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Be Aware, they are about
By Rose Bledsoe
For The Alpine Sun
Can you spot one of the most dreaded dangers in our backcountry?
Their camouflage is incredible, and their bite can be deadly.
Rattlesnakes are waking up and they are looking for warm places
to thaw out.
Springtime is full of flowers, the sun is starting to
warm up, and the skies are brilliantly blue; the call to enjoy
the outside is beckoning. It is time to plant our gardens,
stroll on blooming paths, and take our dogs out for those hikes
we’ve been promising them all winter long. It is also time to be
very aware that rattlesnakes seem to be out in force right now.
Already, the fire department is reporting several removals a
week, and in Japatul Valley on one particular mountain, over
seven have been removed from around homes in one week.
Snakes in California never really go out of season,
however, in the cold weather, we feel a sense of safety because
they are reptiles and are cold blooded. The chance of seeing a
snake on a path in 40-degree weather is slim. However, as the
weather warms, the snakes are seeking areas to sun themselves,
and eat.
Snakes are not maniacal creatures that are out to
bite you for the sake of biting you. It is a survival instinct
on their part, and if you are about to walk on them, they want
to survive. When you are walking outside, be aware of where you
put your feet, listen to your surroundings, and watch for
anything long and cylindrical. This may only be a stick, but it
is better to see a stick and walk around it, than not see a
snake and be bitten by it.
Dogs are very susceptible to snake bites. Dogs greet
all of their surroundings with their nose, and more often than
not, they will greet a snake with their nose. A dog’s sense of
smell is what can keep them safe or get them killed. If a dog is
trained to recognize the scent of a rattlesnake and know it as
dangerous, it may save his or her life. Because a dog is usually
busy sniffing, snoodling, and snorfling around in the grass, if
they don’t know that the particular unusual smell they have just
happened upon is a deadly rattlesnake, they will greet it as
they greet everything else, with their nose and they are likely
to get bit. When a dog is bit in the face, survival is slim.
Rattlesnake training for dogs is an excellent idea. It
usually runs around $75, but it creates a good situation for
your dog, and usually for yourself as well. When a dog is
rattlesnake trained, it will recognize the rattlesnake’s scent,
and signal danger on the trail. Just recently, our dog yipped
when she was near a rattlesnake at the bottom of our porch
stairs. Because of her signal, we spotted the snake, and it was
removed safely, without harm to anyone, even the snake.
Also, rattlesnake shots are available from veterinarians. These
shots act as allergy shots and slow the activity of the snake’s
venom on the dog. These shots allow your dog a greater survival
chance if it is bitten by a rattler.
If you spot a snake on your property, the best course
of action is leaving it alone. Do not approach it, or catch it,
unless you are trained to do so. Most snakebites occur when
people get too close to snakes with the intention of killing
them. Call the fire department for rattlesnake removal. They are
professionals and they are trained to do this.
A rattlesnake can strike out half its length.
Therefore, if you find a snake that is eighteen inches and you
are within 9 inches of it, it can reach you with a strike, and
their strikes are deadly quick. The thought of chopping it in
half with a shovel is normal, however if you don’t get it with
the first chop, you may be the one in danger.
A rattlesnake, when riled, begins to strike wildly, which is
scary, and when you are scared you can make a dangerous mistake.
Also, it is very important to know that even a dead rattlesnake
is dangerous.
A rattlesnake’s venom remains deadly even when the
creature itself is expired. Many have made the mistake of
chopping a rattlesnake’s head off, only to find the jaws still
bite because of reflex action.
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