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RATTLESNAKE PREPAREDNESS
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| Encounter at Camp Creek |
It's that time of year again—the beginning of rattlesnake
season. A report today on KJZZ
stated that so far this year, there have been 7 documented rattler bites in
Arizona---none of them were fatal.
Springtime warmth brings these reptiles out of hibernation, and
when they first wake up, they are both hungry and full of venom. They are looking for rodents—not your
ankle. Venom is very expensive for
snakes to produce so they don't want to waste it on anything that's not
food. That's why they rattle and
warn first and strike only when stepped on, surprized or provoked. Amazingly, many bites are the results of people intentionally handling the snakes. (as in, "Hold my beer; watch this...")
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| Black-tail rattler: Parson Springs |
You can greatly reduce your chances of getting serpent stung
by observing a few simple rules when hiking in rattlesnake territory (virtually
all of AZ):
• Never step or
put your hands anyplace where you cannot see.
• Loose the
headphones; you'll want to hear that rattle!
• Snakes are
most active in morning and late afternoon. They seek shade (beware the brittlebushes) during the heat of
day.
• Rodent
holes=rattlesnake buffet.
• When you
encounter a snake, simply walk around it.
There's no need to harass the beast.
• If you are
bitten, seek medical help by calling 911.
Do NOT, cut, use a tourniquet or ice the wound. Your “treatments” can contribute to
tissue necropsy and infection. If
you are out of phone range, you can walk slowly toward help.
• It is not
necessary to kill or capture the snake; hospitals will know how to treat you.
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| Sighting in Sycamore Canyon |
ARIZONA GAME & FISH RATTLESNAKE INFO:
BANNER HEALTH SNAKE BITE ADVISE:
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