Living with critters snakes lizards in the sonoran desert

in #nature7 years ago (edited)

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Living in the sonoran desert here in arizona its common to have guests like this around the house
coach whip snake here peering out from under the house just a couple feet out my front door
the guests so far in two years have included snakes like the above harmless coach whip
hes easy to identify here even though only his head is visible you cant see his body or tail
notice the round pupil hes a non venomous snake a Venomous snake has elypictical pupils
Venomous snakes we got plenty here rattlesnakes we have 13 species of Rattlesnake and the coral snake
here more that any other place in the world or any other state in the us .
Rattlesnakes are usally shy would rather avoid people I had a large diamond back rattler right outside my front door last november i moved him safely back into the desert tips for avoiding rattlesnakes just watch where you walk know where your feet and hands are going stay out of bushes tall grass anywhere you cant see nothing to fear just stay awake
Scorpions plenty of scorpions two of the most common the giant hairy scorpion
and the smaller but much more venomous bark scorpion witch when stung by one can
feel like electrical shocks for hours with severe pain can last up to 12 hours
scorpions sting when stepped on not seen by a person they often get into houses and
tend to be found around bathrooms i have moved a few out of my house
there just trying to survive like everything else in this harsh environment and a tough place
i respect everything here