Carry a cell phone, hike with a companion who can assist in an emergency and make sure that family or friends know where you are going and when you will be checking in. In the event of a bite:. Office of Communications, Education and Outreach P. Box , Sacramento, CA Home Keep Me Wild Rattlesnakes. Be Rattlesnake Safe With the coming of spring and warmer weather conditions, snakes of many species are through hunkering down, making human encounters with these elusive creatures more likely.
Be alert. Like all reptiles, rattlesnakes are sensitive to the ambient temperature and will adjust their behavior accordingly. After a cold or cool night, they will attempt to raise their body temperature by basking in the sun midmorning.
To prevent overheating during hot days of spring and summer, they will become more active at dawn, dusk or night. Wear sturdy boots and loose-fitting long pants. Never go barefoot or wear sandals when walking through brushy, wild areas. Startled rattlesnakes may not rattle before striking defensively. Children should not wear flip-flops while playing outdoors in snake country. When hiking, stick to well-used trails. Avoid tall grass, weeds and heavy underbrush where snakes may hide during the day.
Do not step or put your hands where you cannot see. Step ON logs and rocks, never over them, and be especially careful when climbing rocks or gathering firewood.
What time of day are you most likely to encounter rattlesnakes on the trail? They are active during daylight hours most of their active season, but when it gets really hot, they may switch a bit and become active at night. Where do rattlesnakes like to hang out during the day? They may sit patiently waiting for a tasty mouse to run by, which could be most anywhere, or they may be crawling, searching for a mouse trail or a mate by scent. So, you could really find them anywhere.
Often they may be found in association with logs or rocks where mice may be more likely to live, and also where they can beat a hasty retreat if threatened. Where do rattlesnakes sleep? They may seek protection under a rock, log, or in a crevice, but they may also coil near these objects or a tree, or even in the open to snooze. This is true of all snakes. If you come upon a rattlesnake sunning itself along the trail what should you do? Are they scared away by loud noises or having things thrown at them?
Just leave the snake alone. What if you come across a very angry rattlesnake? Coiled, hissing and the telltale rattle. Stay away from it and move on.
There are many exceptions to this rule both between and within species , but it can give you a general idea about striking distance. The best advise is to just give the snake a wide birth, and be on your way. Will a rattlesnake chase you? Also, you can walk much faster than a rattlesnake can crawl, so if the two of you happen to be going the same direction for some strange reason, you will win the race! If the worst happens and a rattlesnake bite occurs, what should you do to treat the wound until you can make it to the closest healthcare facility?
Get the person bitten to a health care facility as quickly as possible while minimizing exertion of the victim. Also, keep the victim calm good luck with that one! I have heard this: If you come upon a snake, back away 30 feet and wait 30 seconds. They will have slithered away and you can pass. Is this good advice? My advice is to just give the snake wide birth, and continue on your way. I have also heard that the snake does not want to waste their venom, they need it for food!
Most other characteristics are either too subjective or inconsistent, or else they require one to get too close to the animal for safety. Each shedding episode that follows adds another segment to the rattle, and rattlesnakes may shed one to four or more times each year. Only when there is more than one segment can the rattle produce sound. The tremendous amount of sound produced results from movement of the rattle back and forth 60 or more times per second! In addition to the change in structure from small scales to large rattle segments, rattlesnake tails look stumpy, almost as though their tips had been snipped off.
Other snakes have tails that come to smooth tapering points, much like pencil points. Click to hear Western Diamondback sounds. Few reptiles exhibit parental care of their young. Without evidence to the contrary, scientists take a conservative approach and assume that parental care is absent in most reptiles.
Sometimes scientists may make premature judgments based on incomplete information. For years it was assumed that rattlesnakes do not care for their young after birth. Yet, Dr. Similar observations have been made by herpetologist Hugh McCrystal with other species of rattlesnakes such as the rock rattlesnake.
In the future, we may find that most rattlesnake species exhibit parental care. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails.
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