Rattle Snake

Well here I was thanking God I've only found your typical critters like Mice and birds in the skimmers. I was out helping one of my fellow workers on some pools since I got done a little early. We got more than we barganed for! I started cleaning the skimmers while the other guy skimed the pool. The second skimmer lid I poped open had a baby Rattle snake under it!! I wasn't to for sure if it was dead and really didn't want to find out. The other guy desided he would reach in and yank the skimmer lid out with a simmer plug..it's got a handle and so did the skimmer basket. Right away you could tell the snake was a live as soon as we put it down. The snake was a little water logged so it didn't snap at us or run away at first. My partner desided he would play with it a while and then the snake jumped at him and we almost landed in the pool lol The snake ran off after that and we name saw it again....I hope LOL.

This isn't just a job, It's an adventure:D
ThePoolGuy

I've never seen a rattler that wasn't in a Zoo.. that would have scared the bejezus outta me... baby or not.
Glad you guys didn't get bitten : :eek:

Are you guys nuts? It's a wild animal with dangerous venom that was out of its proper environment and very, VERY scared!

It's like seeing a gas jockey smoking while he fills your tank! (Here in NJ by law there's only full serve).

You and your pal could have a really bad day.

Just IMHO

LOL....well, since I'm in West Texas, too, I can identify here. Thankfully, I've not run across any rattlesnakes around my pool, but they're around.

Shoot...around here, people hunt them down for sport and show them off at rattlesnake roundups. Great fun in this neck of the woods...

Of course, I'm typing this from the relative safety of my computer chair with my feet up:D .

Aren't the baby rattle snakes more toxic than the big ones??

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Originally Posted by ssweaser

LOL....well, since I'm in West Texas, too, I can identify here. Thankfully, I've not run across any rattlesnakes around my pool, but they're around.

Shoot...around here, people hunt them down for sport and show them off at rattlesnake roundups. Great fun in this neck of the woods...

Of course, I'm typing this from the relative safety of my computer chair with my feet up:D .

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I'm from Sweetwater... well aware of the Rattlesnake Roundup... yea they're dangerous, but more of a nuisance than anything else

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Originally Posted by drumr

Aren't the baby rattle snakes more toxic than the big ones??

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Yes they are. They typically inject you with all the venom they can. An adult gives you just enough of a dose to incapacitate you while it slithers away.

Ok. MHO remains unchanged!

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Originally Posted by tagprod

Yes they are. They typically inject you with all the venom they can. An adult gives you just enough of a dose to incapacitate you while it slithers away.

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Bingo

We stay'd a good distance from him...these snakes jump about half their body lenght. Thats about 4 inches for this guy. It still scared the crap out of us when it did it :eek:

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Originally Posted by tagprod

I'm from Sweetwater... well aware of the Rattlesnake Roundup... yea they're dangerous, but more of a nuisance than anything else

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If you're from Sweetwater, you know all about these guys for sure. I'm in Midland and we probaly want see half the Rattle snakes as you guys do. I've never made it to a round up but I hear it's insane how many snakes they end up with each year.

Well we don't have those, but we will get baby water moccasin (cotton mouth) in our skimmer, you have to watch those boogers, they strike before you can blink an eye. have not been struck, but I always open my skimmer carefully. They are small enough where they can't strike out of the top of the skimmer. Usually seem to get about one, sometimes two a year.

Here in the Houston area we get copperheads :eek: . When I see one swimming along against the current (at least 2 or 3 a season), I just leave 'em in there till they're exhausted. It's easier to dip 'em out and "deal with them" when they're tired. Also always use caution when opening the skimmer cover.

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Originally Posted by DogPaddle

Also always use caution when opening the skimmer cover.

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Sheesh, thanks for adding yet another item to my already myriad neuroses :)

The worst we've had to deal with are wasps and hornets entangled in the dog hair. I'm the skimmer cleaner since Richard is violently allergic to stings and we're too far from a hospital for it to do any good. Now I get to think about snakes in my skimmer basket. O joy!

I guess I can't complain about the dead frog I found going around and around in my skimmer after I got back from a few weeks of holidays!

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Originally Posted by Spensar

I guess I can't complain about the dead frog I found going around and around in my skimmer after I got back from a few weeks of holidays!

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I'm pretty sure that would violate man laws in all 50 states :)

AnnaK--I'm not sure you have to worry about snakes with an above-ground pool. But better safe than sorry!! ;)