Also see: Rattlesnake Removal FAQ, for common questions related specifically to the removal of rattlesnakes.
FAQ
- Q: Will a rattlesnake attack me, my family, or my pets?
- A: To put it simply, no. “Attack” refers to an offensive action, and snakes only bite things larger than them if they’re defending themselves. This can mean stepping on, touching or grabbing, and/or cornering a snake. A rattlesnake won’t go out of its way to bite you, and requires you to be within half to three-quarters of their body length away — if not physically making contact with the snake in the first place.
- Q: Why do snakes chase people?
- A: They don’t. Stories of snakes chasing people are driven from fear or hatred. If you encounter a snake while out in direct sunlight and you stop and stay still for some time, the snake may begin to loose track of you and begin to think you’re a rock or tree casting a nice, cool shadow. It’s also possible to encounter a rattlesnake cruising around, but at a distance where it doesn’t see you despite you seeing it. A rattlesnake on the crawl traveling somewhere, if it doesn’t see you approach, may do the same think mentioned previously and think you’re a strange looking rock or tree.
- Q: I found a baby snake in my yard. Do I have a nest in my yard?
- A: Generally, no. Birthing season is in the late summer into early fall (August – October). If you encounter a tiny rattlesnake on the order of 4 – 7″ long late in the summer or in the fall, the answer could be yes. Otherwise, if the snake you found is 10 inches – 1 foot long or more, they’re likely to be yearlings or closing in on being a yearling and likely at least a modest distance away from their siblings — especially if you encountered the snake in the early to middle part of the summer (May – July).
- Q: Do all rattlesnakes rattle?
- A: Most of the time, a rattlesnake will hold off on rattling until they’ve been approached to close proximity or touched. Some populations may be somewhat used to people or animals walking around, and may in fact remain quiet and still until they’ve been touched or stepped on. Rattlesnakes may be more prone to extra early warning if stumbled upon during a warm/hot day if they are out in the sun trying to get into the shade. Snakes tend to become increasingly nervous as their body temperatures increase, and if you get in the way of them trying to get into a cool, shady spot, they’ll likely rattle more as they try to retreat to the shade and keep you at bay.
- Q: Can I kill a rattlesnake at my home (in California)?
- A: What you do in the situation where you or someone at your home comes across a rattlesnake is entirely up to you. It isn’t illegal to kill a rattlesnake in California as of now. However, if you hear me out or read into the lives of these creatures, I do hope it’ll change your mind. They don’t want to hurt you nor want to find themselves in a situation where they even have to defend themselves. If you aren’t a mouse or lizard, they won’t hurt you as long as you don’t try to hurt them. They’re free pest control, put aside the idea that they’re venomous. Plus, they generally move along if you give them space and time to leave without the stress of being followed.
- Q: Does snake repellent work?
- A: No. I’ve removed just as many rattlesnakes inside yards with hundreds of dollars in snake repellent used as I have at properties that haven’t used repellent at all.
- Q: Do baby rattlesnakes have a rattle? Secondly, do all rattlesnakes have a rattle?
- A: Yes, even newborn rattlesnakes will have a single button. If you find a small snake with blotches, but a pointy-tipped tail, it’s likely a gopher snake or juvenile yellow bellied racer. The answer to the second question is a tad bit more complicated. All rattlesnakes are born with a rattle, but they can permanently loose their rattles from an injury at the very tip of their tail just before their rattles start. If clipped by a car or if an animal injuries the very tip of their tail, it can sever off the rattles and the very tip of the snakes tail where the rattles are attached. This can create a rattle-less rattlesnake. A rattlesnake that lost the tip of its tail & rattles will have a blunt-ended tail, though, which helps tell you something is missing.
- Q: Is a juvenile rattlesnake more venomous than an adult?
- A: In short, no. Juvenile rattlesnake venom glands are a fraction of the size of an adults. Juveniles and adults can both control the venom dispensed in a bite, too. A bite from an adult rattlesnake can deliver significantly (10 – 20 times, potentially more) more venom in a bite than a juvenile rattlesnake, meaning the obvious: bites from adult rattlesnakes tend to be more severe than bites from juveniles. That said, a bite from a rattlesnake of any size is an emergency.
- Q: Where do rattlesnakes like to hide?
- A: Rattlesnakes are secretive creatures. They don’t care for being out in the open, and are generally seeking a cozy bush, rock, woodpile, or something else that provides protection from being seen & protection from heat. However, if these places are harder to find, they may find shelter against the shady side of a home, in a garage, or under any items near our house that create some cover. During the summer, snakes will spend most of the daylight hours in or very near shade when it’s hot out and become more active in the evening to avoid overheating in the hot sun.
- Q: I get quite a few rattlesnakes in my yard every year. Do I have a den?
- A: It’s rather uncommon to have a legitimate, cool season den site on a property. They of course exist, but generally in places where there isn’t a ton of human activity. Most of the time, in cases where some yards or properties see lots of snake activity, it’s because the location is in-between a possible den (or a few) and areas where snakes spend lots of time in the summer (for example, cooler areas, hunting spots, and places to shed their skin). We’ve noticed some property owners sometimes sit on long-standing routes that snakes seem to utilize every year, and this route likely contains many social places where other rattlesnakes interact with each-other, making them feel safe on their route. Den sites are almost always in sizeable rock outcrops, that have deep underground burrows keeping them dry and warm enough to comfortably survive winters.
- Q: Do rattlesnakes come out at night?
- A: Yes. When the weather is hot (>90+ degrees during the day), snakes tend to become increasingly nocturnal. Days when daytime temperatures are near (or in excess of) 100 degrees, snakes can become almost entirely nocturnal, as these temperatures can be deadly to snakes caught out in the open when the sun is up. These heatwaves (featuring daytime temps 100 degrees +) tend to come with nighttime lows in the 70s, especially in the foothills, meaning snakes can be active throughout the entire night.
- Q: What temperatures do rattlesnakes like?
- A: When it’s sunny & clear, air temperatures between 75 – 85 tend to be rattlesnakes’ favorite conditions to be cruising around, without being driven too much by how much shade is available. When it’s mostly cloudy out, this temperature range can be extended up another 10 degrees to 75 – 95 degrees.
- Q: Do rattlesnakes like rain?
- A: During the warm season, yes. Rain from monsoonal moisture (or even remnants of tropical weather systems) on warm days can actually lead to the highest levels of rattlesnake activity. Rainfall during the summer gives snakes a rare chance to get a drink, and tends to lead to rodents (among a long list of other animals) coming out to take advantage of the rain. Snakes will take advantage of this respite in the heat and be more willing to hunt at the surface & travel a bit on these warm, cloudy, showery days.
Also see: Rattlesnake Removal FAQ, for common questions related specifically to the removal of rattlesnakes.
Frequently asked questions
- Q: Will a rattlesnake attack me, my family, or my pets?
- A: To put it simply, no. “Attack” refers to an offensive action, and snakes only bite things larger than them if they’re defending themselves. This can mean stepping on, touching or grabbing, and/or cornering a snake. A rattlesnake won’t go out of its way to bite you, and requires you to be within half to three-quarters of their body length away — if not physically making contact with the snake in the first place.
- Q: Why do snakes chase people?
- A: They don’t. Stories of snakes chasing people are driven from fear or hatred. If you encounter a snake while out in direct sunlight and you stop and stay still for some time, the snake may begin to loose track of you and begin to think you’re a rock or tree casting a nice, cool shadow. It’s also possible to encounter a rattlesnake cruising around, but at a distance where it doesn’t see you despite you seeing it. A rattlesnake on the crawl traveling somewhere, if it doesn’t see you approach, may do the same think mentioned previously and think you’re a strange looking rock or tree.
- Q: I found a baby snake in my yard. Do I have a nest in my yard?
- A: Generally, no. Birthing season is in the late summer into early fall (August – October). If you encounter a tiny rattlesnake on the order of 4 – 7″ long late in the summer or in the fall, the answer could be yes. Otherwise, if the snake you found is 10 inches – 1 foot long or more, they’re likely to be yearlings or closing in on being a yearling and likely at least a modest distance away from their siblings — especially if you encountered the snake in the early to middle part of the summer (May – July).
- Q: Do all rattlesnakes rattle?
- A: Most of the time, a rattlesnake will hold off on rattling until they’ve been approached to close proximity or touched. Some populations may be somewhat used to people or animals walking around, and may in fact remain quiet and still until they’ve been touched or stepped on. Rattlesnakes may be more prone to extra early warning if stumbled upon during a warm/hot day if they are out in the sun trying to get into the shade. Snakes tend to become increasingly nervous as their body temperatures increase, and if you get in the way of them trying to get into a cool, shady spot, they’ll likely rattle more as they try to retreat to the shade and keep you at bay.
- Q: Can I kill a rattlesnake at my home (in California)?
- A: What you do in the situation where you or someone at your home comes across a rattlesnake is entirely up to you. It isn’t illegal to kill a rattlesnake in California as of now. However, if you hear me out or read into the lives of these creatures, I do hope it’ll change your mind. They don’t want to hurt you nor want to find themselves in a situation where they even have to defend themselves. If you aren’t a mouse or lizard, they won’t hurt you as long as you don’t try to hurt them. They’re free pest control, put aside the idea that they’re venomous. Plus, they generally move along if you give them space and time to leave without the stress of being followed.
- Q: Does snake repellent work?
- A: No. I’ve removed just as many rattlesnakes inside yards with hundreds of dollars in snake repellent used as I have at properties that haven’t used repellent at all.
- Q: Do baby rattlesnakes have a rattle? Secondly, do all rattlesnakes have a rattle?
- A: Yes, even newborn rattlesnakes will have a single button. If you find a small snake with blotches, but a pointy-tipped tail, it’s likely a gopher snake or juvenile yellow bellied racer. The answer to the second question is a tad bit more complicated. All rattlesnakes are born with a rattle, but they can permanently loose their rattles from an injury at the very tip of their tail just before their rattles start. If clipped by a car or if an animal injuries the very tip of their tail, it can sever off the rattles and the very tip of the snakes tail where the rattles are attached. This can create a rattle-less rattlesnake. A rattlesnake that lost the tip of its tail & rattles will have a blunt-ended tail, though, which helps tell you something is missing.
- Q: Is a juvenile rattlesnake more venomous than an adult?
- A: In short, no. Juvenile rattlesnake venom glands are a fraction of the size of an adults. Juveniles and adults can both control the venom dispensed in a bite, too. A bite from an adult rattlesnake can deliver significantly (10 – 20 times, potentially more) more venom in a bite than a juvenile rattlesnake, meaning the obvious: bites from adult rattlesnakes tend to be more severe than bites from juveniles. That said, a bite from a rattlesnake of any size is an emergency.
- Q: Where do rattlesnakes like to hide?
- A: Rattlesnakes are secretive creatures. They don’t care for being out in the open, and are generally seeking a cozy bush, rock, woodpile, or something else that provides protection from being seen & protection from heat. However, if these places are harder to find, they may find shelter against the shady side of a home, in a garage, or under any items near our house that create some cover. During the summer, snakes will spend most of the daylight hours in or very near shade when it’s hot out and become more active in the evening to avoid overheating in the hot sun.
- Q: I get quite a few rattlesnakes in my yard every year. Do I have a den?
- A: It’s rather uncommon to have a legitimate, cool season den site on a property. They of course exist, but generally in places where there isn’t a ton of human activity. Most of the time, in cases where some yards or properties see lots of snake activity, it’s because the location is in-between a possible den (or a few) and areas where snakes spend lots of time in the summer (for example, cooler areas, hunting spots, and places to shed their skin). We’ve noticed some property owners sometimes sit on long-standing routes that snakes seem to utilize every year, and this route likely contains many social places where other rattlesnakes interact with each-other, making them feel safe on their route. Den sites are almost always in sizeable rock outcrops, that have deep underground burrows keeping them dry and warm enough to comfortably survive winters.
- Q: Do rattlesnakes come out at night?
- A: Yes. When the weather is hot (>90+ degrees during the day), snakes tend to become increasingly nocturnal. Days when daytime temperatures are near (or in excess of) 100 degrees, snakes can become almost entirely nocturnal, as these temperatures can be deadly to snakes caught out in the open when the sun is up. These heatwaves (featuring daytime temps 100 degrees +) tend to come with nighttime lows in the 70s, especially in the foothills, meaning snakes can be active throughout the entire night.
- Q: What temperatures do rattlesnakes like?
- A: When it’s sunny & clear, air temperatures between 75 – 85 tend to be rattlesnakes’ favorite conditions to be cruising around, without being driven too much by how much shade is available. When it’s mostly cloudy out, this temperature range can be extended up another 10 degrees to 75 – 95 degrees.
- Q: Do rattlesnakes like rain?
- A: During the warm season, yes. Rain from monsoonal moisture (or even remnants of tropical weather systems) on warm days can actually lead to the highest levels of rattlesnake activity. Rainfall during the summer gives snakes a rare chance to get a drink, and tends to lead to rodents (among a long list of other animals) coming out to take advantage of the rain. Snakes will take advantage of this respite in the heat and be more willing to hunt at the surface & travel a bit on these warm, cloudy, showery days.
