Snakebite Season

Rattlers, California’s only venomous snakes, begin a brief hibernation in late November and are out as early as February. Up to 6 feet long, they are found mostly in deserts and foothills. Rattlesnakes favor cool, shady spots during the days, but at night seek rocks, concrete or asphalt that is still warm.

Already this season, dozens of rattlesnakes have been reported to Ventura County agencies from the less-populated areas of Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark and Ojai.

Snakes do not bite people out of an aggressive desire to kill, but because they react to what their instincts interpret as an attack. Probably 90% of all snake bites can be prevented by following one simple rule: Always watch where you put your hands and feet.

As many as 45,000 poisonous snake bites occur each year in the United States, most of these from rattlesnakes. While only 15 to 20 of these are fatal (more people die annually of bee stings, being struck by lightning or being struck by golf balls), the rest suffer painful, often dangerous and debilitating recoveries.

Only one rattlesnake bite has been reported so far this season. Earlier this month, a mountain biker who stopped for a rest in the foothills by the Rincon area north of Ventura was bitten when he sat in some tall grass and disturbed a rattlesnake. He was treated for his wound at an area hospital, and was expected to recover fully.

Six Local Species

Western Diamondback: From three to seven feet long, it favors dry prairies, brushy deserts and rocky foothills.

Red Diamondback: Tan, pink or reddish relative of the Western diamondback. Likes rocky brushland on coastal and desert sides of the mountains.

Mojave Green: Considered to be among the world’s most poisonous rattlers, it is greenish and has well-defined, light-edged diamonds or hexagons down the middle of its back.

Speckled Rattlesnake: Has dark rings on its tail and faint designs ranging from hexagons to hourglasses to diamonds. Colors vary as well, including cream, yellow, pink and brown.

Sidewinder: A desert species found in areas with fine, windblown sand. Noted for moving by swinging its body in a distinctive S shape.

Western Rattlesnake: The Southern Pacific rattler, a subspecies of the Western rattlesnake, is the main rattler in this area. Western rattlesnakes are one to five feet in length and have dark blotches on their necks that become bands toward the tail. Habitat ranges from prairies to evergreen forests.

The Poison

The Southern California area has six species of rattlesnakes. Some rattlesnake venoms primarily attack the nervous system, while other affect the heart and circulatory system. If bitten, a person should be kept calm while help is summoned. Experts no longer advise making an incision across the bite and sucking out the venom, unless help is a few hours away.

Nostril

Fang

Venom canal

Glottis

The Rattle

The rattle is the feature that distinguishes rattlesnakes from other snakes, which also vibrate their tails when alarmed. The loosely interlocked rattles are composed of keratin, the same substance that forms human hair and nails. When shakes, the rattles rub against each other, producing a hissing sound audible up to 100 feet away.

Avoiding Rattlesnakes

Don’t keep stacks of wood outside, The make great snake nests.

Repair leaky outdoor faucets (snakes occasionally drink from them).

Wear high boots and long pants in grassy areas and carry a stick to beat the brush.

Keep trash in containers with tight-fitting lids.

Install molding on door bottoms, particularly on garage doors, to seal off potential entrances.

Clear brush from around buildings.

Teach children to identify rattlesnakes.

The Victim

Dr. Willis E. Wingert, a County-USC Medical Center physician specializing in rattlesnake bites, has developed statistics on injuries.

The vast majority of people bitten are men between the ages of 17 and 27.

85% of all bites are on the hand or arm; 10% occur on the foot or lower leg.

Many bites occur because of carelessness or ignorance, such as when a hiker steps on a sleeping rattler or a child plays with one.

In more than 30% of the cases, the victim is drunk.

Calling for Help:

To remove snakes: 911

Ventura County Animal Regulation: (805) 388-4341

Ventura County Fire Dept.: (805) 389-9710

In Conejo Valley: 495-2115

In Malibu area: 482-2777

In Ojai-Ventura area: 648-7711

In Oxnard Plains area: 482-2777

In Santa Clara Valley: 524-2111

In Simi Valley: 522-1122

Los Angeles County Animal Regulation (in Thousand Oaks): 818-991-0071

Source: Los Angeles Animal Regulation Department, “A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians,” Encyclopedia Americana, Ventura County Animal Regulation