Rattlesnakes Emerge as Weather Warms

As warmer weather approaches, rattlesnakes are beginning to emerge for their annual summer appearance in rural areas of Ventura County.

Animal, fire and law enforcement authorities said they are beginning to get calls from residents who have already encountered the snakes on their property.

“We’re getting a few calls,” said Kathy Jenks, director of Ventura County’s Animal Regulation Department. “But we don’t expect the heavy snake season until August and September. That’s when we get people calling panicked that they’ve seen a rattlesnake.”

If the snakes come onto residential property, animal-regulation officers and firefighters will remove them.

The snakes are coldblooded, so when the weather warms, they emerge from a dormant winter state to soak up the sun’s warmth, said Nancy Hollenbeck, assistant director of the Santa Barbara Zoo.

As they warm up, they become more active and are seen more frequently, she said. During this active period, they breed.

The only rattlesnake indigenous to this area is the Pacific rattlesnake, Hollenbeck said. It’s recognizable by its diamond-shaped head and markings. She said the snakes are not aggressive.

“Until you bother them, they won’t bother you,” she said.

Anyone who suffers a rattlesnake bite should heed Jack Rumplik, an instructor who teaches advanced first aid for the American Red Cross in Ventura. Don’t suck the venom from the wound because this could spread the venom if the victim has a cut in his mouth.

To slow the spread of venom, the victim should keep calm and move slowly if he must walk for help, he said. A tight bandage should be applied above the wound if it is on the arm or leg--but not so tightly that it cuts off circulation. The afflicted area should be kept below the level of the heart.

The bite victim usually will see rapid swelling of the wound within 30 minutes, he said. Breathing problems, vomiting, rapid pulse and shock can occur. The victim should get to a hospital where anti-venom medication is available as soon as possible.