Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello, i was planning on going to AZ and was wondering if anyone could suggest a good place to see some rattle snakes in the wild.

Thank you

I can't help with the wild part, but I can highly recommend the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, outside of Tucson. They have pretty much every animal that lives in that habitat on display.

~~Greg~~

I live part time in Tucson...

Most rattlesnakes are in AZ are retired and living on the Golf courses. NO KIDDING!! If you want to find them that's where they can be found. Think about it...water, food, cover...

Cheers!

Al
-----
Save a Rattlesnake...Skin a Sweetwater Resident!

You may also consider Arizona State University in Tempe....they have a wonderful display in the Life Sciences Bldg. of all the native crotalids (including twinspots and ridgenose AND a New Mexico ridgenose!). If you're looking to see crotalids GUARANTEED, and you're going to be in the Phoenix area, that's where I'd recommend.

-AzAtrox

I went to Parker Arizona last October and was amazed at the variety of wildlife I encountered. Their is an Indian reservation next to parker that I explored.
I meet an elder (old Indian person) at an Irish bar who also was the game warden for this reservation. After lots of promising that I wasn’t collecting or out to harm the reptiles he pointed me to a place titled Eagles Mountain. This place was great! You didn’t need to stay in a campground, and you could drive and explore anywhere you wanted as long as you were respectful to the land and wildlife. Willie (the elder) informed me that Gilas, corals, Mojave’s, sidewinders, diamondbacks were plenty.
When we went out looking that night, we encountered several sidewinders, a giant scorpion, many tarantulas, and allot of red fox's.
This place was exciting to go too. I strongly recommend going, as long as you are not collecting. Should you go to this place? Stop by the fish and game office. Indian reservations have their own set of laws and are strict with them.
Willie informed me that without prior permission, he would have made me leave. If I were caught collecting, I would end up in Indian jail.
Good luck:
Jason

P.S. Also look at Care Free Arizona in the center of Scottsdale. Lots of Gilas at the golf courses. Also lots of Mojave’s, diamondbacks, and Mexican rosy boas.

Here is a photo from that trip.

np

thank you all for responding i'm planning on going to Phenix so I'll check out the University. Hopefully i'll have some luck.

I guarantee you'll have luck at ASU...go to the Life Sciences Building, walk in the door and look at the walls...The enclosures are built into the walls (pretty cool)...Take a camera, and plenty of film! Good lookin' animals, and a variety that you won't find almost anywhere else....

-AzAtrox

The following images are all snakes from the LS Hall at ASU

http://www.blairbunting.com/diamondback.jpg

http://www.blairbunting.com/black-tailed.jpg

http://www.blairbunting.com/arizonablack.jpg

http://www.blairbunting.com/mojave.jpg