Watch for rattlesnakes hiding among your Christmas decorations

TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) - The holidays are here and that means it is time to put out the Christmas decorations.

But there may be something dangerous lurking in the garage or storage shed.

Rattlesnakes are looking for a place to call home.

Marc Hammond, co-owner of Arizona Animal Experts, said they start getting calls around Thanksgiving and they continue until Christmas.

He said this time of the year, rattlesnakes can be found coiled up in the corners, along the edges and under containers in your garage.

They are normally in a hibernation-like state but since we have had record-breaking heat, they still may be active, making them dangerous.

Hammond said thankfully none of the calls they have responded to so far have involved bites.

"The best thing is if you open up your garage or just even pulling into the driveway, sometimes just the slamming of the care door or shutting of it or stomping your feet will get them to rattle," he said. "Take a stick and just rattle the stick in front of you because if anything at all, a snake will only strike at something that is moving."

Hammond also recommends taking a moment to listen when in the garage.

He said rattlesnakes don't want to bite you so they will rattle to let you know they are there.

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