Rattlesnake hitches ride on a ferrari across British Columbia

[Luvyna]

https://www.facebook.com/Dewdneyvet/...42308506228605

This rattlesnake sure knows how to pick a ride! He made a ~400km (~250 mile) trip across the Canadian province of British Columbia on a ferrari. Plus he gets to be chauffeured back to the exact location of his home thanks to being microchipped as part of a snake survey to determine how wildfires in BC have affected wildlife. What a lucky break after an unexpected journey!

"A very unique rescue!


Just last week, our Support Centre Helpline received a call about a snake spotted inside a Ferrari dealership. To our surprise, a photo determined it wasn’t a local Garter Snake, but a Northern Pacific Rattlesnake!


Wildlife Rescue dispatched a Rescue and Transport volunteer who safely brought the snake to our friends at Dewdney Animal Hospital Ltd. in Maple Ridge for an assessment. Dr. Adrian Walton and his team discovered the snake had been microchipped for a research survey which means they know exactly where to take this snake home! With the help of local authorities, this visitor will soon be back home to the Nk’Mip Desert.


A huge thank you to everyone involved, especially Dr.Walton and his team for taking in this exciting patient and ensuring their safe return home!"

https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeRescue/photos/a.10150187602950557/10166369839955557?type=3

[Bogertophis]

I love it! This guy's got STYLE! And what a handsome little snake- very lucky too. Thanks for sharing this, Luvyna!

[Luvyna]

I love it! This guy's got STYLE! And what a handsome little snake- very lucky too. Thanks for sharing this, Luvyna!

He really got a first class round trip! It's so great that he gets to go back to the exact location he came from and that he got so far unscathed. Very grateful that the people who found him called the right people instead of hurting him!

[Bogertophis]

He really got a first class round trip! It's so great that he gets to go back to the exact location he came from and that he got so far unscathed. Very grateful that the people who found him called the right people instead of hurting him!

YES, times 1000!

[Luvyna]

Here's another photo of the rattlesnake (named Enzo) hanging out with the Ferraris

[Bogertophis]

He fits right in...I'll bet he's wishing he could drive! hahahaha

[Homebody]

From the the pic in the op, I thought he was a baby. It looked like he was in a deli cup.

[Bogertophis]

...From the the pic in the op, I thought he was a baby. It looked like he was in a deli cup.

They really had him under-wraps...I can see why you thought that, but "baby" rattlesnakes would only have a "button", not a rattle with multi-segments as this one does. Looks like a young & slender adult.

[Homebody]

I can see why you thought that, but "baby" rattlesnakes would only have a "button", not a rattle with multi-segments as this one does.

That's what I love about this forum. You learn something new everyday.

[Bogertophis]

That's what I love about this forum. You learn something new everyday.

I agree, I learn stuff too. With rattlesnakes, they're born with only a "button" & every time they shed, they add a segment to their rattle. But you cannot tell their age by counting the segments of their rattle, only how many times it has shed* since born, UNTIL the rattle breaks at some point. They're made of keratin, just like our fingernails, so rattles are subject to breakage, especially for wild rattlesnakes- crawling over rocks & all, damage happens & the longer their rattle gets, the more likely it is to break- often in the middle. Sometimes they'll end up laying on their rattles, so when they move off, the rattle may get bent & if it's already weakened or damaged, it may break. *The number of times they shed in a year depends on how much food they get, and how much they can digest -those living in warmer areas have more months in the year to eat & grow than snakes in colder states that brumate longer. But prey isn't always plentiful either- it's a rough life out there.