Arizona family discovers rattlesnakes in pool noodles, police say

The man had wrangled snakes before, which is why he was confident he would be able to remove the rattler from the road. (Reuters)

Arizona officials issued a warning to residents Sunday after a family said they found several rattlesnakes inside one of their pool noodles.

The family in the Phoenix suburb of Buckeye told authorities they picked up two pool noodles that were left near a cinderblock wall when a rattlesnake came out of it. Several young rattlesnakes were also found inside, police said.

Buckeye police said the snake didn’t attack the family, but warned residents in a Facebook post to stay calm if you ever come across a rattlesnake or any other type of snake.

“One of the worst things you can do when coming across a rattlesnake is to start panicking. Snakes rely on vibrations in the ground to determine where you are. If you start moving fast and abruptly, you’ll only scare the snake more,” police said. “If you’ve seen the snake before you came across it, give it a lot of space. You can easily walk around it without frightening it. Just keep in mind that rattlesnakes can coil up and strike at great lengths, so give it as much space as possible.”

A snake expert told ABC 15 that residents should also consider putting a snake fence around their yards.

“Prevent their food, prevent their water and prevent them from even being able to get in,” professional snake relocator Greyson Getty told the station.