Generally not aggressive, rattlesnakes strike when threatened or deliberately provoked, but given room they will retreat. Most snake bites occur when a rattlesnake is handled or accidentally touched by someone walking or climbing. The majority of snakebites occur on the hands, feet and ankles.
While they can be out any time, rattlesnakes are most active in the morning and from dusk into the night. They hunt mice and rodents in darkness because they can sense body heat with special organs on their face.
You can usually tell if the snake is about to strike by watching their tail. The positioning of the tail is what will eventually give them leverage and more lunging power. The snake will slowly move its tail into a tighter position and may even prop its tail up against something nearby to give it more leverage.
Avoid climbing on rocks or piles of wood where a snake may be hiding. Be aware that snakes tend to be most active at dawn and dusk and in warm weather. Wear boots and long pants when working outdoors. Even denim jeans may prevent some, although not all, bites by smaller snakes.
Snakes bite either to capture prey or for self-defense. But since there are so many different types of snakes — including both venomous and non-venomous — not every snake bite is created equal. Different species carry different types of venom.
Don't use a tourniquet or apply ice. Don't cut the wound or attempt to remove the venom. Don't drink caffeine or alcohol, which could speed your body's absorption of venom. Don't try to capture the snake.
There are many scents snakes don't like, including smoke, cinnamon, cloves, onions, garlic, and lime. You can use oils or sprays containing these fragrances or grow plants featuring these scents to deter snakes from coming close to your property. This works as snakes also rely on smell to move around.
Therefore, one great way to deter garden snakes is to add a top layer of a rough, sharp mulch to your garden beds that they'll find uninviting. Use natural materials, such as pine cones, sharp rocks, eggshells, or holly leaves, and lay out a surface that no snake would choose to slither across.
EnviroBug offers the strongest, most effective, most reliable battery-powered snake repellers you can buy to protect you from deadly Australian ground snakes. 8 out of 10 snake bites occur when people try to pick them up, scare them, corner them or accidentally step on them.
We repeat, move away from the snake. That means don't walk up to it, poke it with a stick, try to pick it up, etc. We recommend retreating a safe distance away but keeping an eye on the snake. If you can, use your camera or smartphone's zoom to snap a quick picture of the snake.
Yes, they can. The good news is that not all snakes have fangs strong enough to go through rubber boots. When snakes strike and the fangs sink into their target, they don't necessarily know whether they've broken skin or pierced a boot.
If there's a family of snakes you don't want to anger, it would be the vipers. While these snakes don't always have the most deadly bites, they have the most painful ones. Van Wallach of the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology has had several viper bites; the worst one, he said, "came from an African bush viper.
Snake bites may cause pain and swelling around the site of the bite, or there may be very few signs left on the skin. Symptoms that snake venom has entered your body may include dizziness, blurred vision, breathing difficulties, nausea, muscle weakness or paralysis.
By morning the neurotoxin spreads in the body and the victim dies of respiratory failure. We always advise people to sleep on a cot, or while camping outdoors use mosquito nets to keep the reptiles away.
Vibrations from a lawnmower is a good way to scare away snakes. It won't keep them away for good but will scare them off long enough for you to work in your yard.
Snakes like to warm their bodies in the sunshine. Hiking in the evening or early in the morning helps you avoid their favorite part of the day. Wear appropriate clothing, especially hiking boots with a higher top (there are even snake chaps if you really want to put on some armor but I think they are overkill!)
Leave the snake alone. Identify it by species. Continue to leave it alone so long as it is not venomous and not inside a house or building.
It might be obvious, but the thing to do if you are bitten by a venomous snake is to get to a hospital quickly and receive an antidote. Many people think that the venom kicks in instantly, but it can take between 20 minutes and 72 hours to die if left untreated.
It is a myth that snakes can sense fear in humans. However, since snakes have an extraordinary sense of smell, they might be able to sense a difference between a relaxed human and a fearful human. Snakes do not respond to fear in humans unless they feel threatened by unpredictable human movements.
Ammonia: Snakes dislike the odor of ammonia so one option is to spray it around any affected areas. Another option is to soak a rug in ammonia and place it in an unsealed bag near any areas inhabited by snakes to deter them away.