Sightings

[Nighthiker]

Observed four rattlesnakes, two gila monsters and one playful red racer.

[J&S]

At the Legislature?

[Daddee]

When and where the heck are you going that you see all this stuff - I've hiked all over and I've NEVER seen a Gila monster.
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"Only small minds want always to be right."
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"...haven't you lived long enough to know that two men may honestly differ about a question and both be right?"
- Abraham Lincoln

[CatValet]

I've only seen two in 35 years here, and one of them was in the parking lot for the summit trail at Squaw Peak. The ranger and I pried him out from under a car with sticks and herded him into the brush so some nasty person didn't drive over him. Trickier than herding cats.....

[Arizonaheat]

You have to remember rattlesnakes are mainly nocturnal creatures and so is Nighthiker. That is the reason why.

The snakes are usually out in the early mornings pre sunrise then late evening and hunt throughout the night. During the day rattlers kick back in the shade. Direct sunlight will kill a rattler in 10 - 15 minutes.The functioning temperature of a rattlesnake is 72 -78 degrees and its effective temperature is 82 -96. Effective temperature is the temp. that the snake moves about and hunts prey. 72% of all bites occur 1/2 hour before sundown and up to two hours after sundown.
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Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens, not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life.

[sam_hikes]

Thanks for the interesting info.

Last summer I was curious and contacted az poison control about rattler bites and learned the following.

1) There's currently no recommended in-the-field treatment instead call 911 or get to a doc fast.

2) Bites are very rare and almost always those biten are males 18-35 years old usually messin around!

[Daryl]

Yep,

I've seen the number quoted to be anywhere from 60 to 90% of all rattlesnake bite victims got bit because they picked it up. I also heard a high percentage of the cases involved alcohol

I guess men over 35 and women just have a little more common sense then us under 35 males.
Getting drunk and picking up deadly snakes seems like a lot of fun to me... Anyone want to go drinkin and snake huntin with me?
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[CatValet]

Snake tossing is also not a good plan....The Darwin Awards had a story about a fellow who died while playing catch (Redneck last words: "Hey Guys, Watch This!")

I would respectfully disagree with the "No Field Treatment" option. There is a difference between "First Aid", which assumes professional care within hours- if not minutes- and "Wilderness Medicine" which assumes that you are hours or even days from the ER. Since Mother Ship will probably not violate the wilderness airspace restrictions unless they are convinced you are in dire circumstances, so you will ride out on someone's mule, or on a gurney. Walking-or any other activity-will accelerate the spread of venom. So, if you are well away from civilization, the use of a Sawyer Extractor will certainly do no harm, and may remove enough venom (if actuated promptly) to reduce the resultant tissue decrosis. 25-50mg of benadryl, orally, may reduce the reaction somewhat. Lymph contrictors (NOT a tournequet) above and below the bite may delay spread of venom, helping the extractor. The use of injectible anti-venin in the field is VERY dangerous. Many people have severe allergic reactions to the serum, and this can only be discovered by a skin test first. Those who react negatively may go into anaphylactic shock. If you know what this is, you don't wanna go there, and if you don't, trust me, you don't want to try and deal with that AND a snakebite.....Now what was that old thing about coral snakes?? Red next to Black, er, yellow next to black, er, drink Jack Daniels Black????

[cakewalk]

Thankfully Ive NEVER neen a rattlesnake.

I have seen a few coyotes in South mountian park. Some Jackrabbits the size of kangaroos and the normal bazillion little lizards. Oh yea, and those pig things.

I seem to find alot of golf balls when I go off trail in T-bird park in glendale, There is a course a nearby, those guys must really suck!

I Once got bit by a brown recluse Spider, and while I searched the internet for information and waited to die, it went away, so maybe I was paranoid and mistaken.

O, and I have itchy stuff on both ankes.

[Arizonaheat]

Cakewalk, if u were bitten by a Brown Recluse and didn't suffer any severe reactions consider yourself most fortunate. The venom from the Brown Recluse can end up causing more tissue damage than a rattlesnake bite. I assume you have seen some of the horrid pictures on the internet. I recently went to a lecture put on by an expert in venomous bites, who works for the Poison Control Center, he had some very graphic slides.

[cakewalk]

I know... I was joking

I got bit by something.... naturally I went brown recluse, Whatever it was, it went away in a day or 2.

[sam_hikes]

check with your hospital but I think getting to the emergency room is the current regime for rattler bites since most field stuf has not been proven to help.

this is often a medical emergency especially if you are showing any signs so there should little problem getting an helo ride if req.

extremely rare to die but people do loose limbs and can suffer some effects for years after bites.

[J&S]

It is always a good idea to "refresh" yourself on snakebites. Kinda like CPR. If you get CPR training, you know that your card "expires" and you will need to get a "refresher." That's because humans are human and they forget, especially in critical times of stress. It's kinda the same with snakebites only you can't go get a "card" to prove you had a refresher.
You just have to "refresh" yourself and hope you are equipped and actually REMEMBER what you are supposed to do.

Also, the field of medicine is always changing. TOTAL consensus doesn't exist on some aspects of snakebite treatment(s). And consensus changes from time-to-time. Topics like this one are really important for our ongoing "education" about snakebites. They serve as a reminder to due your homework and reflect on your personal preparedness in the event you are unlucky enough to get snakebit.


Fortunately, the Net now provides a buffet of information on snakebites.
Here are four links to articles I read this morning. They are quite good and all from established, credible sources.

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/995_snakes.html

http://www.pharmacy.arizona.edu/centers/apdic/snakes.shtml

http://wellness.ucdavis.edu/safety_info/poison_prevention/poison_book/rattlesnake_bites.html#first_aid

http://www.camalott.com/~rssmith/Rattlesnake_bite.html


Bottom Line--get a Sawyer extractor kit, read the instructions & carry it.
Know the current "do's" and "don't's" of field treatment.

j&s

[Daryl]

Couple things to remember:
Most people that try the cut and suck method end up doing more damage then good. Don't cut and suck unless you are an expert and know exactly what you are doing.
Most Rattlesnake bites to humans are dry (no venem injected). Thus, don't go through extreme measures unless symptoms start showing up, but still get to a doctor ASAP.
Never ice a bite from a venemous creature. Ice will make your blood flow more, which will spread the venem.
If you get bit by a diamondback and the venem is fully injected and it gets into your blood stream and spreads, you have about 3-4 hours to get to a doctor. If it's a Mojave rattler (about 10% of the rattlers in AZ) you have a few minutes.
More people die of spousal abuse in arizona every year then rattlesnake bites. Who should you be more afraid of?
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[CatValet]

My Ex WAS a Mohave....