Here are tips to avoid, treat rattlesnake bites

The young girl who was bitten by the snake had put her hand in a dark or unfamiliar spot, too young to know that she was breaking one of the key rules of avoiding rattlesnakes. Now that summer is almost here, it’s time to renew our knowledge of rattlesnake etiquette; how to avoid them and what to do if a bite should occur.

"It’s not a good idea to be hiking alone. In warm weather, the rattlers are out," said Steve Bernau, one of the firemen/paramedics who treated the little girl.

"Be aware that they’re out there. If you do come across one, don’t mess with it, go around it. Snakes don’t attack unprovoked. If it’s by your house, give us a call and we’ll take care of it for you," he said. You can also call your local animal control department.

All of Southern California is rattlesnake territory and everyone should keep that in mind when working around their homes or venturing into open space. Last year, 371 people were bitten in the region.

As previously mentioned, the first rule of avoiding the venomous creatures is to leave them alone. Many people are bitten because they try to kill a snake or get a closer look at it or even try to pick it up. This could trigger the snake’s basic self-defense instinct, which is to bite. And even though they have those ominous sounding rattles, they don’t always give a warning rattle before striking.

And, as the little girl unfortunately learned, keep hands and feet out of areas you can’t see, such as gopher holes or piles of rocks or rubbish. Don’t pick up rocks or firewood unless you’re out of a snake’s striking distance, which can be as little as half its length.

Stay out of tall grass and brush unless you wear thick leather boots and long pants, and, if hiking, remain on hiking trails, experts advise. Do not walk barefoot outside after dark, as this is the time when snakes are out, seeking prey.

Learn what rattlesnakes look like and how to determine them from harmless gopher snakes, which habitat locally and resemble rattlesnakes. A rattlesnake’s head is two to three times bigger than its neck, and often has a diamond pattern. There are several types of rattlesnakes in Southern California, so visit your local library or forest ranger’s station and look at pictures of the different snakes so you know what to watch out for.

In the old Western movies, rattlesnake victims usually had someone cut or bite the wound and suck out the venom. While this may seem exciting in a movie, it definitely is WHAT NOT TO DO if you’re bitten.

The best treatment for a poisonous snakebite is to get the victim to a hospital immediately for antivenin treatment. Do not try to administer it yourself, as the patient may be hypersensitive or allergic to the drug, which would be determined in a hospital setting. (If a person cannot tolerate antivenin, other treatments are administered, according to Bernau).

Here are some DO’s and DONT’S of rattlesnake bite treatments:

DO move away from the snake to avoid further bites. DO NOT try to kill the snake, because even a dead snake is dangerous. It can still bite reflexively and inject venom.

DON’T cut the snakebite, apply ice, use electric shock treatment, or administer alcohol or drugs.

DO lie the victim flat and place the bitten limb in a comfortable position at a level slightly lower than the victim’s heart.

DO identify the fang punctures. If you have a Sawyer Pump Extractor, or other venom extractor (available at most sporting goods and outdoor gear stores), use it to extract as much venom as possible. But Bernau warns that the extractors really don’t work that well, and that the victim must be taken for medical treatment as soon as possible.

DO wrap a wide constriction band (elastic bandage-type or whatever you have) around the bitten limb, just above the bite site with a tightness similar to that used to wrap a sprained ankle. Do not wrap it tightly, and not around a joint or the head, neck or trunk.

DO watch for common symptoms of venom poisoning: pain, swelling and discoloration around the bitten area, tingling around the mouth, nausea and vomiting, weakness and dizziness, and sweating and/or chills.

And DO get the victim medical help as soon as possible, before the snake’s poisonous venom has a chance to move through the body. It might be a good idea to carry a cell phone if you’re going hiking or take your portable phone out to the yard.

With proper care, most people do survive rattlesnake bites. About 8,000 people a year receive venomous bites in the U.S. and only nine to 15 of the victims die.