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| Mojave Rattlesnake aka Mojave Green |
Last night while out playing with the dogs where we always play a couple hundred feet from the house, I was in flip flops and shorts, wasn't watching where I was walking, turned my head and saw a snake stretched out about 5 feet in front of me. Luckily the dogs were about 10 feet away from me occupied by a squirrel hole. I had never seen this snake before, but immediately was struck by its green hue. I thought to myself it looked like a rattlesnake, but the color was off. We put the dogs inside the fenced area, went back out and threw a stick at it. Sure enough, the rattle went off and it darted under some brush we had laid there for future burning (big mistake!).
I got online and quickly discovered that what is on our property is a "Mojave Rattlesnake" also called a "Mojave Green". They are thought to be the most poisonous snake in North America!! Sure enough, though, diamond pattern fading about 2/3rds down the body, green hue, black and white alternating rings where the rattler is. No mistaking it.
A rattlesnake's venom is normally "hemotoxic" which results in swelling, tissue damage and disrupts blood clotting, etc. But, the Mojave Rattlesnake is unique in that its venom is "neurotoxic" and causes neurological symptoms, paralysis, and can result in death due to respiratory paralysis.
Of course, by the time we figured out what was on our property, it was dark and too late to go do anything about it! But, now the hunt is on. As much as I hate to harm anything, this guy or gal has got to be removed from the property, and since I'm not in the business of snake trapping, the gun is the only way I know how! Especially since we read they give live births to 9 to 11 babies in July or August. I don't need a Mojave Green colony hanging out near my home and the area the dogs love to play.
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OH. MY. GOSH. That is no small snake. If I didn't find it before the babies are due, I probably wouldn't sleep until I did.
ReplyDeleteyeah, i've been looking every night and morning since and no luck. dang, had my chance but didn't quite know what kind it was and then it was dark and too late!
ReplyDeleteThose sound like nothing to mess with, much like our diamond back rattler. Were we live it is irrigated and rattlers like a more arid climate, so we've not seen any, but have tons of Bull Snakes( non venimous)which look like rattlers, even coiling and striking, making a rattle noise in their throats. We don't mind them as they actually kill rattlers and are excellent mousers.
ReplyDeleteHope you find it and get it taken care of, otherwise you'll have to vigil in watching out for it. Remember they like eggs, so check under those hens carefully. We had a bull snake under a hen, eating her eggs, she was setting and she never left the nest, not once!
Take care.
Blessings,
Kelle
That's creepy. I know you don't want to kill it but better the snake than you or your dogs. Yikes!
ReplyDeleteHave you seen it again? I must say, it really is a pretty snake. Can't have it around though :)
ReplyDeleteallene - no sign it! i think we had a one time chance and missed it. oh, well. the snake is happier!
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