|
The return of warmer weather to the foothills also means rattlesnakes are beginning to slither from hibernation. Experts say the chance of falling victim to one of the venomous reptiles is fairly slim when taking the proper precautions.
“When (rattlesnake bites) happen they are a big deal, but they don’t happen as commonly as other environmental dangers like spider bites or mushroom poisonings,” said Dr. Cyrus Rangan, assistant medical director for the California Poison Control Center. Rangan said about 300 cases of rattlesnake bites are reported to the center each year, and it’s been years since anyone died. Nationwide, the center reports, about 800 people are bitten by rattlesnakes each year, which result in about one or two deaths. By contrast, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports about 80 people die each year from lightning strikes. “The vast majority of people survive snake bites, and the most important thing to do if you’re bitten is call 911,” said Dr. Sean Bush, a venomous-animal specialist and professor of emergency medicine at Loma Linda University School of Medicine in Southern California. The state’s Poison Control Center advises bite victims to refrain from applying ice to the wound, using a tourniquet or constricting band, sucking out the venom or using any device to cut or slice the area of the bite. It also recommends keeping the affected limb elevated above heart level on the way to a hospital. Bush said his emergency room has already treated several snake bites this year, which he said is busier than normal for this early in the season. The warmer weather patterns seen throughout the winter could mean more rattlesnakes will be moving about this summer, Bush said. “If you have a warmer winter, more snakes will survive hibernation,” he explained. Experts say it’s best to avoid attempting to wrangle a rattlesnake that slithers into a yard or home and to instead call local animal control or law enforcement authorities for assistance. Tuolumne County Animal Control officers said they don’t handle rattlesnake calls but can refer people to specialists. One local snake wrangler is Debbie Veysey, of Sonora, who has owned reptiles since she was 4 years old and been rescuing rattlers since 1997. Veysey doesn’t charge for her services, but accepts donations. She typically fields calls throughout Tuolumne and Calaveras counties, but hasn’t had many calls yet this year. “The weather just recently turned, but they are going to start popping out everywhere,” she said. Last year’s unusually late winter made for a really busy season for Veysey. Veysey said she would sometimes get 10 calls in one week, but so far this year has only been to one in Angels Camp on April 24. She thinks this year’s dry, mild weather pattern will result in another big summer. Rattlesnakes emerge from hibernation to start breeding and eating when it’s warm, and they use the sun to heat their bodies, Veysey explained. She warned that as the summer progresses and temperatures further rise, snakes come out mostly at night to lay on pavement because it retains the heat. “People need to be aware of that. I’ve almost stepped on one before,” she said. Some tips Veysey gave to prevent a rattlesnake problem included keeping grains or other items that attract mice secure and keeping wood stacks, brush and rock piles away from homes. “People love ornamental rock piles, but snakes love them too,” she said. Veysey also advised people with dogs in areas that commonly have rattlesnake problems to talk with a veterinarian about a dog “vaccine,” which she said doesn’t actually vaccinate the dog but slows the venom from traveling through its system. A Jamestown man says he had a close encounter with a rattlesnake last Tuesday. Marc Penn, 60, was doing yard work at his Campo Seco Road home when he stumbled upon what he first thought was a “healthy looking” garter snake, before it coiled and began the noisy warning signal for him to stay back. “I didn’t think it would be out so early in the year, and I’m out there spraying these thistles with my sandals on,” he said. Penn grabbed two long sticks to pick up the western diamondback and placed it in a five-gallon bucket with a lid. He ended up releasing the snake next to some blackberry bushes at a nearby gully. “The thing is, they were around here before we were,” he said. “I would rather have it around than mice in my house.” Penn, a former carpenter, said he’s picked up many snakes throughout his career building homes and warned anyone not familiar in how to handle them to seek assistance. |