[by Chuck Almdale]

I was birding with a friend in O’Melveny Park near Granada Hills in the San Fernando Valley back on March 30, and we met a trailside rattlesnake. It was not happy to see us.

A little more detail. We had stopped to check out a hillside bushtop singing bird, which turned out to be a Rufous-crowned Sparrow – a good bird – and our Merlin app confirmed the insect-like (to my ears) song ID. Meanwhile, down the brushy slope behind us, some park maintenance person had turned on a sprinkler. After 10-20 seconds and the sprinkler not changing its sound one whit, I decided to look around to see where this sprinkler was. The sound was unusually steady, a high ssssssssss, there was no sign or sound of water falling anywhere, and downslope there was only brush. What park sprinkles their untamed hillside bushes at 11 AM? And the sprinkler seemed close. But it didn’t sound like a rattlesnake. Well…maybe a little.

It turned out to be a rattlesnake all right, coiled up, in the shade of a bush about two feet the other side of the trail, and when I saw him in my binos, it was staring straight at me. That sssssss sound really didn’t sound like any rattle I’ve ever hear from a rattlesnake, as it was seamlessly constant – not rattley – and higher pitched than the typical rattle, but it didn’t look like it was hissing. We looked at it a bit, then continued down the trail, mentioning the snake to passersby and suggesting they keep their eyes open. Three other groups had also seen rattlesnakes that day, further up the trail. I’ve birded in O’Melveny dozens of times, and never seen a rattlesnake. In nearby Placerita Canyon, I’ve seen them several times.

Rattlesnakes gather in underground or rockpile dens for the winter. When they emerge in spring and you’re in the area, it might seem like they’re everywhere. So I’ve heard and read, and I suspect that is what was going on.

Because rattlesnakes are now out and about, people have been bitten, and two people in our area have died, I thought I’d assemble a few tips and comments.

Tips from California Fish & Wildlife (link)

• Stay alert when outdoors.
• Wear sturdy boots and loose-fitting long pants. DO NOT wear sandals or flip-flops in brushy areas.
• Stay on well-used trails. Avoid tall grass, weeds, and heavy underbrush.
• Check rocks, stumps or logs before sitting down.
• Shake out sleeping bag and tent before use.
• Let others know where you are going, when you plan to return, and carry a cell phone. Hike with a companion when possible.
• DO NOT grab “sticks” in water. Rattlesnakes can swim.
• DO NOT let dogs off leash. Dogs are at increased risk when sniffing the ground near brushy areas.
• DO NOT try to touch or handle a snake, dead or alive. Dead rattlers may still inject venom shortly after death.

Tips from other sources

• Don’t pick up or get close to snakes. A 10 ft. distance is minimum.
• Make sure you can see where you plan to step or put your hands (e.g. when climbing rocks).
• Step on, not over, large rocks or logs.
• Avoid hiking alone so that you have help in case of an emergency.
• Scan the ground ahead of you as you walk, jog, or ride.
• Listen for the buzz of a rattlesnake’s rattle warning you it is there.
• Most bites result from trying to catch, drive off or kill the rattlesnake. Avoid it and go on your way.

Project RattleCam has livestreaming and archived videos of rattlesnakes.

Comments

A California study found two-thirds of rattlesnake bites were on the hand or arm, and 80 percent of victims were young men. Most bites occur from handling or accidentally touching snakes. [Sonoma Co. Parks]

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In the unlikely event that you are bitten by a rattlesnake, remain calm and have someone call 911 immediately. Keep the affected limb below your heart. Don’t use a tourniquet or try to remove the venom yourself. If you are alone, call 911 or walk calmly to the nearest phone. Avoid running, but seek medical care as soon as you are able is vital. [East Bay Regional Parks]

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A startled rattlesnake may NOT rattle before striking defensively. They also may not deliver an envenomed bite – a ‘dry bite’ may be used as a warning because venom creation and use can be energetically expensive for the snake. However, all bites from a rattlesnake should be treated as a venomous bite until appropriate medical attention is provided.

• Rattlesnakes are sensitive to ambient temperature and adjust their behavior accordingly. In warmer weather, you may see one basking in the sun to raise it’s body temperature.
• In Spring and Summer – Most active at dawn, dusk, and night to avoid overheating.
• In Fall and Winter – Inactive, and some may go into brumation (a state of dormancy with periods of activity), for several months in rock crevices, rodent burrows, or thick vegetation.
• Often multiple rattlesnakes may gather and establish dens during the colder months. These are often in rocky crevices where heat is retained, but may be found underneath homes or man-made structures. [Calif. Fish & Wildlife]

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Rattlesnakes are important mid-level predators. They help with population and disease control by eating rodents that carry diseases like Lyme disease and plague, and which would otherwise over-reproduce and eat down all of our crops and native plants. And by eating those small rodents, they also package that energy into a nice big snake-shaped sausage for top predators like mountain lions or owls to eat. And, rattlesnake venoms are currently being studied for drug development. There’s a drug that’s been on the market for decades now that is derived from rattlesnake venom. If you know someone who’s had a heart attack or gotten a stent in their heart or been treated for being at a high risk for blood clots, they might have been treated with this drug. We haven’t been able to synthetically develop anything in a lab that is nearly as good. [Cal Poly News]

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If you see a rattlesnake out in the wild, like on a hiking trail, just give it space. Stay 10 feet away from it and let it move along its way because you’re in its house. If rattlesnakes are in someone’s yard or in their house or that sort of thing, the evidence-based best approach is to relocate that rattlesnake. Best thing to do is call a professional. There’s also a website called freesnakerelocation.org where people can find a relocation service in their area.