The North Texas Nut House Wildlife Rescue & Rehab

The North Texas Nut House Wildlife Rescue & Rehab We are a wildlife rescue & rehabilitation organization permitted through Texas Parks & Wildlife.

Ready for another rescue story?OPERATION: STICKY SITUATION Today’s rescue call took me to Roanoke, TX where one poor lit...
08/19/2026

Ready for another rescue story?

OPERATION: STICKY SITUATION

Today’s rescue call took me to Roanoke, TX where one poor little ribbon snake had found himself in a situation stickier than gas-station pancake syrup.

He was trapped on one of those wretched glue boards and y’all already know how I feel about those nasty things.

I hate glue traps with the fire of a thousand suns.

They don’t discriminate.

They catch snakes, lizards, birds, spiders, frogs, and anything else unfortunate enough to wander across them. The animal doesn’t simply “get stuck.” It panics, struggles, exhausts itself, tears its skin, and can suffer an agonizing death from dehydration, starvation, suffocation, or injuries caused while desperately trying to escape.

That is a mighty cruel ending for a creature that was simply minding its own business.

The homeowner was deathly afraid of snakes, but he had saved my number after I relocated one from his property several months ago. When he discovered this little fellow, his fear didn’t stop him from doing the right thing.

He told me he simply couldn’t leave the snake there to die, so he called me immediately.

And for that, he deserves some serious credit. Courage isn’t always the absence of fear. Sometimes courage is being scared half to death and still saying, “Well, I can’t just let the poor thing suffer.”

Armed with latex gloves, vegetable oil, toothpicks, patience, and enough elbow grease to butter every biscuit in the South, I spent about 20 careful minutes slowly freeing the little ribbon snake from that awful trap.

I even managed to rescue one tiny spider along the way because apparently today’s special was a two-for-one sticky-trap extraction.

The ribbon snake is now free, but he won’t be released immediately. He’s coming back to the rescue with me for a thorough examination, some quiet time, and a chance to decompress after what was undoubtedly the worst day of his tiny little life.

Once I’m confident he hasn’t sustained any serious injuries and is behaving normally, he’ll be released back into suitable habitat - preferably somewhere with fresh air, and absolutely no adhesive flooring.

Please, y’all… I beg of you -
Skip the glue traps. There are more humane ways to address unwanted pests without turning your home into a tiny wildlife torture chamber.

Today’s lesson: even when something scares the ever-loving daylights out of you, compassion can still win.

And today, in Roanoke, it most certainly did. 🐍

07/14/2026

Operation Trash Panda 🦝

Tonight’s late night rescue… wasn’t a snake.

As one of the admins for North Texas Wildlife Talk & Facts, I was scrolling thru the Facebook feed before bed when I came across a post from a very concerned woman in Flower Mound. She had discovered a baby raccoon trapped inside her outdoor trash bin. She wasn’t sure how long he’d been in there, but she said he looked exhausted.

After seeing the photo she posted, I couldn’t tell how old he was or what kind of shape he was in. My biggest concern was that he’d been trapped in the Texas heat with little airflow and no access to water.

So… I climbed aboard my trusty white steed (also known as my Toyota 4Runner, TRuDy) and headed to Flower Mound.

When I arrived, I was greeted by the homeowner and her incredibly sweet teenage daughter. They led me to the trash can, and sure enough, there was a young juvenile raccoon huddled up at the bottom.

Now, I’m not usually in the habit of diving headfirst into someone else’s trash… but desperate times call for desperate measures. 😆

Before reaching in, I rolled up my sleeves and pulled on my elbow-length Kevlar gloves. I explained that while baby raccoons are absolutely adorable, they instantly transform into tiny Tasmanian devils the moment you try to pick them up!

Safety Fact: Raccoons are a rabies vector species, meaning they’re one of the wildlife species most commonly associated with rabies transmission. Even though I maintain a pre-exposure rabies vaccination because of the rescue work I do, that doesn’t make me invincible. It simply buys valuable time to receive additional treatment if I’m ever exposed. That’s why I still wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and do everything I can to avoid being bitten or scratched during every rescue.

Fortunately, this little trash panda was more tired than feisty. I carefully lifted him out of the bin and into a transport kennel where he could finally cool off and relax.

He’s now spending a little time in the Raccoon Recovery & Rehabilitation Annex… (okay, okay… it’s really just my climate-controlled quarantine room) where he’ll get rehydrated, cooled down, and stabilized before being transferred to another permitted wildlife rehabilitator that already has baby raccoons around his age.

Wildlife Fact: Baby raccoons should always be raised with other baby raccoons whenever possible. Growing up together teaches them important social behaviors and helps prevent them from becoming imprinted on humans, giving them the best chance at living a successful life back in the wild where they belong.

Tonight, this little guy traded a hot trash can for air conditioning, a comfy kennel, and a much brighter future.

Not a bad upgrade for a little trash panda. 🦝 ❤️

Operation: Compassionate Capture Today’s rescue took me to Argyle, Texas after a homeowner found what she believed was a...
07/13/2026

Operation: Compassionate Capture

Today’s rescue took me to Argyle, Texas after a homeowner found what she believed was a young Rat Snake in her garage.

When I arrived, she told me something I almost never hear:

“I helped him into a box because I didn’t want him to get hurt.”

Now that caught me by surprise.

She wasn’t worried about the snake hurting her. She was worried about all the vehicles coming in and out of the garage and didn’t want the poor little guy to get accidentally smooshed before I could get there.

Inside the box was an adorable juvenile Western Rat Snake with a nice little food baby in his belly. Judging by the bulge in his midsection, he’d recently enjoyed a successful rodent hunt and was probably looking for a quiet place to digest his meal.

I made sure to tell her how impressed I was. It takes a special kind of person to look past fear and choose compassion instead. She honestly did more than many grown men I’ve met on snake calls (Sorry, guys).

After a quick ride in the snake mobile, her little garage guest was released into the woods bordering her neighborhood, where he’ll continue doing what rat snakes do best - keeping rodent populations under control.

Rescues like this remind me that not everyone sees wildlife as something to fear. Sometimes all it takes is one person willing to show a little kindness, and a tiny snake gets a second chance.

That’s a win for everyone. ❤️



Operation: Heavyweight ChampToday’s rescue wasn’t a native Texan… this one was an exotic with a serious gym membership.O...
07/09/2026

Operation: Heavyweight Champ

Today’s rescue wasn’t a native Texan… this one was an exotic with a serious gym membership.

Our friends over at Nature's Edge Wildlife and Reptile Rescue gave us a shout to see if we could pick up a snake from the Denton Animal Shelter. Turns out this big fella had been found cruising around a local city park. Since they’re native to Central and South America (not North Texas), he was definitely a long way from “home”.

The Animal Control officers warned me he was feeling a little bitey when they picked him up, so I showed up wearing gloves just in case he wanted to test my reflexes. If you’ve ever been bitten by a boa… you know it’s an experience you don’t volunteer for twice. 😂

Thankfully, this handsome guy had absolutely zero interest in living up to his tough reputation. He was as sweet and docile as could be and let me handle him like we’d been friends for years.

Now… about his weight…

This dude is an absolute UNIT. 💪🏼 So naturally, we named him…
Rocky Bal-boa. 🥊

For now, Rocky will be hanging out at the NTX Nuthouse until we can deliver him safely to Nature’s Edge this weekend.

Fun Boa Facts:
🐍 Common boas are one of the most popular pet snakes because they’re generally calm, intelligent, and become very tolerant of handling.
🐍 They’re nonvenomous constrictors, meaning they subdue prey by wrapping around it - not by using venom.
🐍 Adults commonly reach 6-10 feet long and can weigh 20-50+ pounds, depending on s*x and body condition. (Trust me… your arms start filing complaints.)
🐍 Unfortunately, when owners aren’t prepared for just how large they become, some end up abandoned or intentionally released - which is likely how Rocky wound up wandering through a city park.

A huge thank you to the Denton Animal Shelter and the responding Animal Control officers for making sure this gentle giant was safe until he could get into experienced hands.

Until this weekend…
Rocky Bal-boa is officially our heavyweight houseguest. 🐍❤️🥊

06/28/2026

Operation: Rattlesnake Impersonator

Today’s rescue call took me to North Denton, where the homeowner was absolutely certain he had a massive rattlesnake impersonator hiding behind a pallet in his backyard. According to the report, it was hissing loudly, very angry, and “at least 7 feet long.”

Now, when someone tells me they’ve got a giant snake making rattlesnake noises, my snake senses start tingling… and by “snake senses,” I mean I’ve been lied to by Bullsnakes enough times to recognize their nonsense. 😂

Sure enough, upon arrival, I found the true culprit: a very offended Bullsnake who had apparently awakened that morning and chosen violence.

Bullsnakes are but another drama queen of the snake world. Ever heard of “resting bitch face”? Bullsnakes are the best at looking pi**ed off even when they aren’t. When threatened, they’ll coil up, vibrate their tails, and produce a loud hiss that can sound remarkably like a rattlesnake. The secret behind that impressive hiss is a structure called the glottis - an opening in the snake’s airway. By forcefully expelling air through their glottis, they can create that intimidating “back TF off, buddy” sound effect.

And honestly? It works. This guy had his performance down to a science. If there were Academy Awards for reptilian acting, he’d have been giving his acceptance speech from behind that pallet.

After a brief discussion about his attitude problem, Mr. Bullsnake was safely captured to be relocated to a more appropriate venue where he can continue his theatrical career far away from that backyard.

Moral of the story: Not everything that hisses, rattles, and acts like it pays taxes is actually a rattlesnake. Sometimes it’s just a Bullsnake committing fully to the bit.

Operation Chicken Eater: No Regerts EditionToday’s snake call took me out to my favorite ranch in Valley View, Texas, wh...
06/20/2026

Operation Chicken Eater:
No Regerts Edition

Today’s snake call took me out to my favorite ranch in Valley View, Texas, where the ranch owner had discovered a very suspiciously lumpy resident in the chicken coop.

Upon arrival, I located the culprit: a hefty Western Ratsnake who had apparently helped himself to a rather large baby chick and was now suffering from a severe case of the itis. One look at that belly and the evidence was undeniable.

The suspect was fat, full, and completely unbothered by the consequences of his actions. In fact, when I pulled him out of the coop, he didn’t even attempt to bite me. No bluff strikes. No attitude. No resistance. Just the calm confidence of a snake who knew he’d already won.

Judging by his expression, he had exactly zero regrets about his life choices.

After a brief photoshoot and relocation far from the chickens, Operation Chicken Eater was successfully concluded.

Double-header snake rescue night!🐍 Call #1 – Valley View, TXA ranch owner called about a Western Rat Snake that had tak...
06/09/2026

Double-header snake rescue night!

🐍 Call #1 – Valley View, TX

A ranch owner called about a Western Rat Snake that had taken up residence in her chicken coop and, unfortunately, had already helped himself to a couple of chicks.

I found the culprit quickly. He was a big ol’ chunky boy who looked like he’d just finished an all-you-can-eat buffet and was ready for a nap. He didn’t put up the slightest bit of a fight when I pulled him out. Honestly, he seemed more annoyed that I interrupted his food coma than anything else.

He received a complimentary ride in the Snake Bucket Limousine™ and was relocated to a more appropriate hunting ground.

🐍 Call #2 – Flower Mound, TX

The second call came in for “multiple snakes” in a garage. When I arrived, I only located one Western Rat Snake, but the real story ended up being the homeowners.

While talking with them, I learned they have a serious rodent problem. In fact, the husband recently had to replace his truck because rats chewed through the wiring.

After catching the snake, I spent some time explaining how beneficial rat snakes are and why having one in the garage might actually be doing them a favor. I even demonstrated that a defensive bite from a rat snake is more insulting than dangerous.

By the end of the conversation, something amazing happened.

Instead of asking me to take the snake away…

They asked me to put him back.

That’s right. The snake went from unwanted trespasser to newly hired pest control technician in about 20 minutes.

The homeowners kept their free rodent control, the snake kept his job, and somewhere nearby a rat is currently updating its résumé.

Now THAT is what I call a successful snake call. 🐍❤️

Had 2 back-to-back rescue calls this evening. Both for Red-Shouldered hawks. 1 orphaned baby and 1 injured adult. Gonna ...
05/21/2026

Had 2 back-to-back rescue calls this evening. Both for Red-Shouldered hawks. 1 orphaned baby and 1 injured adult. Gonna get these 2 settled in and tended to. This weekend, they’ll be transferred to the fine folks at Nature's Edge Wildlife and Reptile Rescue. Their care is costly so if you can spare a few bucks, please consider making a donation.

PayPal: www.paypal.me/newr
Omella: omella.com/o/4g45n
Venmo:
Cash App: $NEWRR1

https://linktr.ee/newrr

05/05/2026

And the floodgate has been opened…

2nd water snake rescue of the season and this guy was FEISTY!
He tagged me twice. Here’s his great release.

Yellow-bellied water snake (Nerodia erythrogaster transversa),
non-venomous

Tonight’s snake call…Broad-banded copperhead (Agkistrodon laticinctus). Cute little guy! ❤️ 🐍
04/27/2026

Tonight’s snake call…

Broad-banded copperhead (Agkistrodon laticinctus).
Cute little guy! ❤️ 🐍

Address

Denton, TX
76201–76210

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