Found Baby Rattlesnake in my Breakfast Room

[CodeSection]

Wow! That little one in the lower to middle left really blends in well......now that IS scary! I suppose they give no warning before striking, correct?

 

[AzOr]

At least the “good” thing about rattlers is they have always given me really good warnings.

I’ve never gotten within striking distance (that I know of) without hearing the signature “get the hell away from me or I will ruin your week” sound.

Unlike scorpions and a lot of other dangerous critters mentioned here.

 

[Inkleg]

Wow! That little one in the lower to middle left really blends in well......now that IS scary! I suppose they give no warning before striking, correct?

All snakes even nonpoisonous ones will rattle their tails when they feel threatened. But with no built in rattle attached you'd be lucky to hear a weird buzzing in the leaves just before you're bit.

 

[CodeSection]

All snakes even nonpoisonous ones will rattle their tails when they feel threatened. But with no built in rattle attached you'd be lucky to hear a weird buzzing in the leaves just before you're bit.

Yes, our garter snakes and bull snakes will rattle their tail. But as you say, if you do not see them, you may not know they are there. The black king snakes just race away...

 

[Saunassa]

I guess I will take my chances with the ticks, deer fly's and mosquitos of northern Minnesota. Can apply repellent and be for the most part ok.

 

[ehall]

code section, have you figured out how the rattler got inside? and plugged it up?

 

[CodeSection]

code section, have you figured out how the rattler got inside? and plugged it up?

I believe I know where it came in. The previous owner of the house had a break in 11+ years ago where someone kicked in the custom built French doors in the breakfast room. Since one door's wood splintered and a replacement door could not be found nor could the original carpenter that made them, a repair was made as best they could. However, that left a small gap at the bottom between the doors. See below.

I probably should replace the sweeps on the outside of the doors, but I believe the problem lies where the wood piece at the bottom splintered. In the 9+ years we have been in this house, this is a first. Maybe a piece of insulation molding might work.

 

[ehall]

I'm gonna guess that room isn't air conditioned! Yea, I would find a way to get that repaired. I'm in PHX and we don't get any critters in our house except for crickets. but I've got everything pretty well sealed off.

 

[CodeSection]

I'm gonna guess that room isn't air conditioned! Yea, I would find a way to get that repaired. I'm in PHX and we don't get any critters in our house except for crickets. but I've got everything pretty well sealed off.

Yep, the critters were probably just sitting out there enjoying the cool breeze coming out the door. I'll have to move the molding up my To-Do-List.

 

[corkybstewart]

Whoa...I have no clue about water moccasins or cotton mouths other than they are dangerous. Snakes and alligators .... no thank you.

I guess it really depends on how and where you were raised that some places seem more dangerous than others. For the locals, it is probably no big deal since they have learned what to watch for and how to go about their regular lives.

Water moccasins like to sun in tree branches, and they love to ride the river with people so they have a bad habit of dropping into boats that pass under those branches. I watched with uncontrolled mirth as one dropped into my brother's canoe and he and his wife ejected like they had been shot out of cannons. I live in SW New Mexico and have only seen one snake in the past 2 years-a coachwhip in some brush 100 feet from our house.

 

[corkybstewart]

At least the “good” thing about rattlers is they have always given me really good warnings.

I’ve never gotten within striking distance (that I know of) without hearing the signature “get the hell away from me or I will ruin your week” sound.

Unlike scorpions and a lot of other dangerous critters mentioned here.

That's the kind of thinking that gets people bitten. The only time I hear them rattle is when I've stepped on one already or somebody else has gotten too close. I could tell you stories all day about stepping over them, almost stepping on them, without ever getting any kind of warning

 

[CodeSection]

Water moccasins like to sun in tree branches, and they love to ride the river with people so they have a bad habit of dropping into boats that pass under those branches. I watched with uncontrolled mirth as one dropped into my brother's canoe and he and his wife ejected like they had been shot out of cannons. I live in SW New Mexico and have only seen one snake in the past 2 years-a coachwhip in some brush 100 feet from our house.

I'm glad I really only travel between AZ and CO. Water moccasins would freak me out!

That's the kind of thinking that gets people bitten. The only time I hear them rattle is when I've stepped on one already or somebody else has gotten too close. I could tell you stories all day about stepping over them, almost stepping on them, without ever getting any kind of warning

So true..... It helps not walking near the edge of a walkway, dirt road, sidewalk, etc. especially at night.

 

[day_trippr]

At least we only have to deal with timber rats and copperheads wrt poisonous snakes. I don't think I've ever seen the former and I've lived in New England 60 out of my 70 years, but I have come across enough copperheads while fishing over the same time to keep them in mind whenever I'm out bushwacking a stream...

Cheers!

 

[CodeSection]

At least we only have to deal with timber rats and copperheads wrt poisonous snakes. I don't think I've ever seen the former and I've lived in New England 60 out of my 70 years, but I have come across enough copperheads while fishing over the same time to keep them in mind whenever I'm out bushwacking a stream...

Cheers!

No copperheads for me either!!!! I guess it all comes down to where one was raised and what they are used to. Various snakes mentioned, high humidity, hurricanes, tornadoes, alligators, etc. would scare me.

I was a kid visiting Texas Tech in Lubbuck TX and saw a monsoon coming....yep a tornado. Go figure.

I was a kid visiting in Joliet/Plainsfield area in the farmland and saw the wind kick up and another monsoon coming. Yep, another tornado. Go figure. Once I got out of the car to run into the farmhouse into the basement did I realize how strong the wind was.

@day_trippr, I hope you are wearing you waders!

 

[AzOr]

That's the kind of thinking that gets people bitten. The only time I hear them rattle is when I've stepped on one already or somebody else has gotten too close. I could tell you stories all day about stepping over them, almost stepping on them, without ever getting any kind of warning

Agreed. I was just drawing the comparison to other scary things like scorpions. Those freak me out because they have a way of getting in house and blending in with carpet et.

 

[Hellbender1]

 

[corkybstewart]

Agreed. I was just drawing the comparison to other scary things like scorpions. Those freak me out because they have a way of getting in house and blending in with carpet et.

Our son lives in Midland Texas and has scorpion problems. Our daughter lives in Arizona and has scorpion problems. We live in New Mexico and have seen maybe 20 in 40 years.

 

[day_trippr]

[...]@day_trippr, I hope you are wearing you waders!

Only until the water warms up enough not to - which ironically is then "peak snake encounter time"

In my younger days when me and my best hardcore flyfishing pal would lose skin and blood in our nutso "Backwoods shortcut to the best spot!" attempts I actually carried an Epipen. Now that the damned things require a freakin' mortgage I carry a pack of Benadryl caps, keep my eyes open - and hope I don't need 'em ...

Cheers!