Remember: always follow the Leave No Trace principles when out in the wild.

From CampWiki

Rattlesnake common to North America. This one is from Kings Canyon National Park in Sequioa

Overview

There are approximately fifty species of rattlesnake, with numerous subspecies. They receive their name for the rattle located at the tip of their tails. The rattle is used as a warning device when threatened. The scientific name Crotalus derives from the Greek, κρόταλον, meaning "castanet". The name Sistrurus is the Latinized form of the Greek word for "tail rattler" (Σείστρουρος, Seistrouros) and shares its root with the ancient Egyptian musical instrument, the sistrum, a type of rattle.

Most rattlesnakes mate in the spring. All species give live birth, rather than laying eggs. The young are self-sufficent from birth. As they do not need their mother after birth, the mother does not remain with her young.

Do not rely on the presence of a rattle for identification! Some rattlesnakes do not have rattles, so look for the color pattern of the scales instead for identification. As a general rule, if a snake's head is bigger than it's body, it is poisonous. There are no snakes native to North America that go out of their way to attack humans.

Prey

Rattlesnakes consume rodents and other small animals, such as rabbits, rats, mice, etc., subduing their prey quickly with a venomous bite as opposed to constricting. The venom stuns or kills typical rattlesnake prey immediately. A rattlesnake will follow prey that does not quickly succumb to the venom and attempts to escape. They are specially known to strike at distances up to two-thirds their body length.

Safety and Identification

Different species of rattlesnake vary significantly in size, territory, markings, and temperament. If the rattlesnake is not cornered or imminently threatened, it will usually attempt to flee from encounters with humans, but will not always do so. Bites often occur when humans startle the snake or provoke it. Those bitten while provoking rattlesnakes have usually underestimated the range (roughly two-thirds of its total length) and speed with which a coiled snake can strike (literally faster than the human eye can follow). Be aware that they can actually strike without pulling their body back into the famous "S" coil shape first and they may strike without any warning if feeling threatened. Heavy boots and long pants reinforced with leather or canvas are recommended when hiking in areas known to harbor rattlesnakes.

For learning how to quickly and safely identify rattlesnakes by their markings, guides are available through booksellers, libraries, and local conservation and wildlife management agencies. The best way to avoid contact with rattlesnakes is to remain observant and avoid potential encounters. Hikers should always watch their steps when negotiating fallen logs or boulders and take extra caution when near rocky outcroppings and ledges where rattlesnakes may be hiding or sunning themselves. Snakes will occasionally sun themselves in the middle of a trail, so always watch your step. When encountering a rattlesnake on a trail, keep your distance and allow the snake room to retreat. Pets should be kept leashed to prevent them from provoking a rattlesnake.

Rattlesnake bites

Rattlesnakes are born with fully functioning fangs capable of injecting venom and can regulate the amount of venom they inject when biting. Generally they deliver a full dose of venom to their prey, but may deliver less venom or none at all when biting defensively. A frightened or injured snake may not exercise such control. Young snakes, although incapable of delivering an amount of venom equivalent to their adult counterparts, are still potentially deadly. Any bite from a rattlesnake should be considered fully venomous and those bitten should seek medical attention immediately.

First aid

When a bite occurs, the amount of venom injected cannot be gauged easily. Symptoms and swelling may occur quickly, but in some cases hours may pass before serious effects appear.

Experienced health workers typically gauge envenomation in stages ranging from 0, when there is no evident venom, to 5, when there is a life-threatening amount of venom present. The stages reflect the amount of bruising and swelling around the fang marks and the speed with which that bruising and swelling progresses. In more severe envenomation cases (stage 4 or 5) there may also be proximal symptoms, such as lip-tingling, dizziness, bleeding, vomiting, or shock. Difficulty breathing, paralysis, drooling, and massive hemorrhaging are also common symptoms.

Quick medical attention is critical, and treatment typically requires antivenin/antivenom to block the tissue destruction, nerve effects, and blood-clotting disorders common with rattlesnake venom. Most medical experts recommend keeping the area of the bite below the level of the heart. It is important to keep a snake bite victim calm in order to avoid elevating their heart rate and accelerating the circulation of venom within the body. Untrained individuals should not attempt to make incisions at or around bite sites, or to use tourniquets, as either treatment may be more destructive than the envenomation itself.

Always call Poison Control or go to the nearest emergency room for treatment.

Antivenom is applied to bite area, so be sure to mark the puncture holes (circle them) to help medical personnel find the wound. After swelling and discoloration begins, it will become increasingly more difficult to identify the puncture holes.

Treatment Myths

For all snake bites, the following SHOULD NOT be done:

• Apply ice to wound: This results in reduced swelling, which means the poison actually travels faster through the body!
• Cut open wound and suck out poison: This will expose the person performing the sucking to the venom and any diseases the victm may have. Using a suction kit is a better idea;however, it will only remove at most 30% of the venom, even if treated early. Cutting can also help spread the poison, and will result in further medical compilations.

Best thing to do is remain calm, and use a suction kit, if one is available. Panic raises the heart rate, thus speeding up the spread of the venom (as does physical activity). Young rattlesnakes are more deadly than adult rattlesnakes because they do not have as good control over releasing venom-- young snakes often will release all of their venom into their victim.

If you see a rattlesnake with a mow hawk, piercings, and/or brightly dyed scales-- watch out! It's an adolescent punk snake who's got something it's trying to prove, and a big mouth (well, snake jaws do dislocate to swallow prey).

Rattlesnakes as food

Rattlesnakes are also a popular food in some southwestern cuisines and are sometimes sold in specialty meat shops. It has a flavor that has been described as similar to chicken or frog legs and a chewy texture similar to alligator.

Predators

Rattlesnakes are prey for kingsnakes, roadrunners, pigs, hawks, and eagles. They have been harvested as human food, such as at the Rattlesnake Round-Up in Sweetwater, Texas.