A snake expert who was called to remove a rattlesnake from a Texas residence stumbled upon two dens numbering 23 individuals in total.
Even though it is safe to assume nothing could have surprised Nathan Hawkins who has been handling snakes and dealt with rattlesnake infestations for a living for the past 20 years, nothing prepared him for what he discovered at an Abilene, Texas home. The owner of Big Country Snake Removal received a call earlier this week from a family living in the small town of Buffalo Gap about a rattlesnake that peaked its head out of the toilet. As unusual as it may sound, it was an easy task for Nathan Hawkins.
“They are actually very, very amazing creatures that are really misunderstood. There are irrational fears around them”, said Big Country Snake Removal’s owner.
Isac Mcfadden’s mother told local reporters her son woke up in the morning to use the bathroom and came across the unwelcome surprise. She then instructed him to grab a shovel and bring it back to her in order to kill the intruder. Upon his arrival, Nathan Hawkins removed the dead rattlesnake from the toilet bowl. However, the job was far from over. Working with snakes for so long makes someone like Nathan better understand the behavior of such creatures. He asked to look around the house to give them peace of mind.
He then searched for more signs of snake activity in the family’s storm cellar where he found a den of 13 rattlesnakes. According to Nathan Hawkins, snakes exhibit communal character during winter months and tend to live together in dens. Still, the man had a feeling it was not yet over. So, he got on his hands and knees and crawled under the house. It was then when he found another den in a corner with old sheet metal.
He quickly grabbed a snake tong and a flashlight and removed 10 more rattlesnakes from the site, including 5 babies. In total, the number of crawling reptiles the man removed from the family’s house added up to 24 individuals, including the dead specimen.
According to his company’s records, Nathan Hawkins receives up to 75 calls a day from people who request professional support when dealing with snakes. For those who come across the creatures, he says to leave them alone and call an expert on the site.
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