Most posts on this blog are about protecting yourself from snake bite while outdoors— while hunting, hiking, clearing brush, or just walking your dog while in the desert or woods where snakes live. But what if you found a rattlesnake in your bathroom at home?!
Unfortunat
ely, a family in Texas was recently taken by surprise when they discovered a live rattlesnake slithering in their toilet bowl! According to the family, the snake was pretty much alive and was doing its best to climb out of the toilet bowl. The family called in a snake removal company. Lucky they did that, not only for their own immediate safety, but because upon inspecting their house, the snake removal company found more than one stray snake. Unbeknownst to anyone, their cellar had become a rattlesnake den!
According to the company’s spokesperson, the snake removal team found more than 20 rattlesnakes in the family’s storm cellar. And, five of those snakes were infants. Rattlesnakes are extremely protective of their infants, but fortunately no injuries were reported by the family, and the large rattlesnake population was successfully relocated. As for the little creeper that exited through the family’s toilet, the experts believe that the snake somehow managed to enter a relief pipe and to make its way up. To ensure the family’s safety, the snake removal company sealed the relief pipe. After a clean sweep, no other rattlesnakes were found on the Texas family’s property.
Although the family claimed that they hadn’t seen a rattlesnake on their property for years, the company’s spokesperson declared that even though we can’t see them, snakes are still out there. Rattlesnakes and other poisonous vipers can be masters of disguise— relying on skin camouflage in order to elude bigger predators. That's how snakes can take up residence in your residence— if you don't hear a rattle, you don't necessarily know that they are there. Or they might be living in an area of your home or yard where you don't visit very often, such as a basement or outbuilding.
In addition to checking the rarely used areas of your home and property, your best defense against unwanted visitors is to make your property unattractive to snakes. Don't give them places to hide (abandoned junk piles and overgrown brush) and eliminate their food source such as mice and other small rodents. The neurotoxin carried by the snake’s venom can kill an adult in six hours or less. Even if not fatal, rattlesnake bite symptoms may include pain, tingling, swelling, numbness, nausea, weakness, and breathing issues— so don't take a chance! Whenever you are in snake country, protect yourself by wearing snake gaiters or snake boots and keep your eyes open to stay safe!
