Copper Eagle Patrol & Security is in business for your safety.  With that in mind we are reminding you of a few of the things that you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones safe from snakes.

Rattlesnake Threat

Poisonous Snakes

There are four kinds of poisonous snakes in the United States.  Coral, Copperhead, Water Moccasin, and the Rattlesnake.  Only the rattlesnake is indigenous to this area and so we will only discuss this very famous or infamous snake.  

Avoidance

Your best bet in dealing with rattlesnakes is to know how to avoid them.  It goes without saying that the best treatment for a snake bite is to not get bitten.  Snakes live and hunt by stealth. 

Rattlesnakes are easy to identify.  The distinctive diamond pattern on his back gives him the name Diamondback.  His head is wide and appears flat.  This is due to the venom sacks in his cheeks.  And of course, you can’t miss the rattles.  No other snake in this area looks like him. He is sometimes called the “gentleman snake” as he usually warns you before he bites.  This warning is most likely due to fear on his part which results in fear on your part.  Untold numbers of people have not been bitten who may have been otherwise had they not been warned of his location by the buzz. 

A hole or culvert is a favorite place for snakes.  It moderates the weather and provides protection.  Consequently, you should look before putting your hand or any part of your body inside or very near such things. 

Rattlesnakes do not have the speed to catch anything and do not have the strength to hold and squeeze anything like the constrictors do.  They rely on stealth to make their strike and venom to kill their pray.  They instinctively know to husband their venom and defensive bites often do not contain much or sometimes no venom.  The venom can quickly kill a small animal close enough for the snake to trail it, find, and eat it.  If the snake has used its venom defensively, it may not have enough left for the hunt that its life may depend on.  Rattlesnakes do not like to bite anything they do not believe they can eat.

Care for Your Own Safety is Paramount

Watch where you walk or move.  Since snakes hunt by stealth they are easily camouflaged and unless they are moving can seem to be part of the landscape.  Even in the open they can be mistaken for a fallen stick.  And in the brush or weeds they may be almost invisible.  So caution is to be routine when in snake area.  Hikers are most at risk when they are tired and forget where that snakes share the hills with them and decide to act like they are in their own living room.  You do not want to sit on one as a friend of mine once did and stood all the way to the hospital.  A rattlesnake bit is unbelievably painful he assures me. 

Rock climbers are at risk as they get to the summit and reach over the ledge for the last hand hold and find a rattlesnake waiting there with no idea he is about to be molested by an unknown appendage that appears to be attacking him.  Snakes are often the victim of hawks which swoop down, grab, and capture them.  You can occasionally see a Red Tailed Hawk with a snake by the head in his talons.  So the snake takes immediate action to save his life.  The climber finds himself in a world of hurt and can take a nasty fall to add to the bite injury.

Workers may find a rattlesnake at rest in a utility hole where the water or gas shut off is.  And to reach down inside such a place without looking first can result in a chauffeured ride in an ambulance and a costly stay at the local hospital.  $50,000 to $150,000 is not unheard of for the treatment. 

Even in your own back yard or in the park, you can find this resident willing to contest property rights with you.  Children should be taught early not to play with ANY snakes.  Besides, all snakes can bite and a child’s discrimination may not be good enough to tell a rattlesnake from the almost harmless gopher snake. 

It is said that most people who are suffer a bite were bitten while trying to kill the snake.  Hogwash. They were bitten while trying to play with the snake and are too conceited to admit it.  There are safe ways to handle any snake, but even professionals make a painful mistake at times.  Snakes can bite reflexively and have been known to bite after they were dead.  So no snake with the head on can be considered safe.  If you are bitten it is sometimes suggested to bring in the dead snake for positive identification.  A good doctor can tell a poisonous snake bite at a glance and you may be bringing a hazardous situation into the hospital, or think what would happen if the snake you thought was dead comes back to life inside your car and you find yourself “sharing the ride”.

A snake can not bite 3 times their body length as some say.  This would require the snake to fly. Something that has not been known to happen in recorded history.  It is closer to one third its length when on level ground.  A little more if the snake is elevated, a little less if he has to strike uphill.  He can not bite on the charge.  He must strike to bite.  He can lash out to the side as well but that strike is limited.  And if you are holding him by the head, he can slide a fang out and stick you as a local resident found out when he was showing off for some friends and it was a small snake. The hospital told him he was lucky as it was almost a “dry” bite and he did not get much venom in his finger.  Which may have been the reason he didn’t lose the finger. 

What To Do If Someone Is Bitten

Rattlesnake venom is a tissue poison that dissolves the tissue and actually helps the snake’s digestion.  It can cause gang green if not properly cared for. 

Most important, GET AWAY FROM THE SNAKE.  You don’t need to add a second bite to the first.  It is a viscous yellow fluid that flows slowly.  No one will need to tell you if you’ve just been bitten.  The venom will get that message thru from the first. 

There are different kinds of bites even from the same snake.  A defensive bite often does not contain much venom.  If the person is lucky this will be the case.  But in the case of a child it is more likely to be a hunting bite as the near sighted snake sensed something small and nailed it.  This can add to the emergency.

Next you should call for emergency services.  A snakebite is always an emergency and should be treated as such.  Whether the victim should be transported by car or ambulance will be dictated by circumstances.  If you are miles from help you will need to perform first aid treatment in the field. 

Wash the area with soap and water.  A rattlesnake bite is a dirty bite and tetanus or other infection is a real concern. 

Get rings, wrist watches or anything that may constrict swollen tissue.  The tissue will swell rapidly and a ring not removed could cause the loss of the finger. 

The old westerns showed the cowboy cutting into the bite and then sucking out the poison.  Leave that for the silver screen.  Cutting can cause more injury than the snake did.  You will not be likely to be able to get out much venom.  And if you do and that venom gets down into your gums with your teeth, you may find that you have given yourself the full benefit of a snakebite without the need for the snake to bite you.  And in the mouth and throat area could cause fatal swelling.  You need to be part of the solution and not add to the problem. 

Keep the person as calm as possible.  This will not be easy.  They have just been bitten by a poisonous snake and the first reaction can be a full blown panic attack.  You will need to remind them that a rattlesnake does not have enough venom to kill the average adult.  You do not need to remind them that the pain will make them wish it did.  But you should not delay getting them to emergency treatment. Some people have allergies and can be more susceptible to the poison than others.  But you don’t need to remind them of this fact.  You should always try to make it to the hospital.  Never just give up. 

If you have a suction device, you may put it over the bite and apply suction.  A slightly constricting band can be installed between the bite and the body if the bite is on an arm or leg as is normally the case.  But you must take care not to cut off all circulation and adjust as needed with the change of swelling. 

Children are at greater risk than adults as they have less body mass.  Monitor vital signs. Watch for shock and keep their head lowered.  But keep the bitten area lower than the rest of the body.  Remember the venom is thick and flows slowly, but there is no reason to help it spread.

Always get the person to medical treatment as rapidly as possible. 

What if you are the one who is bitten?

You might need to calm those around you.  They can not help if they are running around in a panic and you may need to keep them from doing something foolish that could cause you more pain and suffering than you are currently experiencing. 

If those friends do not know what to do, instruct them.  If you are not at your car, have them carry you to it.  Do not walk if it can at all be helped.  The movement of muscle will help to spread the venom. 

If you are in reach of an ambulance, that should be your first choice.  If you must be driven by car, make sure they know to drive safely as an accident will not help your situation and can delay treatment as well as add new injuries to you and your friends. 

When you get to the hospital, let the medical personnel handle the treatment and do not try to tell them their jobs or interfere as it could cause a hindrance to your treatment.  You won’t believe how much hospital personnel appreciate a patient who will do as they are told and not think they know more than the doctor. 

If you are alone you have to depend upon yourself.  This is where phone connection can make all the difference.  If you are in an area with little or no cell coverage, you should consider a satellite phone for this or any other emergency.  You may not be able to physically get out by yourself and trying to do so can spread the venom and add to your situation. 

What if your pet is bitten

If your dog is bitten at best you are in for an expensive vet bill.  But the price will be cheap compared to a human emergency room stay. 

Dogs are territorial and will protect their area and their human friends.  Many will aggressively go after snakes and the result is too often a serious bite. 

If your dog is large he will stand a better chance.  Small dogs will probably not live to reach the vet, so any delay could be fatal to your friend.  Small dogs are the size of rabbits that snakes often eat and the bite may have been a hunting rather than a defensive bite.  In cases like this the animal runs for a short distance, the poison is spread faster by muscle movement, and the animal goes into shock or dies so the snake can eat it. 

Similar first aid can be applied to the dog.  Remove his collar in case of swelling.

Cats hate snakes and are known to kill them.  They do so in a quieter and possibly more effective way. Rarely is a cat ever bitten.  And for some reason they are tough and will live thru a bite that would kill a dog the same size.  But veterinary care is still required if you don’t want to have to replace fluffy.

Reactions to a Rattlesnake Bite

Reactions can be but may not include all the following symptoms: 

Bleeding, breathing difficulty, blurred vision, eyelid drooping, low blood pressure, nausea and vomiting, numbness, pain at the site of the bite, paralysis, rapid pulse, skin color changes in the area of the bite, swelling, tingling, tissue damage, thirst, tiredness, weakness, and a weak pulse. 

Final Thoughts

An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure when it comes to snakes.  But with normal care you should be able to enjoy yourself and the area to the fullest extent. 

There is a plethora of information (and misinformation) on snake bites.  Any government or American Medical Association website will have trustworthy information as well as many encyclopedias. 

Have fun and stay safe

We hope this information can be of assistance to you and help keep you safe.

William Corbett, Chief

Copper Eagle Patrol & Security

Copper Eagle Patrol & Security is in business for your safety.  With that in mind we reminding you of a few of the things that you can do to protect yourself in the event of an earthquake.

Earth Quake Safety

Preparation

1. One of the best things we all can do is organize.  While it is human nature to just set things in convenient places, to put them away will reduce clutter and spills in the event of a shaker.
2. Cabinets that latch.  Not with just a magnet but an actual latch.  These are not common anymore.   But a latch system can contain the items inside the cabinet and prevent them from falling on the floor.  A man I knew who had decided to use a simple 90 degree heavy wire that would rotate around to prevent the doors from swinging open.  He was just doing the job when the 1971 earthquake hit.  Those cabinets with the fasteners stayed closed while those without them vomited their contents on the floor.
3. Attach bookshelves and cabinets to the wall so they are not as likely to fall over.
4. DO NOT put book shelves over your bed.  During the 1971 earthquake I personally was hit with every item but one off the bookshelf that was securely fastened to the wall but the books of course are not.  This does not lead to a secure feeling when the house is shaking and gives the impression that the roof collapsed. 
5. Know where your shut offs are.  Houses in California are well built to earthquake standards and a collapse is unlikely.  But a fire due to leaking natural gas can is very likely to destroy everything you just saved.  Know where the gas shut off is and how to turn off the gas.  (The gas should not be turned back on until checked by the Gas Company.)  Likewise you may need to turn off the water if you have broken pipes.  (At least it is easier and safer to find leaking water that it is gas.)
6. Have some emergency supplies on hand. 
   1. Water enough for at least one gallon per person per day.  The 5 gallon Arrowhead or Sparkletts bottles are not expensive and since they are now plastic they are almost indestructible.  In a major emergency you should not plan on any government help for 3 to 5 days.  You and your neighbors will be on your own.
   2. Non perishable food that is easy to prepare.  A 2 week supply is suggested.  Have a manual can opener.  There is nothing worse than being hungry and looking at cans you can’t get open.
   3. Battery powered radio with extra batteries.  This may be the only way to receive emergency information for several days as phones and cell towers will not work. 
   4. First aid kit, sanitation and hygiene items, and necessary medications. 
   5. Leatherman type multi purpose tool.  This fits in a pocket and will give you needed tools immediately and you won’t have to go looking for them;
   6. Family emergency contact information should also be kept in a notebook and not just on your computer which will not work until power is restored.
   7. Emergency cash.  Any stores that may open may not be able to process credit card transactions and the ATM will be down as well.
   8. These should be kept handy in one spot in the event you should have to evacuate, you will have basic supplies and not wish you had brought…
7. Have a flashlight and sturdy slippers near the bed.  There will be no power so you will need the light and remember there is now most likely glass on the floor.  If you hurt yourself you will not be able to help your family.