Spring is one of the most beautiful times of the year in the desert, but it can also be a time for caution. Rattlesnakes lie dormant during the cold fall and winter months and awaken from hibernation in the warm months of March and April.
The venomous bite of a rattlesnake has evolved as a tool for hunting and killing their prey. The venom not only kills their prey but also begins the digestive process by breaking down the tissue with hemotoxic components. The hollow fangs of a rattlesnake unfold from the roof of the snake's mouth when it strikes its victim. The venom is injected through the fangs which puncture the victim's skin.
- Approximately 8,000 people a year receive venomous snakebites in the U.S., 9-15 victims die. (FDA)
- 25% of adult rattlesnake bites are dry, with no venom injected. (Brown, 1997)
- Rattlesnakes can only strike a distance equal to 1/2 their own length
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