Josh Pray, an Oklahoma resident, used a lawnmower accident as a teaching opportunity for his daughters when he discovered he had accidentally run over a rattlesnake while mowing the lawn on his family’s 3.5 acres of country fields. Despite hitting objects with the mower before, this time Pray hit a rattlesnake, which he didn’t hear over the noise of the mower. He assumed the snake was trying to rattle to warn him to stay away.
To prepare his daughters and wife for potential snake encounters, Pray picked up the dead rattlesnake with a rake and placed it in a new location where he had not cut the grass yet. He then snapped a photo and shared it on a subreddit page called r/FindTheSniper, calling it a “Where’s Waldo for adults.” The goal was for his family to understand that dangerous reptiles like rattlesnakes can blend into grassy fields without detection, especially in their rural area of Oklahoma where it is difficult to reach a hospital quickly for help in case of a snakebite.
Pray’s daughters and wife took some time to spot the rattlesnake in the grassy field photo he shared. The image generated interest on Reddit, with users being stumped and some even mistaking the snake for multiple ones. The post gained over 32,000 likes and 2,600 comments. Pray’s intention was to impress upon his family the importance of staying vigilant around snakes, especially if they start to rattle, as the Mayo Clinic advises on proper actions to take if bitten by a rattlesnake.
In the event of a rattlesnake bite, the Mayo Clinic recommends moving far away from the snake, remaining calm and still, and sitting down in a neutral position. It’s advised to clean the bite with soap and water before loosely bandaging it, without applying ice or trying to remove the venom. Avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and pain-relieving medication is also suggested. Pray expressed satisfaction with the challenge the hidden snake photo presented to Reddit users, providing a bit of excitement amidst the difficulty in spotting the reptile.
The humorous and educational incident involving the accidentally run-over rattlesnake served as a valuable lesson for Pray’s daughters about the potential dangers of snakes in their rural surroundings. By turning the discovery into a fun and engaging activity on Reddit, Pray was able to raise awareness about the importance of being cautious around snakes while also showcasing the difficulty in spotting them in natural environments. The post’s popularity on the platform demonstrated the interest and engagement it generated among users who appreciated the challenge and excitement of finding the hidden rattlesnake.
