"There it was, on the patio, not 10 feet from the back door..."

Dear Neighbor,

I'm your neighbor over on Ridgecrest, in the Weatherstone neighborhood of Highlands Ranch, Colorado in a house backing to open space. I thought you might be interested in this:

The day it arrived was a sunny August day right before Labor Day. Not too hot, but definitely warm. Mid-afternoon, I had just gotten home and had about a half hour to return phone calls before some clients arrived.

I let Julie out in the back yard. She is a Golden Retriever and loves to watch the construction work on the new house next door. I got on the phone. The next thing I know, Julie is barking like crazy. Had I only known...

Now, the correct thing to do, of course, would be to let Julie in so she would shut up. However, that would interrupt my call, so thinking she would soon stop, I went to the far corner of the house and shut the door so I wouldn't have to hear her. "The construction workers must have brought a dog she doesn't like.", I thought. My call ended and I went to round up Julie and stop all the noise that was getting worse.

To my surprise, Julie was right outside the door on the patio, barking her head off at something right nearby. She was foaming at the mouth from all the barking and unbelievably agitated. I stepped out on to the patio and there, not eight feet from the door was a coiled up rattlesnake, rattling away.

Wondering if Julie had been bitten, I hauled her into the house and stared in disbelief at the snake. We have been in this house 3 years and been in other open space houses in the area for another 19 years. This was a first.

The snake and I had a stare down. What do I do? Do I let the snake leave and then come back with his friends? Do I practice my nonexistent "Crocodile Hunter" techniques I've only watched on TV? What about those long snake handling stick things? I must have forgotten to ever buy one.

Ok, then I remember that Cindy, next door, had a bull snake removed from her yard. How? I couldn't remember. Animal Control. Where's the phone? "Information... ...no listing? Ok". What next? Maybe Cindy is home...

At this point, still staring at the rattling snake, I remember my clients. They are now due to arrive in 5 minutes. I sell real estate, specializing in open space homes. And what am I supposed to be showing them? Open space homes in Highlands Ranch. Great.

I call the clients. "I may be tied up when you get here..." They are on their way. "No problem, we like animals. What kind of snake did you say it was...".

I walk over to Cindy's while calling the police on my cell. "No, we don't remove snakes. We could send someone out anyway though". "And what would they do?" "I don't know, maybe shoot it." Too messy, not good for clients.

Cindy's kids answer the door. They are 9 & 11. "Go get your mom. There's a rattlesnake. I need help." After an eternity, they return. "Our mom doesn't want to see a snake today, but we do". Ok, why not? Then, if it leaves, someone else will have seen it.

They take a look at the snake. "Cool", "Awesome". Then they are off running out of the yard. Now the clients pull up. The snake has yet to stop rattling. "Do you folks happen to have any experience with rattlesnakes?..."

The kids are return with Cindy, armed with a BB gun. "I saw a movie where a guy grabbed the snake by the tail and swung his head into rock." Great. "Maybe you could chop its head off with a shovel." I start a mental inventory of my garden tools. "Shoot it with the gun!" And what happens if I miss? What happens if I don't kill him?

The clients emerge from the garage with a rake, two shovels and a 2X4. Cindy hands me the BB gun. More boys under the age of 12 arrive. I look in the garage for more weapons. The snake rattles and scans the crowd. Cindy keeps the kids at a distance. A suburban pulls up and 3 more kids get out to join the crowd. How did word spread so fast?  I pull the patio furniture away so that the snake can be a viable BB gun target.

First shot, I hit the snake. He is rattling slower and lowers his head. Shot two, clearly a miss. Three, maybe I grazed him. Now, he's making a run (slither) for it. Five young boys leap back as the snake starts across the patio...

No way am I letting him get to cover. I pick up the rake and swing at him. As luck has it, I take his head clean off. Now he is wriggling like crazy and bleeding, but without a head. The kids want to touch him. Cindy thinks better of that and keeps them back. The clients turn a little pale.

Cindy offers to take the snake (her kids want the rattle) and make sure no one gets bitten by the snake's head which is now opening and closing its mouth. I take her up on the offer and head off with the clients who have a new appreciation of wildlife on open space.

I just wanted to pass this on to you as an FYI. If it happens to you, call the HRCA park rangers at <!-- left number: image --><!-- number part: resizable --><!-- self number: resizable -->303-791-2710 <!-- right number: image --> or their pager at <!-- left number: image --><!-- number part: resizable --><!-- self number: resizable -->303-540-2311 <!-- right number: image --> . Also, Cindy found this ½" mesh fencing material at Home Depot which is supposed to keep snakes and rabbits out of your yard. You put it on the bottom section of the fence. I'm going to use it.

 The snake measured 34". Tell your kids: "If it rattles, get away!" (and call Cindy :-)

 Your Neighbor,

David Hubbard  - Premier Denver Homes

 <!-- left number: image --><!-- number part: resizable --><!-- self number: resizable --><!-- left number: image --><!-- number part: resizable --><!-- self number: resizable -->303-349-9064 <!-- right number: image --> <!-- right number: image -->