The diamond-less western diamondback Rattlesnake

[DonTom]

I took a ride on my electric motorcycle to Old ABQ and to the Rattlesnake Museum there today.

They have a very interesting collection of snakes. The most interesting was the rare Western Diamondback Rattlesnake of the striped phase. No diamonds at all. Just striped. They also had many other snakes there, such as the AZ Mountain Kingsnake, New Mexican Milk Snake, etc. But no AZ coral snake.

-Don- ABQ, NM

 

[Old_Crow]

Caught this fellow in Sedona, at Crescent Moon Ranch, last summer. Az Blacktail Rattlesnake. Not aggressive, and I would have left him alone, but he was right in the middle of one of the swimming areas, with a lot of kids nearby. Relocated him to the back side of the ranch.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Hey, you made it to old town. Been a few years since I've been to the rattlesnake museum and while it's a bit of a touristy-thing there's actually a lot in there to see. Most of old town is just the standard fare of trinket junk shops but there's some old/historic buildings to see and a few nice places to have lunch or dinner.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[DonTom]

Hey, you made it to old town.

a touristy-thing

Well, I am a tourist while in ABQ. I have never been here before this trip.
I will l head for the Nuclear Museum today.

-Don- ABQ, NM

 

[DonTom]

Caught this fellow in Sedona, at Crescent Moon Ranch, last summer.

Blacktails are quite common in much of AZ. I saw one near Cottonwood during a hike a couple of years ago.

I am glad you relocated it. I realize some people would want to kill it.

-Don- ABQ, NM

 

[Rene T]

If it’s not on the endangered list why not kill it before it kills somebody? Unless it’s a snake that is useful for killing bugs and useless varmints.

 

[DonTom]

If it’s not on the endangered list why not kill it before it kills somebody? Unless it’s a snake that is useful for killing bugs and useless varmints.

They eat up a lot of mice and rats.

You have to try pretty hard to get bit and killed by a Blacktail rattlesnake. I doubt it has ever even happened.

I doubt you will find one on this rather short list over many years. Compare that list to bee stings, even lighting strikes.

-Don- ABQ, NM

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

I will l head for the Nuclear Museum today.

Wave to the B-52 and Titan missile for me, vestiges of my USAF past. The "trifecta" of a NM trip would be to go to the Bradley museum in Los Alamos, the ABQ Nuclear Museum and the open house at Trinity Site.

Just to the east of there along Central there are a few antique shops/indoor fleamarkets you might find amusing. Surplus City is also in there, which is 97% junk but interesting to look at if for no other reason than the scale of it.

I've lived in NM over 30 years and I can count on one hand with fingers left over then number of times I've encountered a snake of any kind out and about. Lotsa black widow spiders but they eat the giant roaches so they're OK in my book.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Old_Crow]

If it’s not on the endangered list why not kill it before it kills somebody? Unless it’s a snake that is useful for killing bugs and useless varmints.

First, they are very useful in killing rats and other rodents. Secondly, this was a Forest Service day use area, and the FS gets testy when you start killing their animals. Thirdly, there's a lot of property on Crescent Moon Ranch that isn't publicly accessible, so it was not a big deal to drop him where he'd no longer be a problem.

Now, the big Timber Rattler that struck at me(and missed, thank God)in my own yard back in Arkansas...him I gave to a friend to make a belt out of. If I'd been out on the property, away from the house, I'd have let him be, but he was less than 50' from my front door.

 

[DonTom]

People have been killed by trying to kill venomous snakes. Also, by trying to move them. In fact, both are on that list of those who have been killed by snakes. See the comments. for "Mark Shaw, 47, male" and "Barry Lester, 57, male" for just a couple of examples.

In perhaps most cases, it is best to just leave them alone.

-Don- ABQ, NM

 

[Oldgator73]

I grew up in Florida. Seen hundreds of rattlesnakes and thousands of cottonmouths and other poisonous snakes. Gators too. Black widow spiders and scorpions were common. Learned not to mess with with any of them. Snakes normally don’t want anything to do with humans and rattlesnake bites are rarely fatal. Spiders are more dangerous since they are smaller and harder to detect.

 

[DonTom]

and other poisonous snakes.

I have never seen a poisonous snake. But I have seem poisonous toads.

OTOH, I have seen venomous snakes, but not venomous toads.

BTW, all the reptiles are quite a bit different in FL from any area I have been in. I hope to see a few.

I will be on my way this morning. But I have no idea where I will stop and for how long on the way.

-Don- ABQ, NM

 

[Oldgator73]

Interesting stuff:

https://pawsomeadvice.com/wild/snake-bite-statistics/

 

[Old_Crow]

People have been killed by trying to kill venomous snakes. Also, by trying to move them. In fact, both are on that list of those who have been killed by snakes. See the comments. for "Mark Shaw, 47, male" and "Barry Lester, 57, male" for just a couple of examples.

In perhaps most cases, it is best to just leave them alone.

-Don- ABQ, NM

Just so you know, I had a snake bucket(basically a 5 gal plastic bucket with a spring-loaded lid), and a set of actual snake tongs. Wasn't just trying to grab this guy by the tail, like you see on TV.
As you said, the AZ Black Tail isn't very aggressive, but again, he was right next to a pathway that is heavily traveled by young children.

 

[DonTom]

Just so you know, I had a snake bucket(basically a 5 gal plastic bucket with a spring-loaded lid), and a set of actual snake tongs. Wasn't just trying to grab this guy by the tail, like you see on TV.
As you said, the AZ Black Tail isn't very aggressive, but again, he was right next to a pathway that is heavily traveled by young children.

IMO, you did it all the correct way.

When I was younger (and perhaps dumber) I often caught rattlesnake with my bare hands. But I think I was more lucky than skillful. Those were the pacific rattlesnakes. Oz for oz, thier venom is perhaps one of the most dangerous of all rattlesnakes. But they don't inject that much venom so they are not nearly as deadly as the large Diamondbacks which do.

But comparing venoms of rattlesnakes is very tricky. The exact same subspecies in a different part of its range can have a much different venom. Perhaps caused by their eating habits in different areas.

-Don- Adrian, TX

 

[Firstime RVer]

While hiking, camping and fishing, I have encountered many snakes. Every snake that I have encountered, wanted nothing to do with me. They were all either making a hasty retreat as I approached, or froze, trying to look inconspicuous.

The only ones, I was concerned about were the darn water moccasins, down in louisiana, that, if disturbed, would drop out of the bushes along the banks, where we were fishing.

While retrieving a lure our john boat bumped into a bush. We didn't see the snake until it fell into our boat, it was about 2 1/2 ft long and very aggressive. We abandoned the boat until we could launch it back into the water with an oar! And that was the only close call I ever had with a poisonous snake.

Safe travels and all the best.

 

[RayIN]

Hey, you made it to old town. Been a few years since I've been to the rattlesnake museum and while it's a bit of a touristy-thing there's actually a lot in there to see. Most of old town is just the standard fare of trinket junk shops but there's some old/historic buildings to see and a few nice places to have lunch or dinner.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

There is an outstanding authentic Indian Jewelry shop in old town. I bought DW a one-of-a-kind reversible squash blossom (turquoise or coral) necklace and matching earrings there while we were in town for the balloon fiesta.

 

[RayIN]

I have never seen a poisonous snake. But I have seem poisonous toads.

OTOH, I have seen venomous snakes, but not venomous toads.

BTW, all the reptiles are quite a bit different in FL from any area I have been in. I hope to see a few.

I will be on my way this morning. But I have no idea where I will stop and for how long on the way.

-Don- ABQ, NM

IMO that's the way to see things. There is a restaurant in Gallop or ABQ NM(I think) designed and furnished like a 1950's diner. It also has the worlds largest collection of Pez candy dispensers.
Might not be there now, that was 2008.

 

[RayIN]

Around Quartzite they call the black-tip ones green rattlesnakes; which are unusually aggressive compared to other variants.