This can be an incredibly bad idea in some locations -- like if your "warning" shot goes THRU your sheetrock and vinyl siding and into your neighbor's kids bedroom.
Handgun ammo is more penetrating than most people realize, rifle ammo much more so
I live on the country and have no neighbors within a few miles..The thing is here you have to fire a warning shot..I do know what you are talking about though..I see rattlers a lot on my sidewalk near the pond I don't shoot them because I know the bullet could be dangerous to me if it happened to ricochet or break the concrete up and come up into my face....I usually use a hoe and chop their heads off..That is if they are not curled up..that is the sticking position..