If you ever see a pink rattlesnake in the wild, chances are it isn’t naturally pink. Check out this story that is the perfect example of what NOT to do if you are confronted with a rattlesnake:
SALT LAKE CITY — A pink rattlesnake was found in the foothills near the University of Utah Hospital.
Director of Reptile Rescue Jim Dix said he believes it was likely a construction worker who used ground-marking equipment to paint the 3-4 foot venomous snake.
“It’s animal cruelty,” Dix said. “And that’s a really childish, stupid thing to do.”
The paint endangers the snake by making it more visible both to predators and prey, and it endangers people by making the snake more aggressive, specifically because the paint was over the snake’s eyes making it more likely to lash out at any possible threat.
It’s also against the law to harm a wild snake in Utah…Class B misdemeanor, to be exact.
If you have a rattlesnake in a place where you feel endangered, Dix said the best thing to do is to keep an eye on it and call your local Reptile Rescue or animal control.
