Lawn work was no longer the priority when Charlotte County resident Paul Tremblay and his son stepped outside and stumbled upon a plump eastern diamondback rattlesnake right in front of their Gulf Cove home.
"We were shocked," Paul told WINK News. "We were genuinely shocked. I mean, that's not something you expect to see."
Here's what to know
Instead of trying to deal with the snake themselves, Tremblay and his son Brandon called the county sheriff's emergency line.
About 30 minutes later, officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission had removed the rattlesnake, according to WINK News. The family also recorded the encounter and shared the footage with the outlet.
"Typically snakes don't really faze me that much," Brandon said. "But it was definitely a little scary."
Ranger Rob Howell, a Pink Shell Resort naturalist and environmental educator, said the eastern diamondback is one of Florida's five venomous snakes but is not looking for confrontations with people.
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"The only time it's going to bite is if it thinks you're its food or if it thinks you're a threat," Howell said, per WINK News.
More background
Southwest Florida is part of the eastern diamondback's native range.
According to Howell, development is contributing to more frequent eastern diamondback sightings.
New housing and roads can bring people and wildlife into contact.
Howell also told WINK News that changing weather can send eastern diamondbacks searching for shelter from the cold. The BBC explored the broader overlap between human development and wildlife behavior in this piece on why wild animals attack humans.
What can be done?
The Tremblays called the county sheriff's office.
FWC officers handled the removal, and the family said the snake was safely captured in about half an hour.
"So the best thing to do: give them their space, leave them alone," Howell said, according to WINK News.
The family was relieved that the event but also admired the reptile. "Beautiful snake and a great part of our ecosystem," Brandon said.
Where can I learn more?
Encounters such as this happen more often than many people realize.
• In one Arizona town, a fifth rattlesnake attack sent another man to the hospital.
• A New York family found a large rattlesnake blocking their way outside.
• In Florida, firefighters answered calls after alarming discoveries near homes involving invasive Burmese pythons.
• Florida scientists are using critical new data to target invasive Burmese pythons more effectively.
• In Arkansas, viral videos showed snakes filling a vacant home for a surprisingly harmless reason.
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