don't pet it

you'll be fine
yeah we got them all over here too
Western Diamond Backs
or Timber Rattlers when they are big fuckers upcountry
they get big, 6' & 3" across is nothing
they love granite to sun themselves
& firewood piles/dead-fall, under rocks, in holes or shrubs to hide in
it's the little ones that don't have rattles are really bad
hard to see & you don't get any warning (rattle)
they bite everything & can't control the amount of venom
we had them really bad in Rancho Murieta CC in the Sac. Valley
all over the golf courses, pulled the pin out one time
& it had a 2' long adolescent wrapped around the bottom
glad someone didn't just reach down in the hole to get a ball or something
I'm used to being around them, grew up in areas we always had them
learned early in life to stay away, when possible
my dad use to keep a .22ca Ruger pistol with snake shot & kill most of them
I've never been that type...
Now them that bite my dogs or one would have bit my kid/s
I'd blow it the **** out of existences...
Otherwise I let them bee...
Respect them...
I've had 2 of my labs bitten by them, both bitten in the face
1 was in Rancho Murieta & the other right in my back yard up here
both dogs survived fine, (I assume the snake did too, I didn't find a body)
but it's pricey at the vet....
I just warned my neighbors we had a snake in the area
some/they have kids & pet...
when they are shedding their skin, they are really aggressive,
blind sort of at the time
just be aware & don't **** with them
they don't like US as much as we dislike them