JRP Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Its a bit early for the SW area rattlesnakes to be waking up. But some unusually high temps have a few of them out looking for an early spring meal. One unlucky & uninformed RV'er who was in AZ to watch some spring training games, stuck his arm where he shouldn't have and got a good bite from a rattler. Shortly after the bite, his blood pressure dropped so low, that he passed out and hit his head on a sharp edge. They got him to the local hospital in time to administer anti venom and treat his head gash. Keep in mind we share the desert with some unfriendly creatures. Warm spring weather brings the rattlers out of their winter dens and they're hungry & aggressive. I haven't seen any over here in NM yet, but we're still a bit cooler than Phx area. < http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/southwest-valley/2016/03/07/arizona-spring-training-fan-bitten-rattlesnake/81452866/ > Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 "I thought to myself, 'Man, that was dumb,'" said Shelton on Monday as he recovered from the bite in a hospital Now that was the one intelligent action he did. The snake tried to warn him.......... Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 "I thought to myself, 'Man, that was dumb,'" said Shelton on Monday as he recovered from the bite in a hospital Now that was the one intelligent action he did. The snake tried to warn him.......... Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yarome Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Hope he has good insurance. Anti-venom in the U.S. can run $15-$20k a vial and treatment often takes multiple vials... 4-10 vials isn't uncommon. Morale of the story.. if you're going to go poking around in the SW like that, do it near the border. (Same anti-venoms, same manufacturer in Mexico are $100-$200). Anti-venom is one of the worst/highest markups around for meds. R&D, manufacturing, and marketing make up less than 2% of the cost. Makes for a very expensive life lesson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbertalotto Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 The price is high because it is used so little here in the USA.......The way to lower the price is for more folks to get bitten! Simple supply and demand! So get out there and start sticking your hand in places that look "snakey" RoyB South of Boston 2021 Dodge 2500 - 6.4L Forest River 19RR Toy Hauler Roofnest Falcon Rooftop Tent www.rvbprecision.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yarome Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 The price is high because it is used so little here in the USA.......The way to lower the price is for more folks to get bitten! Simple supply and demand! So get out there and start sticking your hand in places that look "snakey" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILDEBILL308 Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Who is going to be the one to say, no I don't want it because it is to expensive??? Bill 2008 Newmar Mountain Aire model 4521 450 hp Cummins ISM Allison 4000MH tran. Towing a 2014 Honda CRV with a blue Ox tow bar Home base Fort Worth Texas A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way. -Mark Twain- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budeneighe Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 IT is a personal call. Health risks add to the importance. In many cases, the bite is just a warning bite, not an injection bite. Most venomous snakes, even without rattles, will shake their tails like they have them. Usually, this makes some sort of noise, even if it is subtly scratching around in dead leaves. If you see them shaking, they are about to strike so slowly back off if possible. It is unfortunate that so many people are so phobic about snakes that they won't force themselves to learn as much about them as they can to be properly prepared in case they, or someone else, is bitten. Dealing with snakes is much like being in New York City; If you are where you should be, when you should be and with whom you should be, you will not likely ever have a problem. RVBuddys Journal Our progress into full-timing.Budd & Merrily ===-> SKP# 088936 Other Websites:---> Hub of all my blogsClifford - 2000 VNL64T770 :: DakotR - 1999 C40KS King of the Road :: $PRITE - 2013 Smart Passion w/cruise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRP Posted March 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Budd, on 09 Mar 2016 - 08:59 AM, said:... If you are where you should be, when you should be and with whom you should be, you will not likely ever have a problem. Unless you're one of the many folks who choose to live fulltime or part time in the US SW, then dealing with rattlers is a given, just like dealing with grizzlies in Ak or wolves in Mt or sharks in Fl. But anyone who lives out here for any length of time should quickly learn the unmistakable sound of a rattler and to heed that warning. My southern NM ranch is surrounded by 10,000 acres of BLM land, all prime rattle snake country. I'm only out here in the winter season, but upon arriving in late fall and before leaving each spring, I see plenty of rattlers. I don't bother the dozens of rattlers I pass while ATV'ing or hiking out in the boonies. But the half dozen or so that crawl up to my front door, or onto my patio or into my garage each year, have to be dealt with. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis M Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 #1 rule in the desert: NEVER put you hands or feet into a place you cannot see. Dennis & NancyTucson, AZ in winter, on the road in summer.1999 Volvo 610 "Bud" 425 HP Volvo, Super 10 spd.2005 Mountain Aire 35 BLKS2013 smart fortwo CityFlame riding on Bud(Replaced '05 smart first loaded in '06 and '11 smart that gave it's life to save me!)Our Travel Blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yarome Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Unless you're one of the many folks who choose to live fulltime or part time in the US SW, then dealing with rattlers is a given X2. You can be doing everything "right", but you're in their habitat. You're paths WILL eventually cross. Respect your neighbors.. don't poke em with a stick or wave your digits in their faces when they are politely telling you to step off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alie&Jim's Carrilite Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 When we were in south Texas, rattler's and scorpions ruled the ground. Anyone ever taken a black light outside at night? Scorps glow in UV light. It is amazing how many you see. Alie & Jim + 8 paws 2017 DRV Memphis BART- 1998 Volvo 610 Lil'ole 6cyl Cummins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Gell Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 It is unfortunate that so many people are so phobic about snakes that they won't force themselves to learn as much about them as they can to be properly prepared in case they, or someone else, is bitten. Dealing with snakes is much like being in New York City; If you are where you should be, when you should be and with whom you should be, you will not likely ever have a problem. Having lived in Manhattan for 4 years prior to full-timing, I have to agree. And I will add that it is unfortunate so many people are so phobic about NYC. I am very much a country boy, worked on farms as a kid and I have to admit that coming to the city was scarier than dealing with rattlers. But I gave it a chance, gained an appreciation for the city and it's people. I learned why the people of NYC love the city as they do. #1 rule in the desert: NEVER put you hands or feet into a place you cannot see. As a NY State Park Manager, my last job entailed managing about 24,000 acres just NW of NYC. It happened to include some of the most dense Timber Rattlesnake populations in NYS. When geocaching became popular I worried about how folks were hiding things in rock crevices and such that were ideal places to get bit by sticking a hand in where one could not see. Geocachers need to be mindful of this! X2. You can be doing everything "right", but you're in their habitat. You're paths WILL eventually cross. Respect your neighbors.. don't poke em with a stick or wave your digits in their faces when they are politely telling you to step off. The only Rattler bite in NYS Parks that I am familiar with, happened when some drunk teenage mountain bikers decided to play hot potato with one. But then it's quite possible the Timber Rattlers of the Northeast are more docile than most. In most cases I encountered rattlers they would stay pretty quiet unless provoked. I used to remove them from tenant's porches and such and could get them into a garbage can with a snake stick before they were too riled up some of the time. Other times, the tenant would have harassed them before I arrived and they would be coiled up and rattling away when I got anywhere near them. What I found most unbelievable was the way their camouflage allowed them to totally disappear from view on the fallen leaves on the forest floor when I let them out of the garbage can. If they were not moving, I could stare at them and not see them 6 feet in front of me. Jim 2001 Volvo 770, Detroit 60 Series, Gen 2 Autoshift Passenger assist elevator to enter cab - for when we need it, or sell it? '05 Travel Supreme Select 40 RLQSO 5th wheel 2016 smart car We started full timing on December 1st 2014 Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness - Mark Twain Not all that wander are lost - J. R. R. Tolkien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjim Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 When I was really young in the early 50's we lived for a while at Orange Beach, Alabama which was not built up like now, we had a lot of rattlers. Of course down south there are plenty of water moccasins. I am guessing about 5 years back I was staying at Rainbow Plantation and was driving a back road to Walmart at Foley. I saw folks out in the pines gathering the pine needles into bundles to sell for landscaping. About that time it came on the radio that someone had bought a bale of the needles at the local Lowes and was bitten by a rattler that was in the bundle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangeMaggotBob Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 IT is a personal call. Health risks add to the importance. In many cases, the bite is just a warning bite, not an injection bite. Most venomous snakes, even without rattles, will shake their tails like they have them. Usually, this makes some sort of noise, even if it is subtly scratching around in dead leaves. If you see them shaking, they are about to strike so slowly back off if possible. It is unfortunate that so many people are so phobic about snakes that they won't force themselves to learn as much about them as they can to be properly prepared in case they, or someone else, is bitten. Dealing with snakes is much like being in New York City; If you are where you should be, when you should be and with whom you should be, you will not likely ever have a problem. I'm sorry, but I have never heard of a "warning" bite from a venomous snake. Where did you ever get information like that?!? I've been around the southwest and snakes all my life, have known more than one person to get bit, and never heard of that. Especially if it's a young snake, you're going to get a good dose of venom because they haven't yet learned to control it when they strike! 2015 Forest River Rockwood Signature Series Ultra Lite 8289WS w/ Diamond Pkg. 2014 RAM CTD 6.7 Tradesman 4WD Crew Cab Long Bed 😀 Honda eu2200i generators Daisy May, the Golden Doodle Wonderdog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mocroc Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Our stick & mortar is South of Tucson, AZ / North of Nogales, AZ. Found a Diamond Back Rattler under some firewood in the yard yesterday. The guy I had given the wood to loaded it up to relocate further out in the desert. Beware they are awake! rocmoc n AZ/Fld/Baja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yarome Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 I'm sorry, but I have never heard of a "warning" bite from a venomous snake. Where did you ever get information like that?!? I've been around the southwest and snakes all my life, have known more than one person to get bit, and never heard of that. Especially if it's a young snake, you're going to get a good dose of venom because they haven't yet learned to control it when they strike! Quite true with mature snakes. That's why young'ins are generally more dangerous. They generally don't have the control to limit or prevent envenoming. Try looking up "dry bite". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjim Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 I haven't heard it termed as a warning bite but have heard that more mature snake don't always deliver venom. I don't want to test the theory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mptjelgin Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 I haven't heard it termed as a warning bite but have heard that more mature snake don't always deliver venom. I don't want to test the theory. I've heard it more commonly referred to as a "Dry Bite". Mark & Teri 2021 Grand Designs Imagine 2500RL, 2019 Ford F-350 Mark & Teri's Travels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray,IN Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Is the snake OK? Hope he didn't contract any stupidity. 2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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