Calisdad wrote:
If you plan to much time in snake country a snake avoidance class can be had for $50 to $75. Best insurance you can buy. Any local vet should be able to recommend a good one. (That's for Sam, not you.)
Please do not do this. It is very painful for the dog!
If you come across a rattlesnake, you will hear it. They warn before a strike, and once you have heard it, you won't forget the sound. Just keep your dog on a leash, and don't let him run free.
Scorpions like water, so please be careful around any sewer hoses/ areas. Keep a plug in your sinks when they are not being used. They have some crazy way of getting where you wouldn't expect.
I have lived in Az for 45 years. Only place I have seen a rattler in the last 25 is up at Lake Powell. There are quite a few Gila Monsters around, but they stick out pretty well, and move slow. They are not agressive unless you try and pick them up.
As someone else mentioned, it is going to be hot, and only time rattlers will be out is sunrise and sunset, usually around bushes or rocks. Keep your dog's nose out of bushes and don't let him chase after anything ( rabbits, chipmunks, prairie dogs, etc )
Much ado about nothing IMO. Have a fun trip. Oh, I hope you have a good generator, solar, and a/c !
