I Reckon It Was Only A Matter Of Time!

Well that didn't take long, he's back

I again was summoned by Linda to once again relocate my friendly little Rattle Snake. Yes it has been less than a week and my little friend has once again returned to our compost bins looking for some tasty mice (I am assuming he finds them tasty) which live there. I really like the idea that he is interested in reducing the rodent population but as I mentioned before, there is a problem with that. Pogo, our hunter cat also like to peruse the compost for the same reason. And as nonchalant as this little snake seems around us, he does have the potential of perhaps costing us our home with just one bite.

So once again I had to retrieve my snake handler tool and a bucket and go retrieve my little friend. This time he was not where Linda ad found him and it took a bit to locate him. It gave me a weird feeling to know that somewhere in the vicinity there was a Rattle Snake but not knowing where or how big or how aggressive and upset it may be.

As I moved the tarp where Linda first saw him, he eventually decided to leave that compost bin and move a couple of bins down to relocate in the straw bin. This where I convinced him to slip his little head into the crude loop on my makeshift snake tool. It actually took several attempts.

At last, I managed to catch him and place him into the bucket. This time I put a lid on the bucket which made traveling to his new HOME a bit more comfortable for both him and me.

The new location was about a quarter of a mile south of the ranch at the ole Garlic Farm. Although this farm has been abandon for several years so I felt he may actually like his new home and not come back for a visit. At least this would be best for our cats if he would stay away.

He was just as calm and relaxed as he was during our last encounters. I am not that familiar with the habits of Rattle Snakes but over the years when I have encountered either Diamond Backs or Timber Rattlers they seemed to be extremely more aggressive. Meaning that hey would immediately coil themselves up, rattle their tails and hiss, if not attempt to strike. If this is any indication of how they normally react, then this guy has not been hanging out with the right snake instructor. The only time he has ever rattled his tail was when I lifted him into the bucket and it didn't even make any noise.

When I released him, he did not seem interested in leaving the bucket so I had to sort of pour him out of it. He turned and looked at me and than moved to a shady spot under a Pinion tree. There he sort of curled up, not in one of those poises we always see them at in magazines and looked directly at me but than just a relaxed and turned away facing away from me. For a few moments he let me stroke his back (with the tool I made, no not my hand), never once rattling his tail or even turning back toward me. Perhaps the most nonchalant Rattler I have ever seen. After several minutes once he had enough of me, he slowly moved away.

Will he venture back for a third visit, we shall see.

Terry R. Wolff