Posted: 6/15/2005 3:34:50 PM EDT
Ok gents..you have existed in this desert "oasis" longer than I. What do you do if you're out in the field and get bit by one of AZ's scaliest? My most uptodate data still includes sucking it out or cutting the bite area and "bleeding" it. What is the most current recommendations for handling a bite and which of the snake bite kits out there do you recommend? Thank you for the knowledge guys!
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phoenix.about.com/cs/desert/ht/snakebite.htm Most people who live in Arizona never see a rattlesnake their entire lives, except maybe at the zoo. But if you are unfortunate enough to be bitten by a rattlesnake, it is rarely fatal. Especially if you follow these tips. Difficulty: Average Time Required: Not much, I hope Here's How: 1. Don't know if it was a rattlesnake bite? Look for symptoms--fang marks, pain, swelling, nausea, weakness, rubbery taste in the mouth, black and blue discoloration of the bitten area within a few hours. 2. Wash the rattlesnake bite with soap and water. 3. Keep the bitten area still. You can immobilize the area with an improvised splint made from a board, magazines, or other stiff material tied to the limb. Don't tie it too tight---you don't want to reduce blood flow. 4. Keep the area of the rattlesnake bite lower than the heart. 5. Place a constricting bandage between the rattlesnake bite and the heart, as near as possible to the bite. 6. The constriction should be loose enough to permit a finger to be inserted between the constricted extremity and the bandage. 7. Go to a hospital immediately. 8. If you cannot get to a hospital, call the Arizona Poison Control and Drug Information Center at 1-800-362-0101 immediately. Tips: If bitten by a rattlesnake, DO NOT use ice to cool the bite. If bitten by a rattlesnake, DO NOT cut open the wound and try to suck out the venom. If bitten by a rattlesnake, DO NOT use a tourniquet. This will cut off blood flow and the limb may be lost. Avoid rattlesnakes altogether. If you see one, don't try to get closer to it or catch it. Keep your hands and feet away from areas where you cannot see, like between rocks or in tall grass where rattlesnakes like to rest. |
| I sometimes see them in my neighborhood. A little common sense and you will never be bitten. They are more scared of you than you are of them. If I have to move one off a neighbors patio or out of a garage I use my long handeled pool net and scoop them up. I then drop them off in a wash or an open desert area. They do their part to keep down the rodent population. To answer your question, call 911! |
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7000 venomous snake bites are reported annually in the United States. 15 fatalities result, placing the chance of survival at roughly 499 out of 500. Approximately 3000 are classed as "illegitimate," meaning these bites occurred while the victim was handling or molesting the snake. 85% of the natural bites are below the knee. 50% are dry. Squeezing the venom glands to inject is a voluntary reflex. In that strikes against humans are generally defensive actions, it is estimated that no venom is purposely injected about half the time. This holds true with the pit vipers. With the Coral Snake the amount of venom injected is directly related to the size of the snake and the length of time it holds on to the victim. If im not mistaken most of the 3000 illegitimate bites, are males in their late teens, early 20's and often the victims are intoxicated. Remember there are better ways to impress chicks  Great instructions DGibson! |
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Thanks for the info DGibson..very informative! So is there a reliable snake bite kit out there? Or do I have to put one together myself? What should it contain? BTW guys I am not a snake hunter or harrasser. I just want to be prepared when I go hiking and accidently step on or come in close encounter with one! As I learned in the Cub Scouts...Be Prepared!
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There is a similar post in survival forum going right now, posted there today also. This thread has much better info/advice--any type of cutting is now taboo according to the medical world (AMA) A healthy adult will TYPICALLY survive an envenomated bite even without treatment---might wish he were dead for a few days, but will survive. Loosing a finger or toe is quite likely if bitten on the digits, whether treated or not. Swelling can get bad enough to burst skin if not properly drained, causing infection issues. Flu like symptoms are pretty much for sure no matter what. I'm speaking strictly US venomous snakes, other locals don't have it so easy  Met an old guy in Louisiana that lived in the Sabine river area, said he was bit 4 times in his life by water moccasins, never sought treatment-- said the first time was a rough week, by the fourth time more like a wasp sting, guess he was building an immunity like a horse. By the way, SCOUTS OUT-- HORSEMAN hows the weights working for ya |
<-- Jackass 
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Jezz Louise "...or catch it ." I defy anyone to even try to catch it with thier hands the first time you find where a snake lives . My first experiance was "holly shit Bill whats that funny sound , SSsnnaaaKE !!!!!" My brother started collecting snake skins that day . Very exciting ....everytime . I did know a fellow who routinely got bit by his "pet " his hand would swell up turn sort of purpleish . He had kinda developed an imunity . Fu** what a pair they were . 
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I've seen 2 in 4 years. One 3 footer+ and one baby, under 10". Babies are the worst... they always inject all they got (venom), no control. Adults will withhold, and if they have eaten, may have less venom to use. Adults want to be away from you, little ones are not as smart. Do NOT fuck with the small ones! If bit, don't panic. This is easy to say, harder to do. You basically don't want to circulate the venom. I saw more rattlers in 15+ years of varmint hunting in MT. I didn't bite them, they did the same. 
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| I was in such a good mood on Sunday, I helped one cross the road. This rattler was so passive and just wanted to get away from me so bad I couldn't get him to coil up for a picture. He just kept trying to get up the berm (dirt road). I would bring him back down with a stick and he just headed right back up, finally just helped him up. |
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Does anyone have experience with this: www.summithut.com/catalog/remap/product.asp/pfid/2189/ |
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The last time I saw a rattler it was in my back yard at 0130. My lovely wife comes in to inform me that the dogs are going apeshit. I tell the wife that the dogs are barking at nothing and roll back over. Wifey tells me there is a snake in the yard that the dogs are barking at, so I cover my face with a pillow and tell her to lock the dogs inside. Wife informs me that the snake is between the dogs and the house, and that I had better "Fix It NOW!" I go out back ( in my boxers and flip flops mind you) and see the snake. My first idea was to get the shotty and dispatch the snake. Unfortunately, the snake is right next to the propane tank for the grill. Deciding that brute force was the answer in this situation, I grab my walking stick and proceed to beat the snake to death. Stay away from the snakes and you will never be bitten. If you have to kill a snake, I suggest something more protective than your skivvies and a pair of flip flops. If you get bit, call an ambulance ASAP. Do not cut the wound. Do not attempt to "Suck out the Poison" (unless she is really cute) Seek medical attention immediately. Stay calm. (panic speeds up the heart dontchaknow) Be able to ID the critter for the docs in the ER. GT |
I watched a guy try and "beat" a snake to death. About the third whack he hooked the snake, tossed him in the air and it landed just inches behind him. The was the day I saw that men really can shit thier pants out of fear. We remove between 5-15 rattlers a year from peoples houses and property, most of those are ones that people have caught and brought home. Let me tell you something AZGF consdiers ALL native snakes game animals and you are in deep stuff if you get caught with taken game and no license. Not to mention its just dumb. A couple pointers: Rattlers DO NOT always rattle before they strike Rattlers WILL climb into bushes and be off the ground. The only time I've been stuck was by a rattler a foot and a half off the ground in a sage bush. Rattlers can still strike, bite, and inject venom a long time after they are "dead". We've had severed heads that still open and close their jaws a full ahlf hour after being decapitated. You wanna see a rattler up close? Let me know. We have a Mohave and a Sidewinder that are permanent residents. |
| I was watching a highlight tape of one of the Baja races a few years ago and they had the camera inside one of the trucks. The Truck had no Windshield, and the dune buggy in front of it kicked a live rattler into the cab of the truck with the two racers.....I have never seen people get out of a 5 point harness so fast :) |
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stay away from them and you will be fine. More importantly, if you have kids, keep them away from snakes, most fatal bites ranging from spiders to snakes are dealt to kids or people with allergic reactions. ETA: common sense, but it can't hurt to re-state this: ALWAYS bring a cell phone and make sure it is fully charged |
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Exerpt from "the Rattlesnakes of Arizona" By James Q Jacobs: "The most venomous rattlesnake in North America is the Mohave, Crotalus scutulatus," also called 'Three-Steppers' and 'Greenbacks.' Mohaves and Western Diamondbacks are "the two main snakes you are going to run across." "The Mohaves have a neurotoxic venom ... twenty times more toxic than the actual Western Diamondbacks." The Mohave "contributes to the most fatalities" in the Southwest. They are a "very secretive and non-aggressive rattlesnake" but a very deadly rattlesnakes, comparable to cobras. For every ten to fifteen Diamondbacks, one Mohave is found. It is distinguished by its very green color, an adaptation to sit on " the tops of Palo Verde trees, the tops of cactus ... waiting to ambush birds." While Mohaves are the second most common, the Arizona Blacktail or Blacktail Rattlesnake, Crotalus molossus, is the third most common rattlesnake in Arizona. " |
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Wow, the stories I heard were true about the Mojave Greens! I was a newbie to the desert and thought I might be hearing a tall tale. Luckily the only Mojave greens I saw were sunning themselves out of a torpor in the early morning and were in no condition to give me a proper chompin'. Thanks for the responses, Cheese |
Damn I must be looking in the wrong area because I have never seen a blacktail. Of the 17 rattlers I have seen in the last month 11 were sidwinders, 3 mojaves, 3 diamonbacks
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I got tagged in the leg by a rattler about 4 years ago while mountain biking. Lucky for me my buddy had a snake kit in his biking gear and my boots took most of the impact which decreased the penetration. Fucked up my skin/muscle for a while though and my sock was rather moist from the venom. I had no idea how much they pump out in the split second they hit ya.  I got very lucky with the tall boots so the doc at the hospitol gave me some meds to take and sent me on my way with basic wound care instructions. The doc did show me some snake bite pics on the web, one guy caught it right in his cheek while landscaping his back yard, shouldnt have looked under that bush to see what the funny noise was.. I now prefer to keep a good amount of glass between me and ay venamous snake. |
Ummmm..what do you do for a liveing, Kuhle? :) |
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Just got back from a class at the Wilderness Medical Institute, they do not advise a constriction bandage on pit viper bites. The only exception is a Coral Snake (not a pit viper) and the Mojave. Those two have neuro-toxin components to their venom. Definately want to reduce circulation of that stuff. All the other North American venomous snakes produce a hemotoxin. It starts to pre-digest flesh to make it easier for the snake to process. All DGibson's info is spot on, with the exception of the constriction. You actually want to dilute and process the venom to minimize its necrotizing effects. That's what WMI taught us anyway. Mike (I can now play a Wilderness First Responder in real life  )
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Hi Tim, Try this: Grand Canyon Field Institute . The class was taught by a mountaineer from Wyoming and the chief SAR ranger from the park. I highly recommend any of the big 3; WMI/NOLS, WMA, or SOLO. They recognize each others certifications. Mike [/hijack] |
And my normal procedure on coming upon a snake is to go the other way. However, I tend to be inclined to off any critters that can cause harm to the wife or dogs. Gila monsters on the other hand get treated pretty freaking reverently. Only seen 2 in the wild. They are not a lizard to be messed with! GT |
I used to get Blacktails all the time in the creek beds of Happy Valley, near Benson. |
My preferred method for dispatching rattlers around the house is to use a shovel (might want to use something longer than an E-tool ). It's quick and quiet and it severes the head from the body, which saves me a step. Always be sure to bury the head afterwards so that someone or something doesn't come along and step on it.I'm pretty sure Green Mojaves are protected in Arizona, so you might want to think twice before killing one just because it's in your way. |
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Here's the story (and pics) of a 13 year old who got bit on his hand by a Diamondback. www.freewebs.com/rattlesnakebite/  Mike |
That is a good example of some of the worst possiblities other then dying of course. Those pictures are excellent, thanks for sharing. |
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