Rattlesnake season is upon us
Take precautions to safeguard yourself, your pets
March and April are the months that rattlesnakes make their presence known in Lake County. In fact, there have been several reports of people seeing rattlesnakes within the past two weeks. One hiker at Highland Springs Reservoir reported seeing several rattlers each day while hiking the backtrails near the reservoir.
According to the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW), it is legal to kill a rattlesnake although the DFW encourages people to leave them alone as they are an important part of the environment.
The primary species of rattlesnake in Lake County is the Northern Pacific rattlesnake. Rattlesnakes are the only venomous snake in the state and of the hundreds of rattlesnakes in the county there are only three or four people bitten a year, and no deaths have been reported. Statewide about 800 people are bitten each year and approximately three deaths are attributed to rattlesnake bites. Most bites occur between the months of April and October when snakes and humans are most ac
tive outdoors.
About 25 percent of bites are “dry,” meaning no venom is injected, but the bite still requires medical treatment. Generally not aggressive, rattlesnakes strike when threatened or deliberately provoked. Given room they will retreat. Most snake bites occur when a rattlesnake is handled or accidentally touched by someone walking or climbing. The majority of snakebites occur on the hands, feet and ankles.
Rattlesnake bites can cause serious injury to humans on rare occasions. Some bites are treated in the hospital by injecting antivenom. In most cases the injection works and the bitten person recovers although there can be lifelong scars.
Dogs are often bitten by rattlesnakes, the reason being they often attempt to smell it or even attack it. Most of the time the dogs are bitten in the nose or on the head. Local veterinarians carry antivenom for dogs but it’s expensive and can cost as much as $500, or even more, to treat the animal. There is a vaccine available for dogs that lessens the effects of a rattlesnake bite. The vaccine is relatively inexpensive and local vets carry it.
Rattlesnakes are often found around old barns and other buildings because these structures normally hold an abundance of mice and ground squirrels, which are the primary food source for rattlers. These old buildings also offer dark, damp areas where the rattlesnakes like to hide. In other words, don’t stick your hand under the floorboards or in an old lumber pile.
There is a rattlesnake repellent on the market which is a granular type that you can spread around in areas where rattlesnakes have been seen. The snakes will not cross that repellent.
Many other species of snakes are often mistaken for rattlesnakes. On several occasions I have mistaken a gopher snake for a rattler. A few years ago while deer hunting I actually stepped on a large gopher snake and when it whipped around my ankle I thought it was a rattler. You could hear me yell for several miles. A rattlesnake is a heavybodied, blunt-tailed snake with one or more rattles on the tail. It has a triangular-shaped head, much broader at the back than at the front, and a distinct “neck” region. The rattlesnake also has openings between the nostrils and eyes, which is a heatsensing pit. The eyes are hooded with elliptical pupils.
According to the
DFW, if the worst happens and you’re actually bitten by a rattler there are several things you should do. The first thing is stay calm. Get medical help as soon as possible. If you’re more than 30 minutes away from medical help keep the bite area below the heart. If you’re bitten on the finger or hand, immediately remove rings or watches because they may constrict swelling. Today most people carry cell phones. If you’re alone in the woods, call for help.
I also don’t believe in indiscriminately killing a rattlesnake if it isn’t threatening me. If I meet up with one in the woods I’ll just walk around it. However, I don’t want one around my house.
Rattlesnakes are an important part of Lake County’s ecosystem as they help control the populations of rodents and other vermin. They have been here much longer than we have.