H ow do I avoid rattlesnakes if I have to walk in thetr habitat? Best way to stay on gaurd and not get hurt?

Answer 1

Stilts.

Answer 2

Wear snake leggings and snake boots. Make some noise, I carried a radio on my belt, no ear buds, speakers only. I made a walking stick out of a shovel handle. I worked a bicycle inner tube over it for a hand hold and installed screw in hook with a short spike welded to it. I screwed that into the top end of the handle. You can pull, push or prod with it and if it is 5 feet long or so you can keep a snake at a safe distance.

Don't step where you can't see, like over a log or a rock, go around. Don't put your hands up on ledges or rocks. If you can't see the way is clear, assume it is snake infested. And don't be ashamed of being a bit scared. I have been hit in the legging scores of times and still spooks me to think about it. I don't do that sort of thing anymore, getting too old, but I do miss the adrenalin sometimes.

BTW, lots have tried but none were successful. And I probably won't be doing it anymore so my system must work, at least for me.

Answer 3

I don't usually answer atrociously-spelled questions, but since you are asking about a very real danger, I will try to help. Do not step over logs where you can't see the other side. Stand on the log and look where you're going to step. In other words, don't step where you can't see where your foot is going to land. Rattlesnakes like to sit in warm sunny spots, like in the middle of a trail, during the daytime. The best thing to do is give it a wide berth (lotsa room) and go around it. They will not "attack" you, they will only respond if they feel threatened, like if you get too close. Just watch where you step and scope out ahead and stay on the trail, or whatever, unless it's to go around a rattlesnake. And above all, do not step OVER stuff. Stand on top of that rock or log or sudden drop in the terrain and look what's up ahead. It's that simple. Oh, and wear hiking boots that cover your ankle, and wear long pants.

Answer 4

I have to laugh at that cowboy wannabe who suggested a "horsehair lariat"! The original poster didn't say anything about even being out West, or riding horses, cowpoke! We have plenty of Rattlers here in the Southeast, ya know, and I don't know too many folks who carry lariats around these parts!

The best advice is to NEVER place your hand or foot where you can't see. Stick to clearly-marked trails, and avoid stepping over rocks, logs, etc. Even if it appears to be clear on the other side, there can be enough of a space underneath for a snake to be resting. Rattlesnakes are not, contrary to popular opinion, out to get you. They will avoid people if at all possible. In the US, the vast majority of venomous snake bite victims are bitten while actually trying to KILL the snake, so they intentionally put themselves at the greatest risk of a bite. A pair of snake-proof boots, while expensive, can be a valuable asset, especially if you do spend a lot of time outdoors, since even a large snake cannot penetrate these. If you are camping, always be sure to shake out bedding and clothing before getting in or putting on, since snakes are not the only critter who like to hide in such things. It won't matter how much noise you make-snakes are deaf to sounds carried through the air, although they will feel the vibrations of your steps and most will, in fact, get out of your way. A bite is most likely to occur when a snake is cornered unintentionally in its hiding place, like when someone sticks their hand in there or steps right outside of it, or when someone deliberately antagonizes the snake.

Answer 5

Let's start with a couple calming facts:

Rattlers do not want to bite you. and only do so to protect themselves.

Most of the people bitten by rattlers are hunters who are scrambling in their territory, usually when they step over something or climb and put their hands in a snake's sunning ledge.

Only a few hundred people in the US go to the ER with a snakebite a year. It is simply not a common injury.

If you ARE bitten, it hurts, but rarely kills (about 17 people in the US die every year from snakebite- mostly of them because of complications, not the bite itself.)

Millions of people live among rattlers and take almost no special precautions and almost never get bitten.

When out in nature, take simple precautions- look where you put your hands and feet, and listen for a warning rattle. if you hear it, freeze, locate the snake, and step away.

Don't let the fear of rattlers keep you from fun. Most people living in snake country rarely see these things. They are just not as big a threat as our imaginations can make them out to be.

Answer 6

Keep focused on where you're going. Watch out in the rocks or very brushy areas. Listen, they will let you know they are there. They don't want to bite you cuz you are to big for them to eat. I once sat on the bank of a river fishing with a rattlesnake den 5 feet away from me. I knew where he was and he knew where I was and we gave each other room. (Caught some nice catfish too!)

Answer 7

1) be prepared. Carry a first -aid kit, wear thick shoes, and some form of communication.
2) Listen. Rattelsnakes won't bite unless threatened, and they make a rattle noise when threatened.
3) Try to avoid the habitat!

Answer 8

let me tell you a little something about rattlesnakes. They hate horses. Any good western horse will stomp a rattler to death faster than you can get your rifle off the saddle.
That said, if You have no horse surround yer sleeping camp with a horsehair lariat. just lay it on the ground. the meanest rattler may try it. He might also get his head blown off by yer .30 cal winchester rifle. Real world score is snakes zero Humans win. Only fools and greenhorns get bit by snakes. There be a little slice of my world.

Answer 9

Rattlesnake stays far in the woods where ther big rocks and
bushes so stay out of there area you be safe.

Answer 10

My dad use to drag a shovel to make noise so the rattlesnakes would warn him that they were around.

Answer 11

A rattlesnack can bite through a boot. Why are you having to be in their habitat? This is really dangerous. My friend has been bitten twice by a rattler through his boot.