Nearly 90 rattlesnakes found underneath California home: A 'total snakemare'

Imagine you wake up one day and realize you share your home with almost 100 rattlesnakes. That was the reality for one homeowner in Santa Rosa, California.

Sonoma County Reptile Rescue posted on Facebook that it was called to a home whose residents said they had multiple rattlesnakes under the structure. The group then shared a photo of the dozens of snakes they discovered.

The post asked people, "what would you do?" To which one person responded, "They can have that place. I'm gone." Another called it a "total snakemare."

The final snake count was 59 babies and 22 adults, according to the post.

Reptile Rescue director Al Wolf, who responded to the house, said he found 11 more rattlesnakes after returning to the residence, according The Press Democrat. Fortunately, Wolf said, most of the snakes were "mellow in nature," so he was able to remove all of them.

Useful snakes: Biologists are using snakes with transmitters to catch invasive pythons in the Everglades

'Nobody knows how rare it is': Mississippi woman encounters blond timber rattlesnake

“Some you go up and pet. Some you can’t,” he said.

Wolf told The Press Democrat that the swarm of snakes most likely found shelter underneath the house because much of the rock in the ground was not removed when foundation lines were dug.

Rattlesnakes are highly venomous and often known for their triangle-shaped heads and rattle-like noises, according to the National Wildlife Foundation. Although most people fear rattlesnakes, the reptiles are vital to the ecosystem by controlling small-mammal populations.

If you encounter a snake in your home, The Humane Society lists the following suggestions:

• Remain calm and avoid disturbing the snake or driving it into hiding.

• If possible, carefully open a nearby door and use a broom to gently herd the snake outside.

• If you can’t herd the snake – and it’s small or coiled – slowly place an empty pail or wastebasket over her, then put a weight on top to trap the snake until an experienced handler arrives.

Follow Gabriela Miranda on Twitter: @itsgabbymiranda

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nearly 90 rattlesnakes found under California home: A 'snakemare'