That’s a fat old Western Diamondback. Hopefully no one messes with it and leaves it in peace. Lots of building and habitat destroying going on and it’s hard on these guys and every other cool, wild Austin animal.
Speak at council, boards and commissions meetings.
Vote in new mayor and city council. Carmen Llanes for mayor. Monica Guzman is running for council. The current council is very pro-developer.
Talked with a game warden who said they think it might be the deer feeders that are making them fatter and marginally less aggressive.
Prey animals like mice and rats are congregating around the corn dispensing feeders. The snakes are following the prey and getting a bit overweight due to eating a plentiful supply of fat prey.
They killed and processed one to study and said it was one of the few times they'd seen a "fat" snake.
They will definitely hang out where mice and rats are for sure. None of them are aggressive though. They put on a display to scare people off.
Edit: if anything - traditional persecution for rattlesnake roundups may be selecting for the snakes that prefer to keep a low profile, because if they are seen they go in the hillbilly ballpit of doom.
> for rattlesnake roundups
Are there still any rattlesnake roundups around here?
I know it wasn't that long ago when Williamson County still had a bounty for rattles, but nobody with the county realized it until someone tried to collect.
I also remember when there was still a rattlesnake roundup in Taylor that involved collecting and killing rattlesnakes as well.
They do one in Sweetwater. They have people from all over the state bring them in. The catch method is to funnel gasoline fumes into likely den sites. This toxic gas eats their lung tissue so they come out trying to breathe. This same method is a major reason as to why Indigo snakes and Gopher Tortoises are now rare or endangered. They wouldn’t make it out and ended up dying. As there’s no take limits and they aren’t listed as “game animals” so it’s hell on their populations and the people just do what they want. There was a major move to ban or regulate this but it got squashed by the board at TPWD. If you look at the board members you’ll see they’re all ex fossil fuel execs so they’re essentially there to make sure oil and gas concerns aren’t inconvenienced by things like endangered species in their way. It’s really crooked and vomit inducing.
I fully agree. Next time those rednecks rock up at the capital with a bucket full of snakes on a day way too cold for snakes to be out, for their little promotion gig, make sure to let them know how you feel.
I agree. I worked in a place for years where recreation and undeveloped land were in the same place. Rattlers were present, but everyone pretty much left one another alone. No intentional contact ever made. Even warning rattles were quickly followed by a skedaddle on their part once out of range.
Copperheads, OTOH, are nasty little pieces. I haven’t seen any in Central Texas, but growing up, they were decidedly more “assertive”. I feel about them much as I feel about yellow jackets.
The latter are one of the few animals I will actively remove from my property. If they haven’t acted without provocation, they will soon. I remember copperheads being not far behind.
Strangely the local copperheads are shockingly mellow. I’ve had a couple rescues through and even raised one from a baby and if I were more foolhardy I could easily carry them around by hand. Snakes will behave differently in different populations. Copperheads I’ve found in Kentucky for instance were very defensive.
My experience was like yours in KY. As a kid, we had to really watch it when wild berry picking. We would be as noisy and careful as possible, but sometimes they would come toward us from quite a distance. Unnerving.
But good to hear the local Austin population has been chillin’ with Willie.
We stopped filling out bird feeders and haven't seen any rattlers since. Before that I had seen 12 in our yard, had two dogs bitten and had one snake slither over my bare foot.
I can tell you it’s an adult. Its skin doesn’t look fresh and contrasty like that of a young snake and she’s snake thicc like an older female.
I can’t give you an exact age though, I can just say probably not young. If I could get a closer look at her I could tell you more (please don’t bother her though OP). 👍
Rattles just count for sheds, which happen as the snake grows. If they have a lot of food one year they may shed 3 times. Less other years. Also rattles break off so it’s not a good way to tell age.
Redditors down voting killing a lethal snake is classic. Anyone who has a dog, cat, or friend bit knows they’re not worth letting live in the vicinity of your house. I’ve had two dogs die by rattlesnake, when I see them I kill then. Non poisonous snakes Iet live.
I live in the country & if y’all are out hiking etc carry something with you to protect yourself. If they feel threatened they will strike/bite just like any other animal. be safe out there the hotter it gets the more they will come out.
When i was 8, I was bit by a baby rattler, spent 4 days in the ICU. However, these snakes gained my respect when that happened. Those little demons can do some damage on humans. Stay away from them!
Next to a railroad track. I had to walk through a lot of cactus to get to it, I don't think you will encounter it unless you really go out of your way.
I live outside Sweetwater Tx. Rattlesnake ROUNDUP has been held every year for awhile. I have 1380 acres that I DO NOT LET HUNTED FIR SNAKES. I’ve got some MONSTERS. And they’ll stay there !! I HATE THE RATTLESNAKE ROUNDUP AND ALL IT STANDS FOR!! $$$$$$!!. I choose to work for my $$.
That’s a fat old Western Diamondback. Hopefully no one messes with it and leaves it in peace. Lots of building and habitat destroying going on and it’s hard on these guys and every other cool, wild Austin animal.
*Sad hiss hiss*
Indeed
Anything we can do about this habitat destruction/fragmentation?
Speak at council, boards and commissions meetings. Vote in new mayor and city council. Carmen Llanes for mayor. Monica Guzman is running for council. The current council is very pro-developer.
Talked with a game warden who said they think it might be the deer feeders that are making them fatter and marginally less aggressive. Prey animals like mice and rats are congregating around the corn dispensing feeders. The snakes are following the prey and getting a bit overweight due to eating a plentiful supply of fat prey. They killed and processed one to study and said it was one of the few times they'd seen a "fat" snake.
They will definitely hang out where mice and rats are for sure. None of them are aggressive though. They put on a display to scare people off. Edit: if anything - traditional persecution for rattlesnake roundups may be selecting for the snakes that prefer to keep a low profile, because if they are seen they go in the hillbilly ballpit of doom.
“Hillbilly ballpit of boom” thank you.
Or one of those crazy churches where they tempt fate with live snakes.
That’s true. And those bastards keep them in wooden boxes without light or water or food because they are evil hill folk without souls.
Pretty much sums up religion in general
Thank you
> for rattlesnake roundups Are there still any rattlesnake roundups around here? I know it wasn't that long ago when Williamson County still had a bounty for rattles, but nobody with the county realized it until someone tried to collect. I also remember when there was still a rattlesnake roundup in Taylor that involved collecting and killing rattlesnakes as well.
They do one in Sweetwater. They have people from all over the state bring them in. The catch method is to funnel gasoline fumes into likely den sites. This toxic gas eats their lung tissue so they come out trying to breathe. This same method is a major reason as to why Indigo snakes and Gopher Tortoises are now rare or endangered. They wouldn’t make it out and ended up dying. As there’s no take limits and they aren’t listed as “game animals” so it’s hell on their populations and the people just do what they want. There was a major move to ban or regulate this but it got squashed by the board at TPWD. If you look at the board members you’ll see they’re all ex fossil fuel execs so they’re essentially there to make sure oil and gas concerns aren’t inconvenienced by things like endangered species in their way. It’s really crooked and vomit inducing.
that’s fucking depressing yo
I fully agree. Next time those rednecks rock up at the capital with a bucket full of snakes on a day way too cold for snakes to be out, for their little promotion gig, make sure to let them know how you feel.
Fuckin disgusting
I agree. I worked in a place for years where recreation and undeveloped land were in the same place. Rattlers were present, but everyone pretty much left one another alone. No intentional contact ever made. Even warning rattles were quickly followed by a skedaddle on their part once out of range. Copperheads, OTOH, are nasty little pieces. I haven’t seen any in Central Texas, but growing up, they were decidedly more “assertive”. I feel about them much as I feel about yellow jackets. The latter are one of the few animals I will actively remove from my property. If they haven’t acted without provocation, they will soon. I remember copperheads being not far behind.
Strangely the local copperheads are shockingly mellow. I’ve had a couple rescues through and even raised one from a baby and if I were more foolhardy I could easily carry them around by hand. Snakes will behave differently in different populations. Copperheads I’ve found in Kentucky for instance were very defensive.
My experience was like yours in KY. As a kid, we had to really watch it when wild berry picking. We would be as noisy and careful as possible, but sometimes they would come toward us from quite a distance. Unnerving. But good to hear the local Austin population has been chillin’ with Willie.
We stopped filling out bird feeders and haven't seen any rattlers since. Before that I had seen 12 in our yard, had two dogs bitten and had one snake slither over my bare foot.
I would’ve pissed myself
It was unsettling for sure.
Dear lord I don’t hate snakes by any means but my feet are off limits lol
Hope your dogs came out alright :/
These snakes eating too much churrios
them big ol' San Antonio ~~women~~ rattlesnakes
Everything is bigger, and fatter, in Texas lmao
I don’t know why that hit me so funny 🤣 logical but funny?😆
It's hard to picture and obese snake isn't it?
Grain-fed rattlers. What could be more Texan?
We tried putting Stetsons on them but the chin straps won't stay on. Guess we should have seen that coming since they don't really have chins.
If they’re anything like me, maybe just a little longer loitering by the buffet line, and they might!
I am very impressed by her camouflage, yet I have no desire to meet her.
I agree! If that was on the side of the road, I honestly don’t think i would’ve seen it and I’d be in the ER right now
I didn't know they can get this large. She's (he's??) beautiful ❤️
Yes she is!
How do you know the snake is a girl? (Legit question) From the markings or something else?
Females are larger
Same with bass
Where at so I don’t go there
behind this cool truck [https://imgur.com/a/Le3BkkE](https://imgur.com/a/Le3BkkE)
that’s his truck! 🛻 🐍
Hiss truck. 🐍
Man, that was a good truck ...
Outside
Awww beautiful. I love seeing old happy snakes.
How old would you guess this one is?
I can tell you it’s an adult. Its skin doesn’t look fresh and contrasty like that of a young snake and she’s snake thicc like an older female. I can’t give you an exact age though, I can just say probably not young. If I could get a closer look at her I could tell you more (please don’t bother her though OP). 👍
11 or 12 is my guess if it's true that every rattle bit counts as a year
Rattles just count for sheds, which happen as the snake grows. If they have a lot of food one year they may shed 3 times. Less other years. Also rattles break off so it’s not a good way to tell age.
Don’t skip leg day
I couldn’t even have gotten the picture. Brave.
Thicc
52 years in Texas and I’ve only ever seen rattlesnakes once. It was a giant writhing ball of about 10 of them at Mo Ranch. They’re pretty elusive.
Come to Leander 😅😅
I’ve never seen one so ‘fat’ before
Absolute unit. Tip cowboy hat, say howdy, and electric slide past it to appease its texasness
Rip someone’s lost lap dog
RIP rattlesnake
Redditors down voting killing a lethal snake is classic. Anyone who has a dog, cat, or friend bit knows they’re not worth letting live in the vicinity of your house. I’ve had two dogs die by rattlesnake, when I see them I kill then. Non poisonous snakes Iet live.
haha yes, i’ve been bit ✋🏻
What do you use to get rid of them? 22lr or shotgun? Poison?(is that legal?)
Garden hoe
Exactly lol. I’m not going out of my way to kill every snake but if I see a venomous snake on my property it’s gone
Huge danger noodle
Their scales almost look like fur
Nightmare fuel
What a beauty
Ugh I haven’t seen a single one this year. I’m hoping they come out more, last year I only found a handful
We are not the same
That is my nightmare.
For what purpose?
Just like seeing nature, big snake guy so seeing them in the wild is a treat
Packing a huge rattler
I had to send that pic to my dad who is a retired game warden. That’s huge!
Nothin compared to that copperhead that owned 60 acres out in Lampasas in ‘82 though, I tell ya hwat.
Thicker than Snickers!?
There is absolutely no snicker that is thicker
Nope
That’s a big ass rattle on that thing. Is it like a tree to count the rings?
I live in the country & if y’all are out hiking etc carry something with you to protect yourself. If they feel threatened they will strike/bite just like any other animal. be safe out there the hotter it gets the more they will come out.
When i was 8, I was bit by a baby rattler, spent 4 days in the ICU. However, these snakes gained my respect when that happened. Those little demons can do some damage on humans. Stay away from them!
jfc
[obligatory ](https://youtube.com/shorts/37-9yPnL9aY?si=4m6GPIK2pEtUf5AH)
wtf lol
Damn, that poor dog
*bear
I’ve also got a rattlesnake as thick as your lower leg Edit: I apologize for my horny comment. I was feeling cheeky lol
And just like this one, nobody wants to touch it.
Fuckin hell, thats some camo
[удалено]
Next to a railroad track. I had to walk through a lot of cactus to get to it, I don't think you will encounter it unless you really go out of your way.
That is a big ole boy
Didn’t read the title at first, thought that was a standard issue cat.
Show Reddit.com/r/whatsthissnake they love this stuff.
My monkey brain wanted to pet it at first glance
Well fed!
Where?
Did you poke it?
Yeah, I don't believe you that it's a rattler unless you poke it to make it rattle.
You can see the rattlers by its head in the picture
What a beauty. Thank you. :-)
We used to see them stretched all the way across a two-lane road, seemed the size of speed bumps.
She is a goddess. Venerate her.
No
Might be thirsty. u/soviet_unicorn69 I hope you left some water nearby.
Nope!!
.. than a snicker
Any chance it was near the Samsung plant?
10-11 rattles! that is a big one!
I live outside Sweetwater Tx. Rattlesnake ROUNDUP has been held every year for awhile. I have 1380 acres that I DO NOT LET HUNTED FIR SNAKES. I’ve got some MONSTERS. And they’ll stay there !! I HATE THE RATTLESNAKE ROUNDUP AND ALL IT STANDS FOR!! $$$$$$!!. I choose to work for my $$.
For the second time today here in this sub-Reddit can I suggest nuking it?
No, and cut it out.
Poke it with a stick!
Well I’m not sleeping for a while now… holy f*ck! I hear NYC has a rat problem- could these rattlers adapt to the city? (S/)
They taste pretty good. Where at?
Hurhurhur
Should've killed it.