With the weather warming up, rattlesnakes are showing up a lot earlier this season! California Poison Control has recorded 84 rattlesnake bites in California this year, higher than usual. Of the 800 bites each year in California there’s usually one or two deaths. Most bites occur between the months of April and October.
Here are some rattlesnake tips from the California Department of Fish & Wildlife:
1. Never go barefoot or wear sandals when walking through wild areas.
2. Wear hiking boots.
3. Stick to well-used trails and wear over-the-ankle boots and loose-fitting long pants.
4. Avoid tall grass, weeds and heavy underbrush where snakes may hide during the day.
5. Do not step or put your hands where you can’t see
6. Avoid wandering around in the dark.
7. Step ON logs and rocks, never over them, and be especially careful when climbing rocks or gathering firewood.
8. Check out stumps or logs before sitting down, and shake out sleeping bags before use.
9. Always have someone with you who can assist in an emergency.
10. Do not handle a freshly killed snake, it can still inject venom.
11. Carry a portable phone and make sure that family or friends know where you are going and when you will be checking in.
IF BITTEN BY A RATTLESNAKE:
1. Get to a doctor as soon as possible, but stay calm.
2. Remove watches, rings, etc, which may constrict swelling.
3. If the doctor is more than 30 minutes away, keep the bite below the heart, and then try to get to the doctor as quickly as possible.
Photo courtesy of Dillon Scheps
