We got a call to remove this rattlesnake that a man had captured some time ago from a location we are very familiar with. After digging the poor snake out of it’s winter den, he’s spent a few days in a warm room before heading back to the exact spot he was originally captured from.
We are now servicing the Wickenburg area, including snake removal services to Sun City, Surprise, and areas in between. Rattlesnakes are very common all throughout the area, and encounters are common. Take down the number and call 928-328-1603 for fast snake control.
About a third of all rattlesnakes we get called out to catch end up being harmless gophersnakes. They do a pretty good rattlesnake impresstion, puffing up, hissing, and putting on quite a show. They even rattle their striped tails, which can seem very rattle-like to those who don’t know better.
They are of course harmless, and actually great to have around the yard. They’re very active, general predators, and are quite a lot of competition for resources.
Here’s one on a porch in Paradise Valley.
Here’s Brad holding another that he’s caught.
… and another.
Something about the recent rain and slightly warmer temperatures of the last couple of days has caused at least a small portion of the rattlesnake population to become semi-active. We received three calls today.
Here’s a small Diamondback that Kelly removed from a home in Scottdale this evening.
Here’s an unintended pitfall trap that is a common situation around homes. Kelly went to remove a baby rattlesnake that had fallen into a window recess, and found a number of other dead animals that weren’t so lucky.
Even though it’s cold out, continue to be safe and watchful in the yard. On warm days, rattlesnakes will often take the opportunity to get a little sunshine.
Winter is here, but snakes are still to be found. Even though they’re trying to get out of the cold, they will still turn up from time to time if their chosen den site is disturbed. A great example: this diamondback Kelly caught today in Cave Creek. Skinny and old, we’re hoping he can find someplace better to wait out the winter.
An article about renters insurance for those who keep pet reptiles, with a quote or two from me, and a photo of our little Mexican hognosed snake.
The slippery insurance scenario for homeowners who own snakes
Here’s a short video of Brad catching a small diamondback in Mesa, in the 85207 zip code.
These two were found hiding behind some flowerpots, and relocated a distance away to Camelback mountain. While they were being released, one got defensive, and I used my hat to show how good their angry-snake impression is.
The slippery insurance scenario for homeowners who own snakes
Nick DiUlio
When thinking about buying home insurance, the average consumer probably considers such matters as structural integrity, flood potential and maybe even the possibility of a tornado touching down in the neighborhood. He probably doesn’t think about snakes, even though owning one can affect whether his home is covered.
Consider Bryan Hughes of Arizona. As a snake owner who works professionally with numerous species of the slithery reptiles, Hughes says he has been denied home insurance and renter’s insurance several times.
“It was quite unexpected,” Hughes says of the first time he was denied coverage. “The rules are, of course, there to rule out any potentially dangerous animal. But almost all of the snakes kept by casual owners cannot cause more harm than a few cuts, and that’s only if they’re particularly mean.”
… Full story: The Slippery Insurance Scenario for Homeowners Who Own Snakes.
Jon responded to a call to remove a rattlesnake from the pool housing at a home in the Carefree highway and I-17 area, and found a second rattlesnake there as well! The speckled rattlers from the area are a beautiful orange color, like the iron-rich rock they prefer to live on. This is a snake that you’ll only see if you live very close to mountainous areas.
Here’s another rattlesnake caught and removed from a home in Peoria, Arizona by Eric.
The first rattlesnake captured by Paul; this guy is pretty typical in size and coloration for the area. Rescued in Ahwatukee and relocated to the desert.
Eric removed these two harmless snakes today. These species are very common throughout the suburbs and even further into the city, living on crickets and scorpions. Neither will ever even bite, and reach a maximum length of about a foot long.
The fist is the banded variety of the sonoran groundsnake, which was captured under a door threshold in the 85022 zip code in Phoenix. This species is quite commonly mistaken to be a coralsnake.
This is a desert nightsnake, often mistaken to be a baby rattlesnake by home owners who find them inside the house. This one was removed from a home on the North side of South Mountain.
A home owner discovered this little mojave rattling at her dogs late last night in the x zip code. Eric ran out at about 1am to catch it and find a new home in the desert. The monsoons are bringing rattlesnake activity to all hours of the night.
Written by Rick Schultz
We received a call from a customer in Scottsdale who stated that her cats had found a snake in a planter beside her house. We responded to the call and were shown a pretty harmless looking planter.
The customer had not seen the snake in a while but had a photo of it under the plant to help me identify if. It was a pretty large Western Diamondback.
I walked around the house and gained access to the planter which was filled with large rocks. These rocks were providing the snake with a place. I could ear it rattling, but could not see it. Finally I located the snake!
I was able to flip a few rock out of the way while the customer stood behind the glass and safely took these photos of me as I removed the snake.
I finally removed the Diamondback safely and got him into the bucket so he could be safely relocated back into the desert. He was a very pretty! He was safely relocated about 100 yards east in the desert.
When you run into a rattlesnake on your property please call a professional to remove it! We will be happy to respond and help you 24 hours a day.
If you or someone you know lives where snakes do, write down this number: 480-237-9975
Despite the ridiculously hot temperatures in the Valley, Sunday morning came with a couple of rattlesnake sightings in backyards.
The first was this young diamondback from the 85083 zip code, around Happy Valley and 51st Avenue. Please excuse the messy bucket, the last snake I put in there was a mud-covered gophersnake and I didn’t get a chance to clean it out. He didn’t mind. 
Here’s a photo from Eric’s much, much cleaner bucket with a Mojave rattlesnake he captured at a Goodyear home about an hour later.
As always, both were released unharmed back to the desert, to hopefully never see another human.
Here’s a nice looking kingsnake that Eric caught in the 85028 zip code. We don’t see them much at homes, but they do occur just about anywhere in the valley.
I’m pleased to announce our expansion into the East Valley locations near Phoenix. To make sure that the information is current and relevant only to snakes in the Mesa area, we’ve launched a new website for anyone who needs immediate rattlesnake removal.
This time of year is quite slow for activity. Snakes don’t like it being this hot and dry either, and do what anyone in their right mind should be doing; wait it out in cooler quarters. This morning was a bit of a surprise, with three calls.
The first relocation call came in from Scottsdale, where a diamondback rattlesnake was sleeping in behind a hose dispenser. She was relocated to a desert wash after getting a drink of water. Like a lot of rattlesnakes caught sleeping like this, she didn’t make a peep until being released. Here’s her parting shot as she crawled into a new hiding spot.
The next call was a medium sized gophersnake, from South Phoenix. The home owner followed it until it went down a rodent hole, where I was able to convince it to come out after a few minutes. He was relocated to the rocks of South Mountain.
Rick caught this red speckled rattlesnake today in the 85020 zip code of Phoenix. It’s a young speckled rattlesnake, originally seen in the front porch area, and found coiled up near the hot tub in the back of the house. These aren’t as common to find as diamondbacks, so it’s always a treat to get one safely back to the wild.
Over the memorial day weekend, I caught a few BBQ crashers:
1 Speckled rattlesnake and 1 Diamondback in Anthem
1 big Diamondback in the Cave Creek & Pinnacle Peak area, who had just eaten a rabbit
1 diamondback in Cave Creek, hiding out in the garage.
I also performed an inspection in prime speckled rattlesnake habitat to try and find out why the home owner was seeing so many snakes. We found the likely problem, and found a little ground snake crawling around that was released at the homeowner’s doorstep (at her suggestion) to continue eating scorpions.
The windy cool temperatures of the last week have kept most snakes down, but as things get warmer, night time activity will increase. Watch your step!
I just got back from capturing this large Speckled Rattlesnake from a front entryway near my home in Anthem. It’s always nice to catch something that isn’t just another diamondback!
If you have a rattlesnake that needs to be captured in Anthem, call 480-237-9975 any time of day.
Want to make money from your love of reptiles? I have several paid positions open for rattlesnake removal experts. This is an as-needed position, paid per call successfully run. Looking for knowledgeable, trustworthy individuals who are dependable and eager to grow with the business. Absolutely perfect position for a field herper or hot keeper looking to make some money doing what you love.
Email for a telephone interview if you meet the requirements.
REQUIRED SKILLS:
- Respect native wildlife, relevant laws, and have an absolutely clean record with AZ Game & Fish Dept.
- Venomous snake handling experience using tongs and/or buckets
- Knowledge of field herping and Arizona native animals a big plus
- Basic computer experience, email, web, etc.
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT:
- tongs. NO HOOKS.
- screw-top bucket (can provide this if you do not have one). BAGS not acceptable.
- snake gaiters or snake boots
- dependable vehicle
- cell phone
- Wildlife services permit OR valid hunting license and desire to obtain a WSP with training
DO NOT CONTACT IF YOU:
- Free handle rattlesnakes
- Own illegal animals or are involved with those who do
- Are unable/unwilling to accept phone calls late at night or early in the morning
Email info@phoenixsnakeremoval.com. No calls please.
NOTICE All images on this website are protected, and Copyright © Bryan D. Hughes and may not be copied, downloaded, printed, or otherwise recreated without permission. If you have a request, please ask me. Violators are subject to legal action.
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