Sometimes you had better leave ’em be!

While volunteering (spreading and raking in native grass seeds) at one of Austin’s land management areas designed to protect water quality for the Edwards aquifer on Saturday, we ran across this sleepy fella. A Western Diamondback Rattlesnake. We all kept our distance, and thankfully he was in a lethargic mood because they are known to not back down when challenged like other snakes tend to do. We took the shot and hastily moved on.

Able to reach seven foot in length, Western Diamondbacks range from Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas to Arizona and southern California. They pretty much live anywhere: Deserts, rocky hillsides, forested areas and grassy plains as well as river bottoms. I probably have one in the grassy field behind my house. Yikes! The turkeys I saw wondering through the other day had better watch out!

But it’s not all sunshine and roses for these snakes either, as they often come under attack themselves. Seen as a great threat, they are often trampled by deer, horses, cows and even sheep. Eagles, hawks, roadrunners, foxes, wild turkeys and coyotes and badgers regard them as a great meal. Especially the juveniles.

Oh and by the way, they don’t always rattle to warn their intended victims. How lovely. Beautiful but very, very dangerous……….