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Editor’s Note: This is the third of three stories pertaining to rattlesnakes. See the previous two posts for stories on what to do if you’re on the receiving end of a rattlesnake bite, and how to keep your dog safe.

    It’s true that most snakebite victims more-or-less ask for it.
    Snakes don’t see people as prey.
    Instead of people staying away from a rattler, they pick it up, move it aside or essentially play with it.
    “I think I’d be cautious if I was within two or three feet,” said Kevin Wheeler, a wildlife biologist with the Utah Department of Wildlife Resources.
    The number one way to avoid being bitten is simply avoiding contact.
    But occasionally there are accidental bites in which the person didn’t see the snake and got too close or the snake didn’t see the person and was startled.
    If you’re scrambling in a rocky area, make sure you can see where you’re putting your hands. If you can’t, toss a rock in the location and give it a little while for a potential snake to either slither away or start rattling.
    That goes for anywhere you put your feet too.

    I’ve seen a handful of rattlesnakes and have been rattled at a few times while minding my own business on hikes.
    The first rattler I saw (the previous picture) was on the Taylor Creek trail in Zion National Park. Luckily, the hikers ahead of me spotted it slithering away, so I just saw the back end of it – enough to snap a picture and later realize how big it was.
    The second rattlesnake I saw (the next picture), and the first time I heard one rattle, was on a hike in southern Utah with a buddy. We were walking along the edge of a creek and had to duck under or crawl over a thin branch.
    I went under it, but my buddy, who is much taller than me, went over it. The curled-up rattlesnake was chillin’ about two feet from where we were.
    Fortnunately my friend slowly backed out from where he was without incident, but it was a wakeup call.
    One common misconception is that snakes can’t strike if they are not coiled. That’s false. Wheeler said snakes could strike anytime they want, and they don’t always rattle first.
    And while snakes don’t like cooler temperatures, that won’t stop them from striking.
    “They’re gonna be slower,” Wheeler said, but he added they’ll likely be faster than you.
    I was also rattled at while hiking along a well-used path near Phoenix prior to paragliding. My instructor was leading the way when the snake let us know we were too close. It was slithering away while rattling, but it was unnerving.
    Not five minutes later a seemingly much more agitated and much larger snake rattled at us.

    Snakes don’t see us as prey, so humans generally have nothing to worry about.
    Not getting bitten is generally a matter of watching the trail and not putting hands and feet where you can’t see.
    That being said, rattlesnakes are very very hard to spot (see previous picture).
    If you hear a rattle, it’s a warning – not always a precursor to a strike. So stop, use your eyes and ears to find the snake without picking up rocks and bushes, and slowly back away from it.

This story first appeared in The Spectrum & Daily News.

Editor’s Note: This is the second story in a three-part series about rattlesnakes. Stay tuned later this week for the final story.

    It’s easy to find dog-friendly trails in rattlesnake country, and just because there are rattlers around doesn’t mean you should leave Bruno at home.
    But like little kids, when you bring your curious canine, you have to be even more aware of what’s around you – especially when it comes to rattlesnakes.
    Most dogs that enjoy a good hike by your side are the adventurous types that run ahead of you, then back to make sure you’re still coming and then jumping ahead again.
    But rattlers don’t care how cute and cuddly your pooch is, and dogs are bitten about as often as people.
    Kelly Esplin, a veterinarian in southern Utah said his office sees between one and three dogs per year bitten by a rattlesnake.
    While your dog may alert you to a rattlesnake and keep you safe, Bruno may take one for the team.
    Many areas have an emergency room vet available on nights and weekends, so if that happens, get your pet to a doggie doctor as soon as possible.
    “If you’re able to minimize the heart rate, the heartbeat, that’s much better,” Esplin said. “If you can carry the dog that would be so much the better.”
    Unlike humans, man’s best friend won’t get an adrenaline rush or freak out if he’s bitten, which will ultimately help him, but it’s still vital to get your dog help.
    The same antivenin used on people is used on dogs, but it’s quite expensive Esplin said.
    Another possibility, before Bruno is bitten, is to have him get a rattlesnake vaccine. It works the same way as many other vaccines where he’ll get one shot, and then another about a month later. Then he’ll only need a booster once per year after that.
    You’ll still need to take him in if he’s on the receiving end of a snakebite, but it will help. Sadly, the vaccine isn’t available for humans.

This story was first published in The Spectrum & Daily News.

Editor’s Note: This is the first of a three-part rattlesnake series. Check back next week for the final two posts.   

    You feel a sharp prick on your ankle and your heart begins to race. You breath faster but labored as drops of sweat form on your brow.
    You look down and see a brown stick-like figure slithering away, leaving you standing there as adrenaline takes over. It dawn on you: You just became one of the many people who are bitten by venomous snakes every year.
    Within minutes the two teeth marks start to ooze blood and the bite site begins to swell before the rest of your leg puffs up as your blood carries the toxic venom towards your heart.
    But don’t panic.
    Despite human nature to wig out, that’s the last thing you want to do.
    You can suck out the poison, apply a tourniquet or even cut your leg, but none will save your life.
    In fact, none of the common misconceptions about what to do are proven to help very much.
    “The only thing that really works is antivenin,” said Kim Rowland, a southern Utah emergency room doctor who sees a handful of rattlesnake bites per year.
    However, every single snakebite victim that’s rushed to the hospital, wouldn’t need to be there if they hadn’t tried to handle the snake.
    “The last thing you want to do is pretend you’re the Snakemaster,” Rowland said.
    Unfortunately, many people grew up around rattlers and aren’t as scared as they should be. So if you get bitten, there are a few things you should do.
    First and foremost, keep tabs on what bit you and remember any seemingly important details about it. Was it definitely a rattlesnake? How big was it?
    Then, don’t panic. I’m sure it’s easier said than done, but it’s important. If you panic, your blood flows faster, causing the venom to travel quicker throughout your body.
    Ice doesn’t work, sucking out the venom with your mouth likely won’t work (and you risk ingesting some of the toxin), even cutting the area to “bleed it out” won’t do the trick.
    A tourniquet may help slow the blood flow, but if it’s too tight and left on for too long, you’ll likely lose all or part of the limb.
    The general rule of thumb is to tighten it as much as you would if you sprained your ankle. Don’t cut off the blood circulation, and don’t leave it on for more than a couple hours.
    If you’re bitten on the hand, take off rings, watches, bracelets, gloves and whatever else may restrict blood flow. Chances are, when you swell up, those items will have to be cut off, so it’s better to do it immediately.
    If you’re bitten anywhere on the leg, leave your shoes on, but loosen the laces to accommodate your fattening foot. If you take off your shoe, you won’t be able to get it back on easily, and walking barefoot when you’re already in pain will only add to your agony.
    But not every rattlesnake bite is venomous. Rowland said about 20 percent are “dry bites.” And you should know relatively soon whether or not it is – no oozing or swelling and the odds are in your favor.
    Regardless, the best thing to do is get to a hospital as fast as you can to get the antivenin.

This story was first published in The Spectrum & Daily News