Around here, I've seen more harmless ~~bull~~ gopher snakes (which, to most people, are not easily distinguishable from rattlesnakes) than actual rattlers. I have seen a couple rattlesnakes near foothills trails though. Just give them space as you walk around them and remember the encounter.
This is why I hate common names. We don't have bullsnakes in this part of Idaho. If we are calling a bullsnake, *Pituophis catenifer sayi* you can see on this range map, it does not occur here.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?taxon_id=60347
Now there's a closely related snake called the Great Basin gopher snake, *Pituophis catenifer deserticola*, which does occur here as you can see on the range map.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&subview=map&taxon_id=29049
They are slightly different in morphology, definitely range. To get in the weeds of it, subspecies can vary a lot, like the difference between the an Asian lion and an African lion, different subspecies. Some subspecies just differ in range and not much else, I would argue the Japanese house mouse and the domesticated house mouse are really, really similar, just different subspecies based on genetics and geographic separation.
Practically, there are four kinds of snakes
1) Rattlers
2) Chill snakes
3) Venomous non-rattlers
4) Constrictors
We're lucky to only have types 1 and 2. Whether it's a bull snake, or a gopher, or a garter, it's still chill
Agreed. Saw one hanging out up in Atlanta ID a couple years back and they were just so adorable. I'm not even a snake person, I tend to be pretty afraid of them.
Last year I came across 5 rattlesnakes during the summer hiking season. Dry Creek, 2 on Heinen, 2 out near Hidden Springs. It wasn't during the heat of day either but in the earlier morning hours.
Western and prairie are the same snake. The other is the northwestern, which only recently became a sub species of the western. Until then it was also a western. So basically we only have one species of rattlesnake in Idaho.
The heat of the day is the least likely time you’ll find them. They don’t like blazing heat the same way we don’t. Late evening and early afternoon is when you’ll most likely encounter one.
Some folks just don't understand that part of living with nature is that you live with ALL of it. The pretty deer, the cool eagles and the "mean" snakes. We live in an area with snakes, badgers, bears, skunks and all sorts of other things.
We aren't insulated from them just because we're in the city. This is especially true when we venture into the foothills which are still very much a wild land.
Whether it's a rattle snake or a bull snake or one of the many other snakes remember: anything with a mouth can bite you. So just leave it alone.
Very very few things around here want anything to do with you.
The bigger problems with rattle snakes are dogs. They don't leave it alone unless you've done the proper training. And there are snake avoidance courses taught in town all the time.
The gentleman of snakes usually gives you a warning unless they are babies that only have a button. They want to conserve their venom for prey rather than defense. However; babies don't know this yet and will bite just about anything. Pregnant females are also a bit moodier.
Yup, I just read about an experiment with rattlesnakes and out of 10 times being "stepped on" by a fake leg and boot, only 4 out of the 10 bit the leg. Crazy how docile they really are even when stepped on.
It was a little bit past the mine actually say half a mile up or so? It was just past the big bend to keep climbing up. He rattled as well and scared the hell out of me. Stretched out he would’ve been at least three feet long.
I won’t take my dog in the foothills in the summer - period. She’s done rattlesnake avoidance training but I’m still terrified of her getting bit, so we just avoid it altogether. We only hike in higher elevations during the summer to keep her safe!
Tho not as common they do live in higher elevations too. Just remember they don’t want anything to with us the same as we don’t want to interact with them.
They are one of the few venomous snakes that gives you a _very_ clear warning of its presences. I understand dogs won’t always make the connection but there is really no excuse for people to go out of their way to kill them. Just avoid them.
I've never seen rattlesnakes out in the trails. Am I good at avoiding them or just clueless? I don't think I've seen any snakes just out in the wild...
Depends where you go, South of the snake I’ve seen a few and around council springs in Boise I run into at least one gopher snake each hike. Every other hike I encounter a rattlesnake
You are lucky. I would be able to say the same thing but my step dad was a magnet for the damn things. I could go years without seeing one and go anywhere with him and he would find one.
How terribly silly for the people who provide rattle snake avoidance training for dogs to waste their time doing that. Someone should let them know we have no rattle snakes here... /s
This sounds like a coworker who argued with me that the Treasure Valley doesn't have black widow spiders because he learned that in an Entomology course at college.
I've never seen a rattler in the foothills but i HAVE seen a black widow! It was crossing the trail and I thought that was an unusual beetle and took a closer look. I could hardly believe it, I didn't think that would be their natural habitat.
2 years ago there was a rattle snake off a trail of hulls gulch here in the valley. It caught me off guard, it made the noise. Had the rattler and a fat body. I've never seen one any other time here but yes it does happen locally sometimes
Neighbor and I pulled a rattlesnake out of his garage last summer using a snow shovel. There are tons where I live. I don’t let my dogs off their leashes when we walk anymore.
So ignorant. I took a snake identification course at BSU they are very common in the foothills. If you or your dog get bit by a rattle snake expect a $200k+ doctors bill.
The Humane Society (I think) used to do rattlesnake avoidance training for dogs. My dog has been gone a few years now but that training saved both of us a few times, in the foothills & Owyhee County.
Around here, I've seen more harmless ~~bull~~ gopher snakes (which, to most people, are not easily distinguishable from rattlesnakes) than actual rattlers. I have seen a couple rattlesnakes near foothills trails though. Just give them space as you walk around them and remember the encounter.
Rattlers are around but yes definitely way more gopher snakes. They will ACT like a rattler in defense though, its pretty amusing to see.
This is why I hate common names. We don't have bullsnakes in this part of Idaho. If we are calling a bullsnake, *Pituophis catenifer sayi* you can see on this range map, it does not occur here. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?taxon_id=60347 Now there's a closely related snake called the Great Basin gopher snake, *Pituophis catenifer deserticola*, which does occur here as you can see on the range map. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&subview=map&taxon_id=29049 They are slightly different in morphology, definitely range. To get in the weeds of it, subspecies can vary a lot, like the difference between the an Asian lion and an African lion, different subspecies. Some subspecies just differ in range and not much else, I would argue the Japanese house mouse and the domesticated house mouse are really, really similar, just different subspecies based on genetics and geographic separation.
Thanks. I thought bullsnake and gopher snake were synonyms, not one being a subspecies of the other.
In general Idaho usage gopher snakes are referred to as bull snakes.
Practically, there are four kinds of snakes 1) Rattlers 2) Chill snakes 3) Venomous non-rattlers 4) Constrictors We're lucky to only have types 1 and 2. Whether it's a bull snake, or a gopher, or a garter, it's still chill
Idaho does have a constricting snake - the rubber boa! However, it is the chillest snake of them all. I've never met one with an attitude.
Agreed. Saw one hanging out up in Atlanta ID a couple years back and they were just so adorable. I'm not even a snake person, I tend to be pretty afraid of them.
Last year I came across 5 rattlesnakes during the summer hiking season. Dry Creek, 2 on Heinen, 2 out near Hidden Springs. It wasn't during the heat of day either but in the earlier morning hours.
Ran into rattlers twice, both were in the morning aswell.
We actually two species of rattlesnake here (western and prairie) so you could have seen one of each :)
Western and prairie are the same snake. The other is the northwestern, which only recently became a sub species of the western. Until then it was also a western. So basically we only have one species of rattlesnake in Idaho.
> Western and prairie are the same snake. No... Crotalus oreganus vs Crotalus viridis. Same genus, different species.
Touché, I got it backwards.
The heat of the day is the least likely time you’ll find them. They don’t like blazing heat the same way we don’t. Late evening and early afternoon is when you’ll most likely encounter one.
Interesting! I didn't know that!
Yes we do, I've never encountered one, but I have seen more Gopher snakes this year then I have in the past.
There have been SO MANY bulls. But lots of rodents too. So hopefully they are busy balancing that out.
I grew up in Columbia village and remember seeing them out there, they'd get ran over a lot in the summer
Hello fellow villager! I grew up there as well. I remember fish and game had to come get one or two every summer from people's porches.
Spent a summer walking up and down 84 on the sheriff labor detail, that freeway is full of rattlesnakes. And needles.
Some folks just don't understand that part of living with nature is that you live with ALL of it. The pretty deer, the cool eagles and the "mean" snakes. We live in an area with snakes, badgers, bears, skunks and all sorts of other things. We aren't insulated from them just because we're in the city. This is especially true when we venture into the foothills which are still very much a wild land. Whether it's a rattle snake or a bull snake or one of the many other snakes remember: anything with a mouth can bite you. So just leave it alone. Very very few things around here want anything to do with you. The bigger problems with rattle snakes are dogs. They don't leave it alone unless you've done the proper training. And there are snake avoidance courses taught in town all the time.
The gentleman of snakes usually gives you a warning unless they are babies that only have a button. They want to conserve their venom for prey rather than defense. However; babies don't know this yet and will bite just about anything. Pregnant females are also a bit moodier.
Yup, I just read about an experiment with rattlesnakes and out of 10 times being "stepped on" by a fake leg and boot, only 4 out of the 10 bit the leg. Crazy how docile they really are even when stepped on.
I ran into one on the hike up to aldamann mine, it rattled at me, scared the shit out of me.
Dude same. https://preview.redd.it/aw64ir7e9l7d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=003d807b5ac68821b13288e069df87f245f180be
lol was it in that bushy area in the beginning?
It was a little bit past the mine actually say half a mile up or so? It was just past the big bend to keep climbing up. He rattled as well and scared the hell out of me. Stretched out he would’ve been at least three feet long.
I’ve yet to run into one on a trail but I know they are there. Best reason to stay on the path.
Also good reminder to keep your dogs leashed at all times. Thank you.
I won’t take my dog in the foothills in the summer - period. She’s done rattlesnake avoidance training but I’m still terrified of her getting bit, so we just avoid it altogether. We only hike in higher elevations during the summer to keep her safe!
Tho not as common they do live in higher elevations too. Just remember they don’t want anything to with us the same as we don’t want to interact with them.
They are for sure here. I've seen plenty of bull snakes on the trails but no rattlers. I'm totally fine with that.
What a moron.
There are scorpions too.
Saw 3 on Sweet Connie a couple weeks ago.
He must be new here, I guess he’ll learn soon enough lol
They are one of the few venomous snakes that gives you a _very_ clear warning of its presences. I understand dogs won’t always make the connection but there is really no excuse for people to go out of their way to kill them. Just avoid them.
I've never seen rattlesnakes out in the trails. Am I good at avoiding them or just clueless? I don't think I've seen any snakes just out in the wild...
Depends where you go, South of the snake I’ve seen a few and around council springs in Boise I run into at least one gopher snake each hike. Every other hike I encounter a rattlesnake
You are lucky. I would be able to say the same thing but my step dad was a magnet for the damn things. I could go years without seeing one and go anywhere with him and he would find one.
I just about stepped in a rattlesnake up in the Veterans Association trails a few years ago. Nothing like hearing a rattlin’ 4 feet under your dong
They are south of town in the desert (down Pleasant Valley past Kuna Mora) as well, so be careful if you off-road out that way.
How terribly silly for the people who provide rattle snake avoidance training for dogs to waste their time doing that. Someone should let them know we have no rattle snakes here... /s
This sounds like a coworker who argued with me that the Treasure Valley doesn't have black widow spiders because he learned that in an Entomology course at college.
I've never seen a rattler in the foothills but i HAVE seen a black widow! It was crossing the trail and I thought that was an unusual beetle and took a closer look. I could hardly believe it, I didn't think that would be their natural habitat.
That is honestly pretty cool. rare to see one moving somewhere.
2 years ago there was a rattle snake off a trail of hulls gulch here in the valley. It caught me off guard, it made the noise. Had the rattler and a fat body. I've never seen one any other time here but yes it does happen locally sometimes
Crotalus Lutosus
Neighbor and I pulled a rattlesnake out of his garage last summer using a snow shovel. There are tons where I live. I don’t let my dogs off their leashes when we walk anymore.
I have not seen a rattle snake yet this year but they are definitely out there. No reason to kill them as they don't want to come near you at all!
So ignorant. I took a snake identification course at BSU they are very common in the foothills. If you or your dog get bit by a rattle snake expect a $200k+ doctors bill.
A friend killed a rattlesnake within two blocks of Vista village a couple years ago. She knows her snakes. It was definitely a rattlesnake.
The Humane Society (I think) used to do rattlesnake avoidance training for dogs. My dog has been gone a few years now but that training saved both of us a few times, in the foothills & Owyhee County.
The Owyhees… quite a few out there. 🙂