So, as the title states.
There is a young crotalus oreganus oreganus living on the hillside near my house. I’ve spotted it before when weedeating a few months ago; I brushed up against it and it just stayed tucked into a circle, and didn’t rattle or bite, thankfully.
This evening I was using the weedeater again, and didn’t think to look for the snake, as I’ve never seen one in the same area twice. Sadly, I was cutting down some stubborn star thistle and I accidentally whacked the poor snake without seeing it at first.
It had clearly been impacted a few inches behind the head, and on the lower body. While no blood was visible, there were clear lacerations on the scales, and the snake was moving stiffly, clearly in pain and shock.
I gently lifted it with a nearby stick, and placed it near a den, which it quickly entered. I’m really hoping it can recover, but I know nothing of snake physiology. Is it possible? I feel terrible, and I’m full of concern for the rattlesnake. It did not bite me when I encountered it before, and, while it was an accident, I feel that I repaid its gentle caution with careless brutality…