This year, seasonal changes have led to California coping with summer weather even though it’s still winter. One result: rattlesnakes are coming out of hibernation earlier than usual. To help you learn how to stay safe and what to do if bitten, California Poison Control System (CPCS) and the Fresno Chaffee Zoo are hosting Rattlesnake Awareness Day on Thursday, March 19, at 11 a.m. (PDT).
The media and the public are invited to visit the zoo and attend a live demonstration and informative briefing. A recording will also be available on CPCS’s Facebook page or YouTube channel the week following this event. Dr. Rais Vohra, Medical Director for the Fresno/Madera Division of CPCS, and Mark Halvorsen, Curator of Herpetology, Fresno Chaffee Zoo, will be on hand to help people learn about rattlesnakes, including safety guidelines, first aid tips, and how to get help in the event of a bite.
“Rattlesnakes are shy and usually avoid humans, which make the odds of being bitten by one low, especially if you take the right precautions,” says Dr. Vohra. “However, they can still pose a danger anytime, so you need to be alert and careful. A rattlesnake bite can be deadly—severe or life-threatening symptoms may occur within minutes or even hours after a rattlesnake bite.”
Rattlesnakes tend to live in wooded and desert areas and are frequently found on hiking trails and in rural areas throughout California. The venomous snakes are important to the ecosystem, but can be dangerous if they feel threatened. Even newborns, which unlike most other snakes are born live rather than hatched, possess lethal venom.
Rattlers have excellent camouflage and can make a rattling sound (click here to hear what they sound like). “However, they do not always make a sound so you could be standing next to one and not even know it,” says Dr. Vohra. “It is especially important to carefully supervise children and pets when outdoors.” Dr. Vohra says that many veterinarians now carry rattlesnake anti-venom and rattlesnake vaccines for dogs and other pets that are bitten.
If you do encounter a rattlesnake and are bitten call 911 immediately and get immediate medical attention. Other tips include:
- Do not apply ice, do not use a tourniquet or constricting band, do not try to suck out the venom, and do not use any device to cut or slice the bite site.
- Keep calm, do not run, and keep the affected extremity elevated during transport to a medical facility.
Rattlesnake Awareness Day is being held during National Poison Prevention Week (NPPW), March 15-21. Tying in with NPPW, CPCS will have a “Close Calls with CPCS” video series in which CPCS poison experts will discuss real‑world scenarios on trending poison topics. One video will be released daily during NPPW. Topics will include toxic wild mushrooms, nitrous oxide dangers (laughing gas/whippets), Kratom and 7-Hydroxy-Compounds, pediatric poisoning prevention, and gardening safety.
