Rattlesnake, not one but two

[pfields]

Don't depend on a rattlesnake to rattle as a warning. So far the ones we've killed in our garden did not rattle. The two that we caught last week didn't rattle even when I was using the shovel to pick them up and they kept getting away.

I'm not sure how much truth there is to this but around here we've been hearing they're not rattling due to the wild hog population.

"Many people believe that a baby rattlesnake is more dangerous than an adult rattlesnake. However, a large rattlesnake is more likely to deliver much more venom than a baby rattlesnake. In the clinical experience at Loma Linda University Medical Center, large rattlesnakes cause more serious injuries than baby rattlesnakes."

The larger the fangs the more volume of poison from the bite, if it's not a dry bite. I'm thinking this baby rattlesnake bite theory might be an old wives tale. Personally I don't want to be bitten by either one.

 

[123RedBeard]

Our diamond backs have what we call a "Coon Tail" ... Look at the one in the pan I posted earlier ...

Here is a different one ...



Here is the little one about 2' long that was coiled up sleeping that I posted earlier ... See its tail? As I clicked the camera, I charged at me, so I shot it, it actually reached up and caught the bullet in its mouth ... They can strike FAST! But a 357 Magnum keeps going for a bit ...

 

[pfields]

Here in Texas they all have tails like this one. I believe this one had 16 rattles and a button.

 

[BBQJOE]

We got those too. Then the rose colored ones, and of course the greens.
They all die. I've found that .22 bird shot it most effective. .410 is over kill (good pun) but they all work.
I wouldn't waste a .357 round on a snake.
Unless you reload, like I do.

 

[pfields]

My husband and I both use rat shot in our pistols.

 

[LeafBlade12345]

Speaking from medical experience, the young rattlers usually are more deadly, though it's not always true. When people come to the ER in the worst states, they have usually gotten bitten by babies. One guy actually said he saw a baby rattlesnake and thought it would be a good pet for his daughter, don't ask, so he picked it up, and of course ended up needing many vials of antivenin. Some people can be so clueless.

 

[pfields]

Snake Myths and Facts
By Phil Purser
from Reptilechannel.com

Baby Venomous Snakes Are More Dangerous Than Adults.

This myth is roughly two-thirds nonsense and one-third truth. I believe this myth was born out of the human fascination with irony. For some reason we like to think it’s the one we don’t see coming that always gets us. We like to root for the underdog, and we simply like the notion of the tiny one being the deadly one. But the fact of the matter is that baby venomous snakes are not more venomous than their parents. In fact, quite the opposite is true in a great many snake species; adults have far more virulent venom than the young snakes. For example, both adult and juvenile timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) have venom that is “strongly hemolytic,” which means it causes the breakdown of red blood cells, in prey (Ernst 116). Yet venom studies in older adults demonstrate that the “activity level of some venom enzymes tends to increase with the size and age of the snake” (Ernst 116). So an older timber rattlesnake has venom more virulent than a younger one. Similarly, an adult snake is capable of delivering a much larger venom dose than a smaller snake. Consider the eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus). Juveniles of the species typically deliver less than 70 milligrams of venom, whereas a healthy adult specimen may deliver 492 to 666 milligrams of venom (Ernst 90). The known maximum is 848 milligrams in a single bite (Ernst 90). Roughly 100 milligrams of venom is considered a lethal dose for an adult human. So if the venom toxicity of a young snake is not as potent as an adult, and the total venom yield of a juvenile is not nearly as great as an adult’s, what part of this myth is one-third true? The answer lies in the venomous snake’s experience level. Adults are veterans of life. They have successfully avoided or driven back predators and attackers, and they have full control over all muscular functions. Adults recognize the need to conserve their precious venom. It takes time to produce it, and a snake that empties its venom reserves in an attacker has nothing left to subdue prey. They have learned that a venomous snake without venom doesn’t eat. It’s a different story for neonate venomous snakes. They generally are not as in control of their muscular functions as are adult snakes, and they are at their most vulnerable point in life. Defensive strikes are fast and thorough. When these snakes bite, they typically bite hard, pumping the attacker full of every last bit of venom. If a young venomous snake’s bite were to be more dangerous than an adult’s, this would be the only way. I suppose there are far more myths about snakes than I can dispel in one article. Education is the key. Snakes are interesting and unusual animals, so it only seems natural that people have attributed to them unique or even supernatural properties and powers. Sadly, too many of these untruths are passed down from one generation of reptile lovers to the next. I can only hope those kids I saw at that Alabama reptile expo so long ago come to figure out that juvenile copperheads are not more virulent than their adult counterparts. Because for every snake myth we bust, we get closer to allowing the truth behind these intriguing animals to prevail. References Ernst, Carl H. 1992. Venomous Reptiles of North America. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. Mehrtens, John M. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. Sterling Press, New York, New York.

Another read on being bit by a baby rattlesnake

http://archive.azcentral.com/commun...30829silent-baby-rattlesnakes-pose-risks.html

 

[LeafBlade12345]

Maybe it's just a coincidence... I mean usually people would rather mess with a small snake than a big one, so more people are bitten by babies, and therefore have a better chance at being badly affected. This is an interesting topic for sure.

 

[LeafBlade12345]

http://patch.com/california/losgatos/bp--the-baby-rattlesnake-bite-debate

This is a good link on the subject. (Be aware that I have no control over the ads on this site, so be warned that some things may not be child appropriate.) I think I should have been more clear. The venom of a baby rattler is slightly more toxic than that of an adult, but more fatalities occur with adults than with juveniles. This thread expresses well and in more context. A very interesting conversation indeed! I always like a good debate, as long as it stays civil.

 

[123RedBeard]

I do reload & cast my own boolits too ... So 357 mag is actually cheaper to shoot than buying 22 bird/rat shot ... And since I carry a self defense gun with me anyways ... It needs to be enough gun for two legged or mountain lions too!

Here is the skin of the one I showed earlier fried!


Gun is 44 Mag!