Desert RV'ing...a tip...

Sun_Seeker · 10-21-2019, 12:59 PM

I posted this as a reply, but thought to just also have my suggested methodology for 'dry state's'/true Desert environment camping/RV'ing... as this could save you from injury and or death. I thought it important to have as a free standing post...cheers!

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As one that had lived for many years in Phoenix, Az...I have a suggestion for out-of-state RV campers and tenters...and this is it. In Arizona, you have beautiful wildlife, but amongst that wildlife, there are three species of said wildlife that can be dangerous to your health, and need to be mentioned...and then...what to do, to protect yourself...

1. Rattlesnakes (the Mohave is one of the most toxic in venom...)
2. Cream and Black colored scorpions...the Black..are the most toxic!
3 Gila Monsters {a thick bodied lizard that is also quite venom-toxic...)

for RV-ing and Tenting...this is what I suggest you have, and do...always have a long broom handle, (does NOT have to actually have the broom head on it...), and keep it by the RV door, or the tent flap opening. Here's why...

All of the above mentioned poisonous species love, heat retention surfaces, like for instance, your black walled tires...as well as being able to hide just behind them, and wait for prey...mice and other rodents, who are also attracted by the odors of a campsite, and to your very trailer...etc....and what you should always do, in a Desert location, is to open your trailer door (or the entrance flap of your tent)...and BEFORE you step down towards the ground, or step through your tent flap,,...you want to take your broom handle, and place one end of the handle on the ground, and make moving and dirt scraping circles with it...as well as tapping the bottom step. If there is a venomous serpent near your steps under your trailer, or near your tire wells, ( or within three feet of your tent opening), your disturbing the ground, or tapping on the metal step, will cause a warning rattle, that you will clearly hear! Do not step down, obviously, but call for help and Rangers will come and remove the serpent. Same goes for Scorpions...they will merely scurry away in fright...wait 30 seconds and then step down. Gila Monsters also follow rodents...and they have very dull and small teeth, but what they do, is bite down upon your limb, like a bull-dog...and then start to chew laterally upon your limb, to try and inject their venom, that secretes from their gums, into the evolving wound.

The bottom line here, is that you should never BLINDLY step onto the Desert, or the near Desert, without first making sure that no other Desert residents, will be near your ankle or calf... A tip...from one who lived for years, around these critters...they don't bike/attack out of aggression, they bite/attack out of fear..of injury or threat to themselves. A stick stirring the ground, allows them to retreat ...rather than defend. That full size broom handle,...can save you from being bitten..and what goes with that. I do this, anywhere, there are known species that are venomous...even outside dedicated Desert areas. Walking to, around, and towards your trailer or tent, allows any venomous species to perceive you...retreat or warn you...but in stepping down from your RV, in the morning, or evening...does NOT allow the species TIME to retreat, as your foot lands 6 inches possibly...from their fangs... Being warned, is being empowered...and this post was hoping to give you that.

Cheers,

thompwil · 10-21-2019, 02:41 PM

Interesting post, good advice. I'm rounding up an old broom handle to pack for this winter for sure.

Sun_Seeker · 10-21-2019, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thompwil

Interesting post, good advice. I'm rounding up an old broom handle to pack for this winter for sure.

You have just made a decision, to practically guarantee that you will not be **blindly** bitten by what I mentioned...but as for no-see-um's, gnats,mosquitoes and hornets,...well...no bets on that!

Safe travels...and a desert in early spring bloom, (cactus flowers!) is one of the most breathtaking scenes to take in...with your morning 'joe'.... I loved my time spent living within the Sonoran Desert. In fact, I hope to retire to somewhere around Fountain Hills, AZ in a few more years!

Dennis L · 10-28-2019, 10:14 AM

I've been hiking the deserts of Arizona for 20 years and never saw a gila monster or scorpion. Did see a rattle snake once.
I'm careful but it's not that dangerous.

Sun_Seeker · 10-28-2019, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis L

I've been hiking the deserts of Arizona for 20 years and never saw a gila monster or scorpion. Did see a rattle snake once.
I'm careful but it's not that dangerous.

OMG...every three months, we had to Scorp fumigate our entries into our house, in Scottsdale! You also, always had your slippers or shoes on a shoe stand, by the bed. The scorps loved to scramble into shoes..and that is the worse kind of sting...in that the tail just keeps jabbing under your arch...as you TRY...to crush a very brittle exoskeleton. No good...and you have been very lucky...they love to scramble into homes in the Winter months for warmth....

As for rattlers...we had them sometimes, in our landscape in around the pool, or they sometimes would crawl into your open garage door...and look for boxes, pails...cover...

Hiking...sure...as I said, as YOU MOVE, they move away from you to try and retreat/escape you,...but stepping down from your RV, or whipping out of a tent, pegged to the desert floor is another thing...and that was the thrust of my post. Doing that...is like throwing the dice at Vegas....

P.S. Look up the company's that do the white scorp powder fumigation of all your doors, patios, and window sills...they are never out of work.... Phoenix, Tuscon,
Apache Junction, Fountain Hills, Anywhere around the S.R.P. SCORP Country, lol! Ratlers...come into the 'burbs from the open desert, through the back access horse trails, all around Phoenix. They know the 'back trails' better than residents....

Sun_Seeker · 10-28-2019, 04:29 PM

Here's one company that's a good one for what I have been talking about..:

https://www.magicpest.com/what-is-scorpion-dusting/

and on, and on...lol.

https://varsitytermiteandpestcontrol...ation-phoenix/

You wanna live or RV in the Sonoran Desert...you have neighbors! Some are cute, some aren't...respect them, and Arizona is a great place to 'camp out' to escape Winter...

I'll leave off, with the Rattler's....and I don't mean your grand child's...lol:

https://rattlesnakesolutions.com/

Living in Arizona...in an RV park, or a brick 'n mortar....you might have to deal with this....for we sure did. It was part of life...

Cheers,

Sun Seeker

Sun_Seeker · 10-29-2019, 04:24 AM

Yes, Virginia...you CAN get stung by a Scorp in bed..even a bed inside an RV or tent!:

https://www.magicpest.com/category/s...rpion-control/

Sun_Seeker · 10-29-2019, 12:21 PM

Just adding to the wildlife education of those visiting Arizona, to escape Winter in their RV's and tents...so let me introduce you to some of your free-roaming desert neighbors.

Knowledge, is pure empowerment!

...if you decide to go down the list, you will also meet Mr. Gila Monster, and a short description of the thick bodied guy or gal. Avoid messing with them...especially if one of your children, or grandchildren should come upon one skirting about. Again, this is a venom-producing lizard, and is not a docile Iguana~!

https://rattlesnakesolutions.com/sna...of-arizona.php