This could be another bad year for rattlesnakes.  I saw a baby one slithering by the base of one of my planters the other day.  And my neighbor told me she heard one while walking down her driveway last week. 

I live in an agricultural area of the county.  Through the years an occasional rattlesnake would slither through my garden only every couple of years.  Last year was the exception, which was a notoriously bad year for rattlesnakes.  And I have to admit that rattlesnakes terrify me to the point that last year I wouldn’t go out into my garden for weeks at a time each time I saw a rattlesnake.

Beside the rattle on their tail, you can also identify a rattlesnake from the common garden snake by the shape of its head.  Rattlesnakes have a triangle shaped head.  But if you see a snake slithering by, you may just want to let it move along its path rather than getting closer to try to identify it.

The UC IPM Pest Note for rattlesnakes recommends clearing away any heavy brush, tall weeds, grass, rocks, logs, lumber piles and any other places where snakes can hide.  Since snakes do not burrow, cover up any rodent burrows so the snakes cannot use them.  And of course, getting rid of any rodents will remove one of their food sources from the area making it less hospitable to them.  A snake fence can also be used to exclude snakes from an area.

Rattlesnakes are not considered threatened or endangered, so you are allowed to kill them on your property.  But from foolish experience, I can tell you it is both difficult, and dangerous to try to kill a rattlesnake with a shovel.  If the rattlesnake doesn’t move on to another area, it’s wiser to call a professional to remove the snake rather than trying to deal with it yourself.

If bitten, seek immediate medical attention.  I always keep my cell phone in my pocket when gardening just as a safety precaution.  In case of a garden accident or snake bite, I’ll be able to summon help immediately.  Whenever you’re home alone gardening, consider keeping your cell phone within reach.