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You can find us on Instagram @SnakeAdvocate or preview our most recent posts here.

Look how excited these rattlesnakes are for rain! We're grateful for Gophersnakes! And not just because they're a free, organic, and all-natural way to keep small mammals in check -- though that is awesome. Adept in pursuit of prey in burrows (where they get there name), high in trees or on the ground, Gophersnakes are one of the largest (and we'd add, most beautiful) snakes in North America. Many snakes work in the background, but Gophersnakes are often active when we are, making them one of the most commonly seen snakes. Whether putting on an impressive defensive bluff or going about their business, Gophersnakes are always a delight to watch. While we tend to call them "rattlesnake dens," more often than not, Striped Whipsnakes occupy these sites over the winter too. We've seen Striped Whipsnakes sharing dens with Arizona Black Rattlesnakes, (Western and Eastern) Black-tailed Rattlesnakes, Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnakes, and Rock Rattlesnakes. Spotting one in a crevice gives you a better look than you'll usually get during the active season, when they are quick to flee. Did you know that their bellies go from cream near their neck to bright pink at their tail? This summer we presented a Snake Hero Award to Allie Rose for her outreach on behalf of a Dekay’s Brownsnake. When this tiny, defenseless snake showed up in her school yard, students and teachers panicked and the snake paid the ultimate (and unfortunately common) price. This snake lover turned her broken heart to action and took this opportunity to educate her classmate and teacher about their helpful snake neighbor. Touched by this story, we sent Allie Rose a little gift pack and award for her efforts. You can likely name many bird species where males and females are different colors, but did you know that some snakes are sexually dichromatic too? Male Rock Rattlesnakes (left) get bigger than females (sexual size dimorphism, which is common in snakes) and often develop a greenish hue to their gray bodies. Adult female Rock Rattlesnakes (right) tend to have a pinkish hue. Late Season Lounging We love watching rattlesnakes in the wild, especially new families. While we're watching them, the good mommies, like Maria (Western Black-tailed Rattlesnake), are watching us. Don't worry, Maria, we won't touch your beautiful babies! 🐍💜 Get Your Gift for Snakes Matched 💜🐍 Huge thanks to Hannah Thomasy for helping spread the word that reptiles are not cold, primitive machines! Their underdog status in the animal world improves when the public understands that their lives are rich and fascinating. As Julia Riley puts so perfectly, “we don’t conserve what we don’t care about." We find a little Rock Rattlesnake on the move and prop up an iPhone for a unique shot. We never expected what happened next! Please Caption. Last day to register for the first International Wildlife Coexistence Conference! See the feature presentation from the Coexisting with Pitvipers Symposium -- Improving Perceptions of Rattlesnakes with Conservation Messaging Framing -- and so many more. Well, hello there! Crevice Spiny Lizards will often quickly dive into a nearby crevice when startled (and they never seem to be far from a crevice), but can often been seen hiding just inside. These lizards live in small social groups, though we're not sure how well that's been studied. They're one of our favorite #NotSnakes. Celebrate the diversity of species in the United States by entering a photo or voting for your favorite images in Wildlife For All's first photo contest! There's an obvious category for your gorgeous snake photos (In need of some love), but you may have a good fit for one of the other categories too. Newborn Rock Rattlesnake chilling in their nest. It's that time of year! It's cooling off and snakes, especially young, inexperienced ones, are looking for a safe space to spend the winter. So they often end up where they're not wanted or where it isn't safe. This young-of-the-year Striped Whipsnake seemed to have forgotten how he entered this sunroom and was exhausting himself trying to find his way out. We gave him a helping hand out the door. Sure, this is #NotASnake, but how awesome is this Gila Monster sculpture? #LittleFreeLibraries are pretty cool too! Howdy Neighbor! Juvenile Sonoran Whipsnake peeking over a colorful lichen-covered boulder. A special treat! We can't take credit for providing this shelter, we were just smart enough to see if anyone was using it and were rewarded with this gorgeous Arizona Mountain Kingsnake. Wonder if he also made a meal out of the former inhabitant of that rodent nest? Victor, male Western Black-tailed Rattlesnake, challenging the photographer. If you build it, they will come, especially if there's food waiting for you there! Often when we spook Striped Whipsnakes, they will flee up into the nearest tree or shrub, as this one has. This big girl (Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake) appeared to be hunting on the side of the road -- an unsafe activity in an area where snakes are often run over! We handed* her a recently-hit Kangaroo Rat and she backed off the road with it in her mouth. New sustainable snake shirts and other goodies in the Snake Shop! Show your love for snakes, spread the word, and support snake conservation with snake stuff. One of the more interesting snakes we've encountered lately while driving at night: a Texas Lyresnake! We helped this strictly nocturnal friend off the road after snapping a few photos. More #SnakesUnderStuff! This time we observed a Striped Whipsnake crawling under this little rock and were able to get a brief look before he escaped -- tricky business with these speed serpents! Want to contribute to a guide on best practices for education and outreach about coexisting with snakes? Join the Snake Coexistence Working Group! If you build it, they will come. Snakes Are Feared! ♥️🐍

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