As a rescuer with Hill Country Snake Removal, a humane animal relocation service based in New Braunfels, Texas, Brett Parker is an expert at handling scaly animals of all sizes.
Recently, Parker got a call from a community member in a tricky situation. The man told Parker that his plumber had recently seen three rattlesnakes hiding in a crawl space under his home. Now, on top of an unfinished plumbing job, the homeowner also had a snake problem.
Naturally, Parker was happy to help.
The expert headed to the scene and was greeted there by his colleague Nathan Hawkins, of Big Country Snake Removal. Together, they crawled on their hands and knees under the house and began their search.
Hill Country Snake Removal
Navigating through the cramped space, Parker noticed a plastic sheet being used as a moisture barrier under the home. Then he heard an all-too-familiar sound.
“I heard a very faint ‘tick, tick,’” Parker told The Dodo. “It was enough for me to stop and investigate.”
Parker carefully lifted the plastic sheet. There, piled together under the tarp, were 29 slithering guests — 16 rattlesnakes, nine western coachwhips and four Great Plains rat snakes.
Hill Country Snake Removal
Though there were more than he bargained for, the rescuer wasn’t necessarily surprised to see so many snakes sheltering under a house, especially given the cold weather. According to Parker, snakes like to “brumate,” or hibernate, during winter months. Throughout this time, they seek out stale air environments, either underground or beneath heavy brush, where they can stay warm until spring.
“The crawl space underneath a home often provides the exact environment [snakes] are looking for to survive the cold,” Parker said.
Hill Country Snake Removal
Parker and Hawkins carefully moved each snake out from under the house. Together with the three original rattlesnakes the plumber had noticed, the rescuers relocated a total of 32 snakes.
Rescuers convinced the homeowner to release the non-venomous snakes back onto the property, given their harmlessness and the environmental benefits they provide.
Hill Country Snake Removal
The rattlesnakes, whose venom can hurt and, in some cases, be lethal to humans, were released in suitable dens far from suburbia.
Thanks to the dedication of these animal lovers, all 32 of these snakes are happily napping through the winter months in the wild, where they belong.
You can keep up with these snake rescuers by following Hill Country Snake Removal and Big Country Snake Removal on Facebook.
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