Perhaps you’ve found yourself in this scenario: you’re doing a bit of gardening, or maybe you’ve relaxed to your favorite chair in the backyard and suddenly, you see the ground move ever so slightly. You shake it off as your imagination, but it happens again. Maybe you feel brave enough to move a little closer to see if your eyes are deceiving you. As you begin to move closer, the ground shifts again, and you begin to make out a form: a snake! You beat a hasty retreat to safety, shaken, but intact. If you’re lucky, what you’ve just seen is one of a number of non-venomous reptiles living in Nevada. The situation is a bit more serious if you’ve encountered one of the six species of “nope ropes” or rattlesnakes that make Nevada their home.
Generally identified by a wide triangular head and their rattling tails, an encounter with a rattlesnake can be frightening, and in the worst case, deadly. In southern Nevada, the most notorious of rattlesnakes is the Mojave Green rattlesnake. While rattlesnakes are dangerous, they are also important to the health of Nevada’s ecosystem and they are effective predators. It’s always best to give them wide berth to return the desert where they belong. Some snakes seem reluctant to do that, preferring to take up residence in sheds, garages, backyards, etc. Other venomous snakes in Nevada include Great Basin rattlesnake, Western diamondback rattlesnake, Mojave Desert sidewinder, and the Southwestern speckled rattlesnake.
To discourage rattlesnakes from turning your property into their own Airbnb, follow these tips:
Snakes look for several things for a suitable habitat: shade or cover, rock areas, with access to water and food supply. Now that temperatures are warming up, snakes will be more prevalent around us and more active in seeking out comfortable places to hang out. They enjoy hiding to avoid detection from predators like humans, which is often why our encounters with them are unpleasant. No one likes to be surprised by a snake, and frankly, they don’t appreciate being surprised either. Snakes seek cool grass and landscaping in the summer where they can find shade and water. Sheds and other outbuildings are also favorite hideaways. To discourage snakes from taking up residence nearby, clear your yard of piles of wood or rocks, overgrown landscape, ponds of water, etc. Also, properties with rodents may find that snakes consider this an all-you-can-eat buffet that’s open for business.
For those who live in newly developed areas or areas with direct access to open desert, property owners may want to consider rattlesnake fencing. This is tightly woven, chicken wire like fencing that is erected as a barrier to snakes. Fencing should be embedded in the ground to prevent burrowing under and should reach at least 3 feet in height to prevent the snakes from penetrating the perimeter of your property. Snakes are wily and will look for gaps and burrows in the fencing so be sure to inspect it regularly and make repairs as necessary.
Living in the desert as we do, rattlesnake vaccines are also important for our pets. The rattlesnake vaccine will help stabilize your pet until you can get them professional help after being bitten. This is especially true for smaller dogs, for whom a bite may be fatal in just a short time. Be especially careful if you walk your dog in the desert areas surrounding our city.
You can find out more about the creatures that live in our area, including the venomous and non-venomous snakes at the Nevada Department of Wildlife website HERE.
Be safe and protect our ecosystem!
