Wherever human habitation overlaps rattlesnake habitat, there are going to be areas of interface. In most cases, the best rattlesnake management policy is simply rattlesnake education. Educating employees and the public can remove the need to “manage” the snakes.
Where rattlesnakes must be excluded, snake fencing is an expensive but fairly effective solution. Less expensive measures include removing brush or lumber piles and yard clutter that could provide shelter for rattlesnakes, and securely containing anything that might attract the rodents that rattlesnakes feed on.
If a rattlesnake is causing concern by resting in a public area, the best solution is simply to put up some flagging for a few hours. Rattlesnakes prefer to rest in the shade on hot days and travel at night. Arrange to give him some space until dark, and it’s likely he’ll move on.
Why Long Distance Translocation is Not the Solution
Those who manage outdoor facilities such as parks and campgrounds often believe that relocating rattlesnakes is a humane solution to safety concerns, While their intentions are good, the results are tragic, Virtually every relocated rattlesnake dies as a result of relocation, not because of rough handling but because relocating them deprives them of a basic necessity for their survival.
Rattlesnakes den communally, returning to the same hibernaculum, or den, every autumn to spend the winter in brumation — a state similar to hibernation. Den sites must meet very specific criteria in order to provide suitable conditions for brumation. Knowledge of the den’s location is passed down from one generation to the next, with youngsters in their first season learning by following familiar adults.
When a rattlesnake is removed from the vicinity of the den, he becomes disoriented. He ceases to eat, and travels incessantly, searching for any clue that might lead him home. Eventually, he starves to death or, if winter arrives first, he freezes to death, having no idea where to find the local den.
If a rattlesnake must be moved, he should be moved only a few hundred yards in the direction he was traveling when he was found. If he’s found resting inside a building or in a position that gives no indication of his intended direction of travel, he should be moved the shortest distance possible — never more than a quarter mile — and released at the nearest safe location.
A rattlesnake found in unusual circumstances where his location of origin cannot be determined (such as the rattlesnake found in a backpack at a Seattle bus stop) should not be released. While a life in captivity is not ideal, it is preferable to a slow death by starvation or freezing.
Many universities, zoos, or wildlife rehabs will willingly take in a rattlesnake who cannot be released. If you are unable to place such a rattlesnake, contact me and I’ll be happy to reach out to some of my connections.