GOLD CANYON, AZ — A retired Phoenix police officer turned rattlesnake wrangler has captured what experts believe is an exceedingly rare albino rattlesnake in the Gold Canyon area — and she's pregnant.
Phil Roberts, of Gold Canyon, has relocated more than 85 rattlesnakes over the past year, all free of charge, after spending more than 30 years with the Phoenix Police Department's violent crimes bureau.
"After 33 years in the department, I wanted to do something a little safer, so I became a rattlesnake wrangler," Roberts said, smiling.
Roberts takes calls from friends and neighbors in the Gold Canyon area and removes rattlesnakes at no cost.
"I appreciate neighbors looking after neighbors," Roberts said.
One of those neighbors spotted a white snake and initially mistook it for a walking stick. Instead of reaching for it, they reached out to Roberts.
"Vivian, this is so rare, you wouldn't believe it," Roberts said in a video he took.
After Roberts posted about the capture on social media, Bryan Hughes of Rattlesnake Solutions — the largest snake relocation and prevention business in the United States — said the reptile community took notice immediately.
"Whenever we get an interesting animal, our inbox just goes nuts with people wanting it," Hughes said.
Once the snake sheds her skin, that will allow for more testing to be done to determine exactly what species the snake is, but Hughes said initial research leads him to believe it is a tyrosinase-positive albino snake. That trait is exceedingly rare in the wild, though more common in the pet trade.
Of the more than 24,000 rattlesnakes Hughes has relocated over his 20-plus years in the field, he has encountered a snake like this in the wild only twice.
"I never expected to see something like this in my life," Hughes said.
During a closer examination of the snake, Hughes made an additional discovery — the snake is pregnant.
Rattlesnake Solutions will continue researching the discovery to determine the best course for the rare snake.
If you find a rattlesnake at your home, Rattlesnake Solutions advises against trying to kill or catch it. Keep pets away, try to keep an eye on the snake, and call a licensed professional. According to the company, snakes are more scared of people than people are of them.
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