WALNUT CREEK (KRON) – Usually, snakes wait until April or May to start showing up regularly.

But with warmer temperatures, they are starting to make an earlier appearance. People in Walnut Creek are reporting seeing rattlesnakes in their backyards.

Rattlesnakes are not usually aggressive unless provoked and they do not always rattle before attacking.

When walking in a natural area, avoid walking in tall grass or places where you can’t see the ground.

They may be hiding in brush, rocks, and branches so you don’t want to disturb them. Keep dogs on a leash and out of those areas well.

Here are some tips if you encounter a snake from the Walnut Creek’s Lindsay Wildlife Experience: if you see a snake on a path, walk around it and leave it alone. Warn others around you. Don’t try to move the snake.

If you see a snake in your yard, contact a snake removal service so that it will find it a new home. 

If you or a pet are bitten do not attempt things like a tourniquet or attempt to remove the venom at all. 

Just immediately seek medical or veterinary help.