Anybody Know Anything About Rattlesnake Habits?

I live along the foothills and sometimes rattlesnakes turn up. If they're around the house they become dead rattlesnakes.

Yesterday something awful happened. My wife has a couple of miniature horses and one got bit one the face first thing in the morning. She's probably going to survive but it looked like a horror movie and the vet hospital now owns me.

When I got back from the hospital I searched the whole area around our barn with no snakes. I was out again at dawn to see if any would come out to warm up but didn't find any.

I just wondered if some members here know much about the way they behave. Do they have a territory or just move around? Where is the best place to look to find them? Is there a best time of day to find them?

Any info would be appreciated since I don't want this to happen again.

Steve

Like all snakes, they like to sun. Snakes like to crawl under things as well. They like to feel whatever they are under, directly on top of them, so don't discount places that you might think are too shallow. Good luck.

See if you can't buy a few Kingsnakes and let them loose in the yard. They'll drive out the rattlers (either by out-competing them for food or occasionally eating the damn rattlers). You might see if you can rent a propane gopher killer* and find all the snake holes first (they live in holes about 2" in diameter).

Then make sure you do what you can to keep rodents out of the yard as that's why the rattlers are there.

Also keep as much of the area around your house mowed as you can.

*I found these guys up in Loveland.

Bull snakes will get rid of them usually. I see them in the morning but later afternoon is when I have the best luck finding them. They are not always in the same place but I dont know how far they will travel. Wood piles, hay, dark corners of sheds/garages are good places to look as well as under bigger rocks. If you have prairie dog holes around they hang out in them also. Around here they are harder to find in the middle of the day. We go grab them for BBQ during season.


On a side note a buddy of mine that lives out east by hbar has been seeing A LOT of them the last couple weeks, maybe coming out later due to weather but worse then usual. He's already asking me when I am coming out to cap some [Beer]

If you guys are blessed with good hearing, you are much luckier than I am. Guess a lot of shooting without hearing protection in my younger days has really taken it's toll on me. I cannot hear a rattler buzzing so I have to REALLY watch where I step. Twice now I have encountered one of these critters on our black rubber "Welcome" mat most likely because these mats will hold the heat for them to relax on. A neighbor got bitten by a rattler when he reached under his ATV to check something. After that bite and for some unknown reason immediately stuck his hand under the machine once again and got struck the second time. Quickly drove himself to the hospital where it was reported that they used their entire stock of anti-venom for that one episode. Always have to remind our grand kids what these critters look like and where some of the more common places are to watch for them.
This one may not be very large but can still inflict some nasty damage!!


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...9-12-08002.jpg

They make nice boots.

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Originally Posted by Mtn.man

They make nice boots.

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...and hat bands...and belts...

Rattlers are like salmon. They always return to the same place for breeding. They will sun in the early/mid morning and evening.

Good luck getting rid of them.

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Originally Posted by Zundfolge

See if you can't buy a few Kingsnakes and let them loose in the yard. They'll drive out the rattlers (eating the damn rattlers).

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This is what I would do in your case. I had an albino King snake that I would feed rattlers to, it loved em, ate em up. Other snakes like rattlers are easier to catch for them so they go for them first, well, from what I saw out of mine when I had it.

Rattlesnake Bite survivor here / Dumbass!! Had a 4 1/2 long Diamind Back Rattler as a pet in AZ I got bit twice on both hands showing him to some friends. One of the most painfull things I have ever been through.

Almost lost my right middle finger, and the middle and ring finger are permanantly bent. And I have no feeling in those fingers but have full use of them.

I'm here in the Foothill, and killed 2 my self, one neighbor lost a Llama to one and 3 other snakes were killed in the last 2 years.

They like rock croppings, driveways anything that warms up fast to bring their body heat up. They hunt in wood piles, junk piles, anything that mice and rats get into.

http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd206852/Bite1.jpghttp://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd206853/Bite4.jpghttp://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd206854/Bite2.jpghttp://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd206855/Bite3.jpg

Keeping the area clear of rock piles or anything like that will help a lot. Gasoline will drive them out of their hiding place. If you suspect a hole is a rattler hole or you think you might know where a den is gasoline will bring them out. It takes longer than you think after you apply the gas but they will come out if they are there and they will be pissed. Make sure you have some help.

My buddy's dad made a living catching them this way in Texas. I wouldn't tell a sole because it's probably against the law here.

I have a 7'6" er on the wall, from FL

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Originally Posted by Mtn.man

I have a 7'6" er on the wall, from FL

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Nice!! I ate the bastard that bit me! Made a cowboy hat band out of his ass, and keychain out of his tail. [Coffee]

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Originally Posted by DSB OUTDOORS

Nice!! I ate the bastard that bit me! Made a cowboy hat band out of his ass, and keychain out of his tail. [Coffee]

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Really? You should take a picture and show us, or at least me. I think it would be cool.

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Originally Posted by spyder

Really? You should take a picture and show us, or at least me. I think it would be cool.

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Here are the pics of the hat band,

http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd206876/hat3.jpghttp://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd206878/GetAttachment3.jpghttp://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd206879/hat2.jpg
I'd need some time to dig out the rattles. After 20 years theres not much left of those, I figure he was about 11 counting the rattles, 4" long or so.
F**king bastard.
Back then only 20 viles anti venom for a mere $23,000.00 thank god for insurance!!

.

:D

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Originally Posted by DSB OUTDOORS

Here are the pics of the hat band,

http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd206876/hat3.jpghttp://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd206878/GetAttachment3.jpghttp://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd206879/hat2.jpg
I'd need some time to dig out the rattles. After 20 years theres not much left of those, I figure he was about 11 counting the rattles, 4" long or so.
F**king bastard.
Back then only 20 viles anti venom for a mere $23,000.00 thank god for insurance!!

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Holy shit it cost that much? Wow, that makes my life-flight seem cheap...

kill them with fire! j/k, that is the last thing we need right now is more fires.

bull snakes around my dads house have kept all the rattlers down to near nothing. as kids we found a young one and caught it thinking it was another bull snake. It died shortly after discovery!

Watch yourself bite stings to bite in the ass [ROFL1][ROFL2][ROFL3]I hate dam snakes.....

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Originally Posted by spyder

Holy shit it cost that much? Wow, that makes my life-flight seem cheap...

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Ya and that was 20 years ago! They FNG charged $5.00 for a Cuetip, Yes A FNG Cutip. Just think of what that would cost now?? $50 for a Ambulance ride from one hospitol to another so they could treat a snake bite. I think it was 10 - 15 miles??

DSB how'd you make it into a hat band? Put paracord or something through it?PM me if you don't want to put it in someone else's thread, I've been thinking about going and finding one... I need to get a lighter hat for summer, and it'll need a band...

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Originally Posted by mcantar18c

DSB how'd you make it into a hat band? Put paracord or something through it?PM me if you don't want to put it in someone else's thread, I've been thinking about going and finding one... I need to get a lighter hat for summer, and it'll need a band...

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You'll like this. I was 20 years not much money, didn't know Sh*t about tanning snake hyde's. So I made a few calls. You skin it like a fish down the belly and peel the skin off like a banana, stretch it out on a board and tack it scales down. Remove any meat that might be on it, should'nt be much. They told to use I think it was Glycol it's a Glyseran based liquid. Put it on and let it soak in. I'm sure they have better stuff now a days for tanning hydes. Now here is where I cheaped out, I took a Budlight 12 pack box cut it about 1 1/2" lightly glued it to the skin in the center. Wrapped the skin around that, I used just regular old thread and needle and sewed it up. Let it dry and there ya go. I wish I would have put some kind of clear coat on the scale side, It still sheds scales. But it's lasted all these years!! [Beer]

Skin it and get all the meat off you can. Soak the skin in boric acid for about two days. Rinse with water repeatedly. Scrape off extra meat and scales. Flatten out and start rubbing in glycerin. I always sliced up the underbelly and tacked to a board.

One of these times when you guys kill one, you should send me the head! [Beer]

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Originally Posted by spyder

One of these times when you guys kill one, you should send me the head! [Beer]

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If you ever really get moved down to Trinidad, you'll be able to find some on your own. They are here just waiting for your arrival.[Tooth]

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Originally Posted by spyder

One of these times when you guys kill one, you should send me the head! [Beer]

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I'll see what I can do!! I know they have their place on Earth. But the little FNG bastards should'nt get in my way! [Tooth]

I don't know much about rattle snakes other than 1) How to ID them and 2) Get the f*** away when I do but...I have a comment and an observation.

As a youngster on the eastern edges of the Springs in the late 60's and into the 70's I used to find rattlers and bull snakes way more often than I liked. Housing developments (the non-stop construction) seemed to "stir em' up."

But...strange...at least for me...is seeing snakes "up high," never seemed too in years past (at least I didn't although I always heard the stories). I have seen 4 snakes in the last 3 days, all above ~8K' (little dudes) and the kicker, I was just out diggin' some brush this morning and what I think was a gartner snake, maybe 18"ish or so, came cruising by. It stopped to check me out...and I just stood there thinking "huh...I'm at ~9250' and here's a friggin' snake...couldn't believe it!" I would never have guessed I'd see a snake at this elevation. It's almost 80 degrees up here today and the sun feels like a monster laser searing into your body...maybe the "ultra hot day" has something to do with bringing em' out.

I just shot one this past weekend. I've been wanting to make a belt or something but he was too small. Oh well, maybe the vultures or other scavengers will get to him.