Desert Messenger

December 21, 2022 ww.DesertMessenger.com 7 Read Desert Messenger online! Sign up for free email alerts when the Desert Messenger becomes available online! Join thousands reading the paper online at: www.DesertMessengerOnline.com © 2022 Consumer Cellular Inc. Terms and Conditions subject to change. New service activation on approved credit. Cellular service is not available in all areas and is subject to system limitations. New customers receive $50 for a new account activated by December 31, 2022. Off er will be applied as two monthly credits of $25. Credits will be made to customers invoice and will not be in excess of the monthly total. If the balance is less than $25, remaining credit will be forfeited. Promotional credits will be applied to customer's account and remain valid only for accounts remaining in service. If account becomes inactive for any reason prior to receiving the full amount, any remaining credits will be forfeited. Off er may be modifi ed or discontinued at any time and may not be combined with other limited time off ers. Off er not redeemable for cash, has no cash value and is not transferable or refundable. Off er cannot be redeemed in retail locations. CALL CONSUMER CELLULAR 877-401-1130 USE PROMO CODE: GIFT50 HAVE YOUR DOG TRAINED TO AVOID RATTLESNAKES! Jim Walkington returns to Quartzsite! Saturday, January 28, 2023 Cost is $ 80 per dog. Location: Rainbow Acres, County 55 1/2 St. For appointment call Jim 480-215-1776 www.ViperVoidance.com EXPERT SERVICE ON: Refrigerators • Furnaces • Roof A/C • Water Heaters • Electrical LP • Fresh Water • Plumbing • Inverters • Solar • DISH Rep HARRY'S R.V. REPAIR Harry Rice GENERATOR SERVICE 225-253-6581 BLACK & GRAY WATER CLEANOUTS! (Not a licensed contractor) Call Don 208-255-6955 Don's Rocks Decorative Landscaping Hauling, Dumptruck & Backhoe Services WE'RE BACK! Looking forward to seeing our Friends! Not a licensed contractor By Shanana Rain Golden-Bear A Western Diamondback Rattle- snake was recently spotted sunning itself near the cave at Picture Rock, just 2 miles south of Quartzsite. Ari- zona is home to 13 different species of rattlesnakes. During the winter months, rattle- snakes typically fi nd dens in holes in the ground or beneath rock piles in the Arizona desert. They're typically located near sunny places, usually on the south-facing slope of a hill or mountain. If you were to fi nd a den of rattlesnakes, you could discover up to 200 of them living in the same den. While rattlesnakes typically stay in their dens until March or April, you can still cross paths with a rattler during the winter, especial- ly if the weather is unusually warm. When snakes hibernate during the cold-weather season, they are far from inactive, at least metabolically speaking. They're shutting down their systems, conserving energy and revving up for reproduction, ac- cording to Matt Goode, a rattlesnake expert at the University of Arizona. Goode states, "Snakes are ecto- therms, which means their internal body temperatures do not remain constant like mammals, which are endotherms. Therefore, snake body temperatures are coupled with envi- ronmental temperatures, although they are very good at behaviorally thermoregulating to keep their body temperatures fairly constant." "When winter temperatures get too cold, snakes typically go under- ground or into natural shelters, like rockpiles or mammal burrows, to avoid freezing. As it turns out, being an ectotherm has some advantages, like being able to essentially shut down your system and save energy rather than spending it on trying to stay warm. Rattlesnakes are very long-lived – about 15 to 20 years, or more – relative to their body size because they're really good at con- serving energy. They will stop feed- ing and enter into a sometimes long period of inactivity. Crossing paths with a rattlesnake can happen any time of year. If you do see one, keep in mind that they are typically only hostile when pro- voked, and if you take a step or two back and give it plenty of personal space, it will most likely slither away from you. To learn more visit https://news.arizona.edu/story/ four-questions-rattlesnakes-sea- sonal-snooze. And...please be mind- ful out there in the desert! Stay safe while hiking and camping in the desert

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