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by boams on July 1, 2003
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I would like to relocate rattle snakes from my house and property and not kill them. I have a boa and have handled different non-venomous snakes for about 20 years but have never dealt with venomous snakes. Now I find myself in a position to deal with rattle snakes and want to know what the safest way to relocate them would be. I am thinking of getting a hook and hot box but don't have much experience with these snakes. I live in southern california and believe the snakes are common rattlers, whatever that means.
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by Snakeman1982 on July 1, 2003
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Hello Michelle,
Well first I would tell you that if you want to relocate rattlesnakes and not kill them that it is a very noble cause.
Also I think that you need to buy a couple of field guides for snakes in your area and become very familiar with them before you go catch them. There is no "common rattlesnake" species. You need to buy a book and know what species are around where you live and what will happen to you if one snake bites you. For example, you could end up getting bit by a western diamondback, Mojave rattlesnake, or southern pacific and all their venoms react differently. You need to know what those venoms will do to you because chances are that the doctor that you see won't know a thing about snakes or their bites. So I would print off a rattlesnake protocol in case that you get bit. The best one of course is by Dr. Sean P. Bush and you can find it at http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic540.htm
Since Mojave venom is so different they have one specifically for its bites at http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic541.htm Both of these are excellent guides that you need to give to your doctor if you get bit so they know what to do and maybe more importantly what not to do because they do some stupid things to people who get bit by snakes because they have no experience in this field. If you are unconscious or unable to give them directions they can just read off the protocol and take someone elses directions. They also might not listen to you if you tell them something but they will listen to another doctor who is an expert.
A great book I use for snakes in the west is "Snakes of North America: western region" by Richard Bartlett and Alan Tennant. Another one I saw but haven't used is "A field guide to the snakes of Southern California" by Philip Brown. The western region of the Peterson's Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians is ok but really isn't anything I would depend on if I were only after snakes.
If you aren't use to using a snake hook with rattlesnakes then I would suggest buying a pair of cheap but reliable snake tongs. Midwest is the best of course but they can be priced a little much if you barely use them. Then all you have to do is pick it up with a 40" pair of tongs and place it in a large trash can. Shut the lid and drive it close to where you found it, but not too close to civilization. This should be the safest way of relocating them but I don't do that so maybe someone else has ideas. I saw a program once that showed a guy sweeping a rattlesnake into a trash can that was laid down on the ground and then he just picked the trashcan up after it was in. It is a good idea but I think tongs would be the most affective and safe way for the situation. Hope this helps.
Robert C. Jadin
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by chewwy on July 3, 2003
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I hope your not in relation with that Shapiro, who represented OJ. That is a good plan, but be very careful.
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