Variety unknown, but it has a hell of a bite!

Geonerd · Oct 20, 2015

Spokanepepperman · Oct 20, 2015

cruzzfish · Oct 20, 2015

So what's the snake?

turbo · Oct 20, 2015

From the head shape, it looks like something from the viper family. The back pattern looks like a Diamondback Rattler. That sucker is pretty small though, so its probably a baby.

Student of Spice · Oct 20, 2015

Can you imagine not paying close attention and reaching down to pick your peppers and surprise you get bit.

Hawaiianero · Oct 20, 2015

Is that picture from your garden? :shocked:

Phil · Oct 20, 2015

Yep, looks like a rattler. And even a baby rattler is nothing to play with. If I remember correctly, baby venom is potent!

ronaldo_fanbelt · Oct 21, 2015

The little fella is just trying to stay warm.

Geonerd · Oct 21, 2015

Hawaiianero said:
Is that picture from your garden?

Nope. Growing on table tops can be a pain, but at least the rattlers and javalena can't take up residence in the garden.

Someone at the Desert Museum in Tucson posted it on F.B. I've messaged them asking about the circumstances.

SL3 · Oct 21, 2015

Yes sir! Crotalus atrox! Great photo. Can't wait to start my garden in Arizona next year.

portreath · Oct 21, 2015

Holy Cow, finding that in my pepper patch would scare the $%£% out of me. Out here we have thounds lizards, geckos and browns that give you a start when they scurry by. The most dangerous creature in our garden is our young cat, blue, he thinks he's Kato from the pink panther films as he hides in the chilli bushes and leaps out at me when I'm harvesting :scared:

MarianneW · Oct 30, 2015

Awesome! I have a fake one that looks like that and I hide it around to scare the birds. Glad to see the real ones reinforcing the snake in the peppers concept to the flying pepper-theives

Geonerd · Oct 30, 2015

"The gardener that found that surprise on his sweet bell pepper is Professor Bill Shaw of the U of A’s School of Natural Resources & Environment. He recently photographed the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, estimated to be 10-16” and born this season, at his home which abuts a local wilderness area. Bill is a member of the Desert Museum’s Science Council."

pepperguy1 · Oct 31, 2015

Geonerd said:

I guarantee you nobody will steal his peppers. :rofl:

Phil said:
Yep, looks like a rattler. And even a baby rattler is nothing to play with. If I remember correctly, baby venom is potent!

They can't control their venom like large snakes do.

CAPCOM · Oct 31, 2015

western diamondback! cool pick! two dangers in one.

ronaldo_fanbelt said:
The little fella is just trying to stay warm.

Heh, love it!