Okay, I hike LOTS ... and the local news is scarying me with stories about ppl getting bite by rattlers ... but they're not covering how to avoid the rattlers, or what to do if I get bite ... and I'm so a city girl ... I need practical advice so I don't have to give up an activity I love. Thanks in advance!
2007-06-07 13:17:36 · 6 answers · asked by Giggly Giraffe 7 in Health ➔ Diet & Fitness
If you hike lots, and you've never seen a rattler, then you are probably hiking in safe areas. Carry a field guide with you so learn to identify ones that you happen to see.
Common sense: You should always hike with a friend or let someone know where you are going. In many places your cell phone will work. Carry a small first aid kit and manual.
First of all, wear boots that cover your ankle and long pants. Pay attention to where you step. Sometimes they like to hide in rocks or under logs and sometimes they like to sun themselves. They will usually not be a problem if they are not startled, so give them time to get away.
If you get bit, wash it with soap and water, keep the area below your heart, and get medical help. If you can't get medical care within half an hour, wrap a bandage 2" to 4" above the bite. It should not be tight--you should be able to slip a finger under it. Use a suction device that comes in a snakebite kit.
Do not use ice, tourniquets, or incisions.
And have fun!
2007-06-07 13:44:28 · answer #1 · answered by Irene F 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Rattlesnakes are alert and they try hard to avoid you. I knew a guy named Crazy Bob. He used to hunt rattlesnakes. He'd sell them to a lab that used them to extract venom that they used to make anti-venom. One time Bob was collecting rattlesnakes and putting them in a rusty old 5-gallon paint can. He was doing OK until he took a break and sat down on the can. The lid was rusted through and Bob got bit on the can. Ever since he's walked with a limp and been called Crazy Bob.
That was a true story. This next one, maybe not. The Lone Ranger got bit by a snake, in the same place where Crazy Bob got bit. He sent Tonto into town to fetch the doctor. Tonto found Doc in the saloon in an advanced state of inebriation. The Doc refused to ride out to treat the Ranger, but he told Tonto what to do. He said, "Tonto, your pardner's gonna die. The only way you can save him is to suck out that poison." So Tonto hopped on his horse and galloped out in the desert to where the Lone Ranger was waiting in agony. "What did the doctor say?" asked the Lone Ranger. Tonto replied, "Doctor say you gonna die."
If you get bit, get to a hospital fast. (Don't wait for Tonto.)
I've never heard of anybody getting bit except by doing something stupid, like Crazy Bob. (Except for rock-climbers who sometimes put their hands where they can't see them and accidentally grab hold of a rattlesnake. I guess that would also count as stupid, at least from the snake's point of view.)
2007-06-08 16:44:29 · answer #2 · answered by Ray Eston Smith Jr 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I lived in a rattle snake area and never saw one. You got lots of good advice above my answer, so I won't repete it. Worry isn't fun. Be prepared, follow the guidelines, and your hikes will be worth all the preparation and research.
2007-06-07 22:37:25 · answer #3 · answered by Jeanne B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wear boots that cover your ankles and long pants whenever you go hiking. That way, even if a snake DOES strike you, it won't be able to make contact with your skin.
Also, look and listen as you walk and try to be aware of your surroundings and what is in your path.
2007-06-07 20:34:35 · answer #4 · answered by rose_32008 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Reaserch it on the internet. Go to a search engine and type in rattle snake! It's that simple! You will get tons of websites filled with great info on rattle snakes. Go try it today!
2007-06-07 20:23:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
this is the diet section. go ask this in the rattlesnake section or something.
2007-06-07 20:26:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋