Well I was outside pulling weeds a few min ago...and I nearly put my hand on this little guy...









You can see how well camouflaged this little guy is! I was coming from behind his head pulling up weeds and saw the difference in coloration just in time. my hand was less than a foot away from him!! I'm going to go research what he is...because I'd not like it to be a rattlesnake...because that would have been too close a call...(I live more than 45 min from the local hospital. I think that a little too long for an ambulance to get here and bring me back in time. LOL) but my heart was pounding needless to say. :P

I was trying to I.D. this little fellow in my field guide but I couldn't find anything like him in it. so if anyone does know what it is, please let me know!
Thanks in advanced,
Tyler

here are some better photos with a tripod. I have a friend that is a herpetologist and said that is could be a lyre snake. but isn't positive. she asked me to get a picture or two -I took 9- closer, and this is what it looks like. (Hopefully its not a rattle snake...LOL but it didn't move at all while I was taking photos.)

Here they are.
(Hopefully it doesn't take up too much bandwidth. sorry if it does.)



This is a better picture of its head.





I think these look a bit better due to the tripod...and I didn't have to get closer my self.

I always thought that if it was a rattle snake of any kind...that it would have the rattle showing near it's head while poised to strike as this one is. Well...ok, curled up.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news......................but what you weeded out is quite literally a diamond back and yes, unfortunately for you, it is a rattle snake. And for being so close you're lucky you didn't get bit because it looks like a baby and they are more dangerous than the adults.

I've had many people tell me this, and I guess it's wither true, or everyone is wrong...:laugh:

well if I find it again I'll be sure to get someone to to come out and take it away for good...

well this morning my family (just mom, dad, me and our dogs) went for a walk and my mother almost got struck by a 4.5 to 5 foot long Rattle snake. it was nearly a baseball size in diameter. freaking huge if you ask me...I think the snakes are starting to take back the desert southwest...:laugh:

because first off I've never had the shance to see a baby rattle snake, nor have I ever seen one that large this morning.

The worst time to walk out in an "undeveloped" area of the desert is between late morning and early evening because that's when the snakes are out sunning themselves and they really hate to be interrupted when sunning themselves.

i am glad we don't have these snakes over here

*ghasp*!!! two replys in one day! wow. thanks.

we saw yet another one in our yard a few nights ago. it bit and (later) killed two of our neighbors dogs. we weren't goign to kill it...but then it got stuck in the fence, and there was no way that I, or my dad was going to cut it out. so one less 3 Ft Rattle snake...
:wel1: , Welcome rdwh!

Oh...sorry, I didn't see that you joined 18, Spetember 2005...thought it was 08..:)

no worries