Horror As Friends ‘Held Hostage’ By Venomous Rattlesnake Snake In Arizona

A video of friends left frozen in their seats after a rattlesnake was just “passing through” their area has terrified users on TikTok.

The moment was captured in a viral video posted by @azspeeddemon, which has garnered 11.4 million views since it was shared on July 24. A note overlaid on the clip says, “Welcome to Arizona! My friends are trapped in their chairs in their backyard by this Mojave Rattler.”

The footage shows people’s feet raised onto the top of two deck chairs as a snake is shown gliding across the ground below while slithering its tongue.

Snake expert Kate Jackson, who is a professor of biology at Whitman College in Washington state, told Newsweek that the snake in the clip is “definitely” a venomous rattlesnake and it “could certainly be” a Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus), as noted in the video.

A subsequent viral clip, which has amassed over 565,000 views since it was posted on the same day, shows the snake “poised to strike,” while staring straight into the camera with its tongue slithering away. “Somebody shifted in their chair and made him uncomfortable,” says a note overlaid on the clip.

Safety Tips for Snakes in Arizona

Arizona is home to 17 different types of rattlesnakes and all are venomous, notes the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center.

Of all the snakes encountered in the country, around 10 percent are venomous. There are reported to be around 8,000 venomous snakebites each year in the United States, which typically result in eight to 15 deaths, according to the center.

Deaths from reptile bites are “extremely rare” and the fatality rate has dropped to less than one percent. However, “serious symptoms are possible and bite victims must be seen in a medical facility without delay,” the center warns.

Below are some precautions to take to reduce the possibility of a snake bite, as outlined by the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center.

• Leave the reptiles alone. Around 50 to 70 percent of reptile bites managed by the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center were “provoked by the person who was bitten—that is, someone was trying to kill, capture or harass the animal,” the center says.
• Know their peak movement times. Reptiles in Arizona are most active from April through October and are most active at night during the hotter months of this period. You may also see them during the day in the spring and fall or on a warm day in winter.
• Be careful where you put your hands and feet. Keep hands and feet out of crevices in rocks, wood piles and deep grass. Always have a flashlight when walking after dark and wear shoes or boots.
• Dead snakes can still bite. Never touch a venomous reptile, even after it’s dead. “Reflex strikes with injected venom can occur for several hours after death,” the center notes.
• Keep yards, porches and sidewalks lit up. A venomous reptile spotted in your yard is likely just “passing through.” But those concerned about a dangerous animal in their yard are advised to seek professional help to have it removed.

‘Held Hostage by a Rattlesnake’

Users on TikTok were terrified by the snake sighting in the viral clip.

“Call the police and tell them you’re being held hostage by a rattlesnake,” said b.cocomo.

“My heart is racing just watching this,” noted cwalkerpingley and @hollyballs307 said, “When I tell you I held my breath and sat still like I was there.”

Robin Tucker Knippel noted: “He’s huge. I’m terrified all the way here in Texas. are yall safe ? How long were ya’ll there ??”

Jennifer asked, “Did he leave yet???” and the original poster replied, “Yes! He was just passing through.”

Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.

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