In California, about 800 persons are bitten by rattlesnakes in a typical 12 months; About two die per 12 months. The threat often begins in April and reduces by September.
Rattlesnakes should not limited to rural areas. They have been found near urban areas, rivers, lakes and golf courses. Rattlesnakes don't at all times rattle before striking defensively.
Never go barefoot or wear sandals when walking through wild areas.
When climbing, keep on with trails and wear boots and long pants. Avoid tall grass, weeds, and thick undergrowth where snakes might hide through the day.
Do not step or place your hands where you can’t see, and avoid walking around in the dead of night. Step on logs and rocks, never over them, and be especially careful when climbing rocks or gathering firewood. Inspect stumps or logs before sitting down and shake out sleeping bags before use.
Also watch out when crossing the doorstep. Snakes prefer to crawl along the perimeters of buildings where they’re protected on one side.
Never hike alone. Always have someone with you who can enable you in an emergency.
Do not touch a freshly killed snake; it may possibly still inject poison.
Teach children early on to respect snakes and leave them alone. Children are naturally curious and prefer to snatch snakes.
The California Fish and Wildlife Department offers recommendations on rattlesnake exclusion methods and what to do in case you see a rattlesnake in your property Here.
If bitten
Stay calm, safely walk away from the snake, and take someone with you Call 911 (or the emergency number in your area).
Ask the victim to lie down in order that the affected limb is lower than the center. Keep the limb still. If possible, splint the limb.
Treat shock and maintain body heat.
Remove any rings, bracelets, boots, or other obstructing objects from the bitten limb. (It will swell.)
Apply a light-weight, constricting band about 2 inches above and below the bite, but never place the bands on one side of a joint (e.g., above and below the knee or elbow). This band must be product of wide, soft material, resembling a handkerchief or tattered clothing.
Wash the bite with soap and water (if available).
If the victim needs to go away the home, calmly go to the closest source of help. Call Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222.
Here's what to not do
Do not apply ice or heat to the bite site.
Do not suck out poison (poison).
Do not cut or trim across the bite site.
Do not use a tourniquet to limit blood flow.
Do not take medications or eat alcoholic/caffeinated beverages.
There are 24 different species of rattlesnakes on the planet. Seven different species live in California (listed within the table at right), and two of those species consist of multiple subspecies.
This family of dangerously venomous snakes, found worldwide, includes roughly 290 species. Seventeen of the 19 venomous snakes within the United States belong to the Viperidae. They are represented by three genera: Agkistrodon, the copperhead and cottonmouth snakes, and Crotalus and Sistrurus, the rattlesnakes.
There are only 17 species of vipers within the United States
You can find distribution maps of all California snakes Here.
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