Rattlesnakes are emerging from hibernation and moving again. While most of the snakes living around the trails we walk in northern California are harmless, occasionally we’ll see a rattlesnake, or hear from our neighbors they’ve come across one in their garages or back yards.
When Steve and I were in Texas in January, I happened on a coiled rattler next to a turtle pond, and realized it was there only after it warned me with a vigorous shake of its tail. If it had struck, I wouldn’t have known what to do, so today I looked up the do’s and don’ts and here is what I learned, courtesy of the California Poison Control System:
Stay calm. Gently cleanse the area, then get to an emergency room.
Don’t cut the wound with a knife or razor, and don’t suck out the venom (despite what you’ve seen on Gunsmoke).
Don’t apply a tourniquet.
Don’t pack the bite area in ice.
Don’t let the victim drink alcohol.
Booze apparently plays a significant role in snakebite incidents. Experts say young drunk men are often the recipients of snakebites, usually after they’ve grabbed a snake to try to impress a friend. Hic. Ow!
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