Wichita Falls Reptile Rescue
Rescue, Rehabilitation, Release, Adoption
[ 7/13/09 ] I was called out this morning to save a beautiful juvenile, grey phase, Great Plains Ratsnake that had become stuck in duct tape the night before. The tape had been placed around a tree, in an effort to trap army worms from attacking the tree. I was able to free the snake from the tape using mineral oil and gently working it free from both ends. The snake appeared to be fine, and initially had no problems trying to bite me to defend itself, but it required observation and possible rehab for a jaw injury, and injury to the eye spectacle, which the tape had stuck directly to. Within the first 2 days, I noticed that it was having difficulty crawling, which could have been attributed to remaining tape adhesive on the belly, or more serious injury to the spine ( from struggling all that night to free itself ). On the 7/15 the poor snake was discovered dead.
[ 6/09 ] This juvenile Western Diamondback was found on Hwy 82 in Holliday. He had been run over or struck with an object across the back of the head, though was still quite mobile in every way, except biting. His jaw was broken, his head lacerated above the left eye, and his jaw muscles were exposed on the right side. I cleaned and dermal bonded his skin over the lacerations, but could not fix the jaw. I gave him something to mildly sedate him and something for the pain. I expected perhaps he would be a long term case who might need assisted feedings the rest of his life, but he was found dead in the morning.
These are living creatures that do not deserve the inhumane treatment that most uneducated people give them. I grew up in the country around cattle and horses, am mostly conservative, pro-gun...but I learned to use my own brain and evolved past the silly teachings...such as it being a Christian duty to exterminate one of these creatures. It's nonsense. All the years I have handled these snakes, gone out intentionally looking for them, aggravated them by picking them up...and not one of them has ever given me a reason to kill it.
[ 6/09 ] Baby Desert Kingsnake. He was saved from the middle of a highway one night on my way home, and I was going to return him off the road later when I had the time. He had other ideas and shortly escaped however. Now he is loose somewhere in my house, or maybe he found a way out by now. I hope he does well, and maybe I will see him around.
First snake rescue of 2008:
We rescued this beautiful baby Bull snake ( also known as Gopher snake in some parts ) down the street where a new fancy neighborhood is going up. On the way to town I thought I saw something on the road and wanted to check it out. What I original saw was just debris, but as I doubled back and then made the second U turn, this baby was sitting right there on the corner under a high curb. He had probably just narrowly avoided me hitting him, because I didn't see him the first time down the road. Poor little guy probably went into hibernation last year in a nice area, only to awaken and find new houses and landscaping all around which destroyed that brushy thicket he lived in.
His life was probably spared a second time by bringing him in for the night to take pictures of. The previous 2-3 days it had been around 80 degrees and he had probably just come up from hibernation. That night within mere hours of bringing him in, it dropped to freezing and it started snowing early the next morning. He probably would have been caught out in the cold, become unable to move, and might not have survived the night.
Most Bulls have very "hissy" attitudes because they attempt to fool threats into thinking they are rattlesnakes, but this little one is as docile as a Cornsnake so far. Since many of them are killed around here after being mistaken for the Diamondback rattler, we haven't decided whether to put him loose in a better wild area or hang onto him for education since he's so young and manageable. He has already taken a frozen/thawed mouse to eat on his second day here, which is very good for a wild snake to eat so soon after being taken in; and, also to take prey at all, that is not live at the time.
Last summer we humanely euthanized a Bull snake found run over on Hwy 79 W. It's internal organ damage was too severe to survive. Recently, in nearly the same spot, we also found and euthanized an Eastern Rat Snake that had been run over and was still alive. It was nearly 5ft. in length, and had survived much in it's life to get that big; until it's run in on 79 with someone who was safe in their car, but still had to kill something that was not a threat to them...simply for the sake of killing it.
We expect more of the same this summer.
Wichita Falls Reptile Rescue is knowledgeable in the handling of venomous snakes, and takes a particular interest in the Western Diamondback Rattler ( Crotalus atrox atrox ). We encourage the conservation of snakes such as the Diamondback, which are beneficial for controlling rodent populations. More people in the world have been killed by disease spread by rodents than have ever been killed by snake bites. Wichita Falls Reptile Rescue considers "rattlesnake round-up" type events to be barbaric slaughter, foolish, and counter productive to what farmers and ranchers often complain about; rodents and other small animals which eat and contaminate their feed and supplies with feces and disease.
Rattlesnakes do not rattle when they intend to bite things such as prey, therefore, the rattle is their way of helping you to not get close enough to be bitten. They do not want to waste their venom on that which they cannot eat. In that way, rattlesnakes are most considerate to people. A rattlesnake will be defensive and often stay coiled until you are far enough away that it feels safe to run.
Below are pictures of the Bullsnake ( Gophersnake ) which is quite common throughout our area, and the rest of the southwest. The Bullsnake is a non-venomous Colubrid snake. Bullsnakes are often confused for rattlesnakes and then killed, though they are often docile enough with some time and are taken as pets. The Bullsnake does a very impressive rattlesnake impression when threatened by exhaling/hissing forcibly through a bisected glottis, which flaps back and forth producing a very convincing "rattle" sound. It will also take on a rattlesnake-like S-curve as if it is going to strike. It will vibrate it's tail rapidly amongst the brush or leaves, and may it also flatten it's head to make it look more like a rattlesnake in order to scare away predators.
To the untrained eye, it may appear to be a rattlesnake. To the careful observer; however, it's visible inhalation and exhalation, along with round pupils, smaller head size relative to it's body, and sharper pointed snout, gives it away within half a second ( unless your walking down a dark path at night and are startled into jumping 4 feet flat-footed, like I have been ).
The most common rattlesnake in our area is the Western Diamondback. Perhaps the easiest way to distinguish a Western Diamondback from a Bullsnake, is to look for the lighter colored rattle on the end of the tail. A rattlesnake will also be more likely to have it's tail elevated off the ground so as to get the best rattle ( see top picture ). The Bullsnake will usually keep it's tail in contact with the ground in order to beat it against something. A Western Diamondback will have black/white banding at the end of the tail; whereas, a Bullsnake will not. The Diamondback also has a broader and more blunt nose, as well as two prominent white stripes bracketing the eyes.
Baby Western Diamondback on road
Business end of this rather docile baby Diamondback. This snake was fed and returned where it was found a day later, despite the objection of snake haters who feel they should be killed instead of released. [ 7/09 ] I recently got to overhear a local veterinarian state that if "he" found them, "he" would kill them. I guess he only saves the lives of animals "he" feels are "useful" to him. Kinda seems like an ethical contradiction? Not sure if the veterinarians take the same "Hypocrite" Oath [sic]. I hate cats, but I rushed one to a vet a few weeks ago to save it, and I'm not fond of Opposums, but when I found 7 babies clinging to their dead mother, I couldn't leave them to die too.
If you take nothing else from this lesson on snakes, understand that the Rattlesnake and other venomous snakes do not awake, and set out of their burrows with plans to hunt you down and kill you and your family that day; although, people often organize and do that very thing to them. The rattlesnake knows that people are too big to eat, and it would be a waste of its precious venom to needlessly bite soemthing that they can't eat. They are just animals which want what other animals want...to find food, shelter, and a mate, and to be left alone. The rattlesnake's only crime is that it is an efficient hunter compared to other snakes, and that it has a means to defend itself if it thinks you mean it harm. Some people keep guns for protection, and they shouldn't be pre-judged either...If you had fangs and someone was trying to kill you, wouldn't you bite to save your life? I would bite the hell out of you!
"Wild animals never kill for sport. Man is the only one to whom the torture and death of his fellow-creatures is amusing in itself." ~James Anthony Froude, Oceana, 1886