DIY

Snake catcher rescues Mojave rattlesnake caught in bird netting

Aug. 16 (UPI) -- An Arizona snake expert shared video of the delicate procedure required to free a Mojave rattlesnake that became entangled in bird netting.

Bryan Hughes, owner of Rattlesnake Solutions, said in the YouTube video that one of his rescuers brought him the Mojave rattlesnake, one of the most dangerous and highly venomous snakes in the United States, to free from the plastic netting.

Hughes said the rattlesnake, the second he has had to disentangle from bird netting in recent weeks, was in a particularly difficult situation, as he had to free the snake's head first without ending up on the wrong side of its fangs.

The rescuer said he was concerned the snake may have suffered a broken jaw, but an examination after it was freed revealed the reptile's injuries were far less severe.

"The netting had cut into the skin and created a few small cuts inside the snake's mouth, but I was able to work it free," he wrote in the video's description.

Hughes said the snake will be kept under observation in a "warm, dry area" for a few days to make sure it's OK before being released back into the wild.

"If you use bird netting to keep animals out of the garden, please consider that it also kills a variety of small animals," Hughes wrote.

"I know many don't like snakes and don't care, but that list also includes birds of all types, harmless snakes that you may find beneficial, bats, lizards, and small mammals like kangaroo rats."