Arizona Herpetological Association Guide to Reptile Encounters 

    Arizona is home to a wide variety of snakes and lizards. With the rapid growth of our cities and the abundance of desert activities it is not uncommon to encounter one of these reptiles. With a few notable exceptions, the native Arizona reptiles are not harmful to humans and/or pets. There are several local species of Rattlesnakes and only one lizard - the Gila Monster - that are venomous enough to be of a concern and therefore deserve the the proper respect for a potentially dangerous animal.
The majority of venomous snake bites occur when someone provokes or attempts to handle the animal. 
Minimize your chances by educating yourself and leaving the animals alone! Although an encounter with a snake is always an exciting event and the inexperienced person may feel some  fear, often a little knowledge may change this feeling into  respect and perhaps appreciation. These animals are an important and effective means of rodent control. Without such predators the diseases and destruction for which these rodents are responsible would increase.

Here are some recommendations for what to do if you come upon a snake:
* If you are in the "wild" (an undeveloped area such as the desert, a park, or other such area) where the animal poses no direct hazard - Observe from a distance and leave the animal alone. It lives there and and is just doing what comes naturally. When you get home you can access the Arizona Herpetological Association's website for reptile identification - www.azreptiles.com - or call The A.H.A. Hotline at 480 894-1625.
* If the animal is in a residential area and poses an immediate risk to humans or a pet call the A.H.A. Hotline - 480 894-1625. Observe from a distance and try to identify (if you can) what type of snake it is. Odds are that it is a harmless variety but do not take any risks. Can you see the tail and is there a rattle there? What color is it? Remember to watch where the animal goes. It can't be relocated if it can't be found. Do not attempt to capture or contain the animal yourself.
* If the animal is in a residential area, but does not pose an immediate risk to humans or anyone's pet or the snake itself (because of traffic, human or domestic animal interference) - try and identify it from a distance. If it appears that it may go back into the desert then you may want to allow it to do so. If it does not, or you believe it should not be where it is due to the above reasons - call the A.H.A Hotline - 480 894-1625. Do not attempt to capture or contain the animal yourself.

Encounters with Gila Monsters are extremely rare. They are seldom seen, burrowing animals that are protected by the state and usually do not pose much of a threat unless provoked. Recommendations for responses to a Gila Monster sighting are similar to snakes but there is usually much less actual danger because of the lethargic nature of this lizard. Identification is easy and there are photos at www.azreptiles.com .

There are some very good articles on the A.H.A. site including one called "living with Rattlesnakes" by the Tucson Herpetological Society that gives even more information regarding these topics. Feel free to reprint this and distribute it to your neighbors and community.

The Arizona Herpetological Association is a volunteer organization that provides the community a free reptile removal service. Founded in 1969, the A.H.A. is an independent not-for-profit entity and is not directly associated with any other private or governmental body be it city or state.