A Southern California kayaker was in for a surprise when he went to get his boat ready for a spring paddle, only to hear the sound of a rattlesnake. Fortunately, RBI Snake Wrangler stopped by to confirm visually. The professional also safely removed the snake from the kayak, as seen in this video.
How To Help Avoid Finding A Rattlesnake In Your Kayak
Snakes climbing in kayaks are no rare encounter. The cool, dark spaces inside a cockpit or under a cover are ideal for the reptiles to spend time out of a warm sun. It’s a bonus for them if your boat happens to be around gardens and homes. These are where insects or small rodents regularly congregate.
It’s helpful to store your kayak off the ground when possible. For those with a closed-deck kayak, a cockpit cover is an excellent step to keep snakes, spiders, and other animals from nesting inside.
Cautiously inspect your craft if you last used it a while ago. Especially if you live in an area with venomous animals, like rattlesnakes, and your kayak has been stored outdoors. Inspecting a sit-on-top is pretty straightforward, but a closed-deck boat will require more finesse.
Having experienced snakes in boats ourselves, here are a few quick tips. First, rattle your boat, as the paddler from the video had likely done. Carefully look for evidence of presence. Fill your boat with water from a garden hose. Then put it out to drain in an open sunny space. This helps create circumstances no longer conducive as a hiding space. If a potentially dangerous animal reveals itself at any point in the process, step away to let it escape on its own. And go ahead a give the wildlife experts a call.
