Have you ever been near a living rattle snake?

[strateguy632]

Have you ever been near a living rattle snake?

[Lliam]

Yes, lots of times. I live on 30 acres in a rural part of northern California. Fortunately, rattlers are the only species of venomous snakes in the region.

We run across them every once in a while in our yard. The species we have here aren't very large and they aren't aggressive.

I HATE hearing about people killing every rattle snake they run across.

When I run across one, I catch it and relocate it to another part of our property. They don't return. I have a stick with jaws on one end and a trigger thing on the other that you squeeze to close the jaws. So it's easy to grab them and put them in a box for transportation.

My wife and I have run across them when they are not agitated. Other times, they at least have the courtesy to rattle and warn you that they are feeling threatened before you get too close.

I like snakes and that includes rattlers. They are not bad guys. The last thing in the world they want to do is bite you and waste venom that they need for eating, but they will if they are frightened and feel like they have to defend themselves.

I appreciate the work they do eating mice, voles and other vermin. I just don't want them near my house or garden where my wife or I might accidentally stumble across them.
I know they are around, though, so I'm fine as long as they stay out of our way.

[NamerOfStars]

Yes. And it was calm and felt unthreatened, so it didn't rattle at me. Truth be told, I'd've been MUCH more appreciative if, had it felt otherwise, it had; the warning of "Hey! Back off!", instead of attacking right away, is the kind of thing I like in a snake, and I think more animals should copy it.

When you consider that rattlesnakes, being snakes, are deaf, and have no idea what they're doing, it's doubly thoughtful.

[AviatorTom]

Not out in the open, but I've been to several zoos that have reptile exhibits. The snakes are usually behind glass.

[TheSpaceGnome]

Yes, many times, though for most of those it was behind glass. Also rattlesnake is one word.

[Kori1236]

Yup many times in the badlands

[SnowedIn]

Yes. I was not the happiest of people.

[Drumlin2001]

Maybe in a zoo, with it safely behind glass

[KostasKouvalis]

Yeah, quite a few times

[Jmmmfi4]

I wish... I love snakes

[slatyb]

Yes, I have.

[jahaims]

Yeah