{"id":2771,"date":"2026-07-03T17:36:30","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T17:36:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arizonamovinginsider.com\/?p=2771"},"modified":"2026-07-03T17:36:30","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T17:36:30","slug":"retired-phoenix-police-officer-catches-rare-albino-rattlesnake-in-gold-canyon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arizonamovinginsider.com\/?p=2771","title":{"rendered":"Retired Phoenix police officer catches rare albino rattlesnake in Gold Canyon"},"content":{"rendered":"
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GOLD CANYON, AZ \u2014 A retired Phoenix police officer turned rattlesnake wrangler has captured what experts believe is an exceedingly rare albino rattlesnake in the Gold Canyon area \u2014 and she’s pregnant.<\/p>\n

Read more Iran warns oil tankers to use approved routes in Strait of Hormuz or face a \u2018forceful response\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

Phil Roberts, of Gold Canyon, has relocated more than 85 rattlesnakes over the past year, all free of charge, after spending more than 30 years with the Phoenix Police Department’s violent crimes bureau. <\/p>\n

“After 33 years in the department, I wanted to do something a little safer, so I became a rattlesnake wrangler,” Roberts said, smiling.<\/p>\n

Roberts takes calls from friends and neighbors in the Gold Canyon area and removes rattlesnakes at no cost.<\/p>\n

“I appreciate neighbors looking after neighbors,” Roberts said.<\/p>\n

One of those neighbors spotted a white snake and initially mistook it for a walking stick. Instead of reaching for it, they reached out to Roberts.<\/p>\n

“Vivian, this is so rare, you wouldn’t believe it,” Roberts said in a video he took.<\/p>\n

After Roberts posted about the capture on social media, Bryan Hughes of Rattlesnake Solutions \u2014 the largest snake relocation and prevention business in the United States \u2014 said the reptile community took notice immediately.<\/p>\n

“Whenever we get an interesting animal, our inbox just goes nuts with people wanting it,” Hughes said.<\/p>\n

Read more Former US Olympian charged with felony over Reflecting Pool incident<\/a><\/p>\n

Once the snake sheds her skin, that will allow for more testing to be done to determine exactly what species the snake is, but Hughes said initial research leads him to believe it is a tyrosinase-positive albino snake. That trait is exceedingly rare in the wild, though more common in the pet trade.<\/p>\n

Of the more than 24,000 rattlesnakes Hughes has relocated over his 20-plus years in the field, he has encountered a snake like this in the wild only twice.<\/p>\n

“I never expected to see something like this in my life,” Hughes said.<\/p>\n

During a closer examination of the snake, Hughes made an additional discovery \u2014 the snake is pregnant.<\/p>\n

Rattlesnake Solutions will continue researching the discovery to determine the best course for the rare snake.<\/p>\n

If you find a rattlesnake at your home, Rattlesnake Solutions advises against trying to kill or catch it. Keep pets away, try to keep an eye on the snake, and call a licensed professional. According to the company, snakes are more scared of people than people are of them.<\/p>\n

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.<\/i><\/p>\n

Read more WATCH: Old Town Tavern wins approval to expand after months-long permit battle in Scottsdale<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Phil Roberts has relocated more than 85 rattlesnakes in the past year. Experts say a white snake he recently caught may be a tyrosinase-positive albino \u2014 and she’s pregnant.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2770,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2771","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news"],"yoast_head":"\nRetired Phoenix police officer catches rare albino rattlesnake in Gold Canyon - Arizona Moving Insider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/arizonamovinginsider.com\/?p=2771\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Retired Phoenix police officer catches rare albino rattlesnake in Gold Canyon - Arizona Moving Insider\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Phil Roberts has relocated more than 85 rattlesnakes in the past year. 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