Posts Tagged: rattlesnake
Goodness Snakes Alive!
Avocado orchards are prime environments for this to happen. For me, it's always startling and amazing to come across an animal that's not expected to be there, but really does belong there as much as I do. Seeing a bobcat, coyote, or deer is not necessarily as startling as seeing a mountain lion or bear. Snakes do surprise me, especially when rooting around the base of a tree looking to see if there is trunk damage. More commonly, I come across
image copyright Michael F. Benard, http://www.mister-toad.com
image copyright Michael F. Benard, http://www.mister-toad.com
The latter will eat rattlesnakes
A recent report of a sidewinder in Ojai is a reminder of the people/wildlife interactions that go on all the time in both rural and urban areas.
Rattlesnakes do show up in coastal orchards frequently. However, it is more commonly a western rattler, not a sidewinder which is more an inhabitant of desert environments. Where did it come from? Did this snake get released into this area? Somebody's pet? Did the recent fires open it up as new habitat? Are other changes going on in the area that make it better habitat? Is this just a one off occurrence?
Whatever, sometimes people and animals get along and sometimes they don't. Remember, if left alone, a snake is likely to move on to another area. Also, recall that most rattlesnake bites occur when inexperienced people try to pick up, pester, move, or kill a rattlesnake. If you would prefer the snake be removed, it is best to call a professional pest or wildlife control operator who specializes in snake removal.
A final course of action may be to kill the rattlesnake. However, this option is not generally recommended since rattlesnakes only bite in self-defense and attempting to kill them can, and sometimes does, result in a person getting bitten. Even a dead rattlesnake can have a bite reflex and is capable of delivering venom.
Rattlesnakes are natural and important predators and automatic killing of them is not recommended any more than is the automatic killing of coyotes, mountain lions, or bears, all of which can very rarely harm people.
Guidelines from the UC IPM Rattlesnake webpage follow:
What Can be Done to Prevent a Bite?
Hands, feet, and ankles are the most common sites for rattlesnake bites. Using some common sense rules can prevent most snakebites.
- Never go barefoot or wear sandals when walking in areas where you cannot clearly see where you are placing your feet. Always wear hiking boots.
- Always stay on paths. Avoid tall grass, weeds, and heavy underbrush where snakes may be present.
- Always look for concealed snakes before picking up rocks, sticks, or firewood.
- Always check carefully around stumps or logs before sitting.
- When climbing, always look before putting your hands in a new location. Snakes can climb walls, trees, and rocks and are frequently found at high altitudes.
- Never grab what appear to be sticks or branches while swimming; rattlesnakes are excellent swimmers.
- Baby rattlesnakes are venomous! They can and do bite. Leave them alone.
- Never hike alone. Always have a buddy to help in case of an emergency. Learn basic lifesaving skills.
- Never handle freshly killed snakes. You may still be bitten.
- Never tease a snake to see how far it can strike. You can be several feet from the snake and still be within striking distance.
- Don't keep rattlesnakes as pets. Many rattlesnake bites occur when people tease or play with their “pet” rattlesnake.
- Teach children to respect snakes and to leave them alone. Curious children who pick up snakes are frequently bitten.
- Always give snakes the right of way!
http://www.californiaherps.com/movies/cccerastes611.mov
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74119.html
Native Reptile Captive Propagation Laws and Regulations
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=35207
garter and king snake images copyright Michael F. Benard, http://www.mister-toad.com
/h4>/span>/span>Rattlesnakes: Be on the lookout!
Recent rainfall and unusually high temperatures have brought snakes out early, and state park...
Rattlesnakes!
As spring approaches and people continue to enjoy California's sunny weather, outdoor types should...
Rattlesnake Vaccine
Last week I took our dog, Bella, to a veterinarian for her second dose of Crotalus Atrox Toxoid, otherwise known as rattlesnake vaccine. Until a month ago, I had no idea this anti-venom existed. Frankly, it took several phone calls to locate a facility offering the injections.
Living next to open space, my husband and I expected and have seen our share of crawly critters from alligator lizards (Elgaria multicarinata and Elgaria coerulea) to king snakes (Lampropeltis getula californiae). But when two juvenile Western diamond-backed rattlesnakes (Crotalus atrox) were discovered in a neighbor’s front yard and a rather large adult in another’s, I grew concerned due to my dog’s investigative bent and her low proximity to the ground. After all, Labrador retrievers live for their stomachs and anything that moves in fair game.
My concerns were validated when Dr. Rebekka Garberson of Animal Care Center in Vacaville indicated that direct tissue damage and possible swelling and/or closure of her airways could occur within an hour if Bella was bitten in the face or neck. And certainly Kathy Low’s May 28, 2013 blog showed the need to be alert for rattlesnakes this summer.
So can a rattlesnake vaccine protect our furry garden buddies?
Dr. Garberson noted that there are no actual studies on the vaccine’s effectiveness, but said both the risk and the reaction to a rattlesnake bite are lessened. She recommends seeking veterinarian care immediately following a snakebite, and an annual booster for
yearly protective immunity. From a pet owner’s perspective, I like to think the vaccine provides me with a window of time to rush my dog to a vet that I would not otherwise have without it.
According to product description from the manufacturer, Hygieia Biological Laboratories, Woodland, CA, “This vaccine is intended for use in healthy dogs as an aid in the reduction of morbidity and mortality due to intoxication with Crotalus atrox (western diamondback rattlesnake) toxin. The vaccine is cross-protective against the venom of several other types of rattlesnakes found in California.” See this link for more information on this product: http://www.drugs.com/vet/crotalus-atrox-toxoid.html
And just in case you think you really know what a rattlesnake looks like, check out the species, their locations and their photos at:
http://www.californiaherps.com/identification/snakesid/rattlesnakes.html
Rattlesnake sign (source - californiaherps.com)
Snakes in the Grass!
One would think that in the oak woodlands, the most important predators would be mammals such as mountain lion, coyote and bobcat. But new field research is discovering that the most important predator may be rattlesnakes in terms of overall biomass. Rulon Clark, an assistant professor at California State University at San Diego, and his team of eight graduate and undergraduate students, are studying rattlesnakes and their prey at one of the newest University of California Natural Reserves, Blue Oak Ranch Reserve. The 3,300 acre reserve is situated on the west slope of Mount Hamilton, only 10 miles from San Jose.
Clark and his students have documented densities of rattlesnakes on the reserve that far exceed any they have previously encountered throughout California, including the remote Mojave Desert. Rattlesnakes have likely been left alone by humans at Blue Oak Ranch Reserve for many decades. Given the local abundance of wild prey, the snakes have reached population levels that may have been typical prior to centuries of persecution by ranchers and hunters, according to Clark.
The rattlesnake researchers, dubbed “Team Crotalus,” have just completed nearly two months of detailed studies of the interactions between the northern Pacific rattlesnake, Crotalus oreganus, and its preferred prey species the California ground squirrel, Spermophilus beecheyi. When confronted by predators, many animals engage in lengthy, conspicuous interactions involving stereotyped signals and displays. These antipredator signals have been studied mainly as warning signals directed toward conspecifics, even though they may also serve to communicate with predators. Studies of how these signals affect predators have been rare because predation is infrequent and difficult to observe in the field.
![Ground squirrels are live trapped, anesthetized, an ear tag and temporary hair dyes to allow for observation after their release. Photo Credit: Matt Strimas Ground squirrels are live trapped, anesthetized, an ear tag and temporary hair dyes to allow for observation after their release. Photo Credit: Matt Strimas](http://ucanr.org/blogs/OakCon/blogfiles/8266.jpg)
Team Crotalus has begun assembling a one-of-a-kind database of natural antipredator signaling interactions and predator responses. To do so, they are using a high tech assortment of tools. These range from radio telemetry transmitters surgically implanted in the rattlesnakes, to miniature, battery-powered webcams. The webcams transmit live video of snake/squirrel interactions several miles away to the reserve headquarters for recording and observation. The team also confronts snakes with a mechanical, taxidermied rodent affectionately named “Robosquirrel.” The Robosquirrel is programmed to make antipredator sounds and movements to snakes in experimental encounters. The bouts allow the scientists to test predictions of how predators and prey communicate in controlled experiments. (Watch a video of a robosquirrel being struck by a rattlesnake).
![Portable wireless video cameras communicate with a long-range WIFI network. Photo Credit: Bree Putman Portable wireless video cameras communicate with a long-range WIFI network. Photo Credit: Bree Putman](http://ucanr.org/blogs/OakCon/blogfiles/8263.jpg)
![Graduate student Bree Putman implanting miniature radio transmitter into a rattlesnake that will be tracked using radio telemetry for the next year. Photo Credit: Matt Strimas Graduate student Bree Putman implanting miniature radio transmitter into a rattlesnake that will be tracked using radio telemetry for the next year. Photo Credit: Matt Strimas](http://ucanr.org/blogs/OakCon/blogfiles/8264.jpg)
Team Crotalus research has focused on the behavior of rattlesnakes confronted by two prey species, ground squirrels and kangaroo rats. These two distantly related rodents have evolved sophisticated anti-snake behavior independently. Comparing the two rodents’ interactions will allow the scientists to examine the role of various ecological and organismic factors that shape predator-prey signaling interactions. Their unique approach combines these methods in studies that simultaneously consider both prey signaling behavior and predator responses in an experimental context. This system promises to provide novel insights into such areas as honesty in animal communication, antagonistic coevolution, and the role of animal sensory systems in shaping signaling behavior.
![A young ground squirrel is being forcibly regurgitated by the rattlesnake that had consumed it earlier in the day. Photo Credit: Matt Strimas A young ground squirrel is being forcibly regurgitated by the rattlesnake that had consumed it earlier in the day. Photo Credit: Matt Strimas](http://ucanr.org/blogs/OakCon/blogfiles/8265.jpg)
For more information:
Bree Putman’s Blog: Strike, Rattle and Roll http://strikerattleroll.blogspot.com/
Rulon Clark Lab http://www.bio.sdsu.edu/pub/clark/Site/Home.html
Blue Oak Ranch Reserve http://www.blueoakranchreserve.org
Contact information:
Rulon Clark <rclark@sciences.sdsu.edu
Hamilton Michael <mphamilton@berkeley.edu