problems with this, especially if they are moved late in autumn.