Rattlesnakes in the guest bedroom!

[gila_dog]

While I was visiting my aunt she mentioned that she had seen a rattlesnake slither into her garage and disappear under some junk in the corner. She and a neighbor had moved the junk away, but the snake had disappeared. I looked around and found that there was a big gap under the wall. On the other side of the wall was the guest room. Looking around in the room I saw part of the snake visible behind a bookcase. She had a .22 rifle so I got it and leaned the book case away from the wall a little and poked the muzzle of the rifle behind it. The snake quickly disappeared down under the bookcase. So I tilted it out further and there he was, coiled and buzzing on the floor underneath. I put the muzzle of the rifle about 3 inches from his head and popped him. Then I leaned the bookcase all the way over to retrieve the dead snake, and saw that there was another one under there with him. So I popped it too.

I think they were a Diamondback rattlesnake couple, setting up house and getting ready to start a family. I'm sure glad we discovered them when we did or there would have been rattlesnakes all over that room! They liked that place because they could go out and hunt, and then come back to their cozy nest under the bookcase.

We patched up the hole under the wall. It was a good thing she had that rifle. Chopping at those snakes with a hoe, or bashing at them with a peice of pipe or something could have been dangerous, since they could have just slithered out of there and under another peice of furniture, or bit one of us . I just wish she had had some snake shot for the rifle. As it was the bullets knocked little divots in the concrete floor. I bought her some snake shot rounds and plan to give her some shooting lessons next time I see her.

 

[MissPrissy]

That is my worst nightmare. I grew up in a place common for rattlers and cotton mouths. I have always had a major fear of one getting in the house. I have seen HUGE 6 ft rattlers stand up and strike.

Thankfully your Aunt had you around to tend the problem. I would be concerned they were a mating pair. Eastern diamond backs lay internally and give birth to live snake babies. *shiver*

 

[ruth]

Oh my gosh - gives me nightmares. I'd never sleep in that room again - heck, would probably never sleep in the house again.

 

[Cetawin]

Thank goodness you went searching for them. I also grew up around diamondbacks and cottonmouths...not a critter I want taking up residence in the guest room or my garage.

I am sure you are quite right in your assessment....it was most likely a couple setting up housekeeping.

Great idea to teach your aunt how to shoot...then get her a bigger gun for those rascals...get her a shotgun. LOL

 

[Becky89*]

I am deathly afraid of an snakes but cute little gardner snakes.

I remeber when I was little a milk snake had gotten into the house and my father clubed it and then put it somewhere.

I also rember when I was picking juneberries and my dog had found a timber rattler that was scary but she came to me and I shot the snake with my 17 rifle

 

[conny63malies]

you gonna skin the snake right? make her a nice belt!!!

 

[steffpeck]

I would have passed out right then and there!!

I think my blood pressure shot up just reading this.

 

[Sparrow]

You guys live in a real hotzone for rattlesnakes, this probably won't be your only close encounter with them. These snakes are just trying to make a living, too, they're not trying to scare you or be aggressive. Luckily, if you call animal control, they have a venomous snake removal team in your area that will come in and remove your rattlers for you. They take them out to a remote area and re-release them to give them a chance at life out in nature. It's a good option, too.

 

[Jolyn]

Oh i am so so so so so grossed out right now. I can't even imagine finding a snake outside my house let alone in my guest room. Aughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! :|

 

[gila_dog]

In the area where she lives (and where we live) animal control is basically non-existent. The sheriff's dept may take an hour to get to your place, and aren't very interested in snakes and other varmints. They expect people to take care of that stuff themselves. People who can't, or won't shoot rattlesnakes, rabid animals, chicken-killing dogs, etc, call a neighbor to do the dirty work, or they give up and move back to town.

Actually, a .22 rifle with shot cartridges is a very good anti-snake weapon. You can stand way back where you are safe, then just reach the muzzle of the rifle down right in the snake's face and pop him. At such close range the little charge of tiny shot kills them quickly and humanely, but doesn't ricochet and do other damage, like regular bullets can do. A real shotgun would blow the ^%&$ out of your floor and wall!

I hope she will get over this episode, and won't be afraid to use the guest room. I have to admit, tho, that it's going to be pretty creepy for me to sleep in that room again. I think I need to do that tho, just to ease her mind about it.

Oh i am so so so so so grossed out right now. I can't even imagine finding a snake outside my house let alone in my guest room. Aughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

Jolyn, you are in northern CA and you think you don't have a snake problem???? My cousin lives in Redding, CA and they have lots of rattlesnakes. Lots more that we do, in fact. They kill them around their house all the time.​