We appreciate everyone following the Rattler Tattler to date! Thanks for contacting us directly with your questions too. We were very excited to me those of you who were able to join us at Jefferson County Open Space’s Land Stewardship presentation on August 16th!
Here’s the latest:
Here’s the latest:
- We found 3 maternity dens…which are places (i.e. rocks) where females remained for weeks or more to keep warm before giving live-birth to babies
- One snake remained near one rock near the Golden Cliffs trail for about 2 months prior to giving birth…and has since moved-on, but often times close to trails
- 2 snakes (with transmitters and one more without a transmitter) were at one rock near W. 43rd for nearly 6 weeks before giving birth. At least one baby remained in this area when last visited, but moms have moved-on.
- 1 other snake in near W. 43rd just gave birth very recently. (We first saw babies at this location last Sunday.) We expect mom to move on soon, but was still with the babies yesterday.
 Photo by Ryan Borgmann |  Photo by Ryan Borgmann |
- It’s Moving Day! At least that’s what it feels like. Many of the snakes had been fairly reliable in their movements and locations so far…especially pregnant females as we indicated above. At this point, many of the snakes are continually moving around. Sometimes, we can’t find them until another visit or two to the area later. (Our transmitters are limited in signal strength and our receivers cannot always detect them…despite our efforts to walk around to locate them.)
- We’re excited to announce that through the website for Jefferson County Open Space, you can sign-up to join us in the field [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rattlesnake-tracking-at-north-table-mountain-park-tickets-37554658996] on Sundays! We realize not everyone is a fan of rattlesnakes, but we’re happy to take you along with us in safety gear and we’ll answer all of your questions.
In the coming weeks we are expecting many rattlesnakes to be on the move to start heading towards their wintering (or hibernation) dens. What does this mean for you? As the temperature drops at night, more and more snakes will become active during the day, but still avoiding activity at really hot times.
If it’s comfortable for you to wear a t-shirt outside, it’s probably comfortable for them!
How to stay safe:
- Check carefully under rocks before sitting on or next to them, and be mindful of where you rest your gear.
- Watch along the sides of trails, and particularly if your dog is sniffing alongside them, as snakes can hide under rocks, in grass clumps, and in or under shrubs and other vegetation.
- If you’re bitten, try to remain as calm as possible. Call 911 immediately and remove all jewelry. Follow these safety tips here from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/snakebite.html
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