Rattlesnake safety & action to take if bitten
Combined Information Submitted by Jim Christiansen and Steve Kelley, 2024
Sun City is home to 17 species of snakes that have been found and identified by the Sun City Snake Wranglers, in over 18 years and approximately 5000 calls. Two venomous species are known to inhabit our community, the Western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) and the Texas coral snake (Micrurus tener). In a typical year, the wranglers will relocate between 75 and 80, on average, of these venomous species.
Snakebites from coral snakes are extremely rare and will likely never occur unless the snake is picked up or handled. Coral snakes do not have to "chew" when biting to inject venom, however, due to their small mouths, it is difficult for them to bite a human anywhere except bare hands or feet. They are extremely timid and will hide under rocks, mulch or leaves making them difficult to locate. Unless picked up, stepped on with exposed feet, or bitten by a dog, bites will not occur.
The Western diamondback rattlesnake is a defensive, not aggressive snake species. They will only bite if they feel threatened by a person or dog coming too close. The largest rattlesnake ever located in Sun City was almost 5 feet in length. Most never reach that size here due to mortality from vehicles, predators or humans. If a rattlesnake is seen, an individual can remain safe by simply maintaining a distance of 4 feet away. Generally, if coiled, a rattlesnake will remain motionless as long as humans are present. Once they feel safe, and the person has moved away, they will crawl away to hide.
To avoid snakebites, the most important things to do are:
1. Always be aware of the ground around you and do not reach or step into areas that you cannot see clearly.
2. When hiking on trails, long pants and or boots are recommended, and no one should venture off of the trail into native areas. All trails that are near Berry Creek are known to have higher rattlesnake populations. Be especially cautious when walking dogs in these areas.
3. Always use a flashlight when outside at night, and check your yard before letting pets out. Many rattlesnakes, especially young, are found coiled on patios, porches and in flowerbeds.
4. If you see a snake, do not panic! You are safe if you maintain a distance of 4 feet or more from even an adult rattlesnake.
5. Call a snake wrangler. They are listed in the Sun Rays each month. Many people have been bitten while trying to kill a rattlesnake, or handling it even after being killed. Many harmless snakes are needlessly killed by persons who mis-identify them as rattlesnakes.
What to do if bitten:
Every few years a Sun City Resident is bitten by a rattlesnake. Most of these bites can easily be prevented by using caution. Rattlesnakes are born alive in August and September, and will show up in flowerbeds, on porches and patios until the temperature begins dropping below freezing. Most of us have probably walked within striking range of a venomous snake and never known it. In general, rattlesnakes need their venom to kill rats and mice and do not want to waste it on you. They are not aggressive and will never chase anyone.
It is generally reported that about 40% of venomous snakebites are "dry" with no venom being injected. For this reason, medical staff will often observe a bite for several hours before using antivenom. The following steps are recommended.
1. In case of a bite, try to determine whether the bite is from a venomous snake. Any harmless snake stepped on may bite.
2. Call 911 and request transportation to a hospital. Not all hospitals stock antivenom. The emergency responders will know the closest hospital that has an antivenom supply. Driving while under stress could result in an accident, and time is of the essence for treatment of a snakebite.
3. Have someone call a snake wrangler to come locate the snake after you are on the way to the hospital.
4. Do not do any cutting or apply any constriction to hinder blood flow. It may be natural to think that not allowing the venom to travel through your body is a good thing, however, if the venom stays concentrated in a finger, ankle, etc., more tissue will be damaged. The venom contains a chemical that causes almost instant absorption, so it is not possible to try to suck it out. Most of the enzymes in Texas's rattlesnake venoms are fairly slow acting and there is usually adequate time for antivenom treatment to neutralize the most dangerous venom components. The attending physician will use vital signs, blood profile, and extent and progression of swelling to determine severity of the bite. This will determine the number of vials of antivenom to be used in the initial treatment. Tests for allergy to the antivenin will be done prior to injection unless other tests indicate this step must be skipped.
Most Important!
Always look carefully before you step, and before you reach into a flower bed to pull a weed. Keep the numbers of the snake wranglers in your phone when you need to call for help with a snake.
John Leek 713-825-0145
Steve Kelley 512-639-0539
Joe Plunkett 774-226-0810
Jim Christiansen 512-868-3504