Rattlesnake Bite

[Iceaxe]

Dang... ever wonder what happens if you are in the middle of no where and get bit by a rattlesnake? Here is a really good story.... and don't forget to look at the pictures.

Story of Rattlesnake Bite
http://www.rattlesnakebite.org/index.htm

Pictures of Rattlesnake Bite
http://www.rattlesnakebite.org/rattlesnakepics.htm

[rockgremlin]

Wow!!! Sucks to be him!!! Heckuva story!!

[marc olivares]

wow scary

[Iceaxe]

I don't know why, but getting bit in the middle of no where is one of my big fears. Probably because you are hours away from mediocre medical facilities. I almost got nailed while doing Not Mindbender. I climbed over a chokestone and was face-to-face with a big rattler. He took a swing at me and missed my face by inches.

Here is a picture of the snake that almost got me.

[rockgremlin]

OMG!!! You would've been a goner if that thing would've been a better shot!! In Not Mindbender you've got a good 6-7 hours before you're out of the canyon and back to your vehicle. You would've been the next big canyoneering disaster story...

[Iceaxe]

I have 3 or 4 moments in my life that give me the shivers when I think back on them... and that snake is one of them.

Just look at how big and fat that feller is. I bet he packs a major punch. I can still see him striking at me as if it happend yesterday.

[LJ]

I'm going to have nightmares from those pictures. I've come real close to being bit six or seven times since I moved here to Southern Utah a few years ago. I've wondered what the procedure is if you are in the middle of nowhere - other than get to help. I had a dog that got bit a couple of times (snakes were his mortal enemy and he never met one he didn't want to bite) - he just swelled up some and was fine the next day but then I've read dogs react better to the venom than most people.

Losing sleep -

LJ

[savanna3313]

Ok......I am compelled to tell this old story considering the thread plus I am bored and can't go anywhere for a few days....

Two canyoneers are traipsing along when suddenly one is bitten on the end of his "hoo-haw". His companion is an experienced outdoorsman, and maintains his composure as he reaches emergency services on his cell phone (pretend your service actually works in the wild). The bite victim is lying down, sweating profusely, and praying with all his might while his companion asks for instructions from the e.r. personnel.

"First, make a tight tourniquet around the bite area, then make a small incision into the wound and proceed to suck out the venom." The companion then hangs up the phone. "What did they say? What did they say??!!" asked the victim. His companion looked down at him, and sadly shaking his head replied, "They said you were gonna die."

[dbessee]

Wow! Amazing story.

Good pics to document what this kind of injury entails, even if it doesn't kill you. Not pretty but good.

[canyonphile]

Mindbender. I climbed over a chokestone and was face-to-face with a big rattler. He took a swing at me and missed my face by inches.

Holy SHIT, Batman! That would have scared the livin' piss out of me! Thank God for luck and a bad aim by the rattler, eh? My rattlesnake encounters have been surprisingly minimal, given the amount of time I've spent in their backyard. I definitely have a concern about getting bitten by one while out in the middle of a remote backpacking trip, and the photos of the bite and its ensuing treatment are why.

That story and the pictures are also a good example showing the morbidity associated with rattlesnake envenomation - not too many people die from such bites (Mojave bites might be an exception), but the proteases, peptidases and other enzymes in the venom wreak complete havoc on soft tissues. That kid was lucky he was able to keep his arm, let alone have functional use of it! And kudos to the plastic and vascular surgeons that did the reconstructive and graft surgeries - they totally

It is a bit unusual that the guy was bitten while he was just sitting on a rock; most rattlesnake bites occur when people are messing with the snake, or with unexpected close encounters that startle the snake, like what happened to you, Iceaxe. Male gender, the presence of tattoos and alcohol consumption are usually aggravating factors

SJ

[Sombeech]

oh, man. That story, and those pics are almost too much to handle.

Did you see how deformed the hand was when it was healing? Surprising to hear there's 80% strength still.

[accadacca]

Male gender, the presence of tattoos and alcohol consumption are usually aggravating factors

SJ

Looks like Iceaxe is bound to get munched on.

[Iceaxe]

Looks like Iceaxe is bound to get munched on.

I'm safe.... No tattoo's on this boy. Why would I hang a piece of art work on my body that I would not be caught dead with on my living room wall?

Anyhoo.... I try to surround myself with strippers. All that shakin' and bouncin' seems to scare the snakes away

[Tucker]

Wow...I guess what I heard about rattlers always giving warning with their rattle isn't true. The only snake I ever saw out there was a small tree snake...I'm knocking on wood as I type that.

Funny true story...We were staying at a small motel in Torrey last summer and the owners were building a "Kiva" in the field beside it. I decided to walk over and check it out after it had gotten dark. While walking back to the motel I suddenly heard "rattling" sounds all around me. Sure I was standing in the midst of dozens of 8' rattle snakes I freaked out and sprinted out of the field, tripped on something and fell in the gravel parking lot bloodying my knees pretty good. My buddy, who I had left behind, was still standing in the field...he yelled to me.."Dude....its just the lawn sprinklers" I still hear about that event once in a while.

In my defense not too many people irrigate they're lawns in Ohio so sprinklers were the last thing on my mind

[TreeHugger]

Tucker, that story is hilarious!

Wow, I cant get over that kid's story and those pictures!! I'm like shaking!!

I am totally freaked out by rattlesnakes - I wont run the lower elevation trails in the summer and I am uncomfortably aware at all times while hiking - makes for a not very relaxed experience! Man, I freakin' hate snakes.

[hesse15]

yeah is pretty amazing
hoe the heck he avoid infections is still a mystery to me
but is also true that snakes mostly rattle ones often caught the kids attentions
and multiple time i saw guys (never a girl surprise) that try to poke a rattle snake under rocks whith a stick to see if moves
so it will be a good idea that those "kids" see the picures
off course if you are hiking or climbing and the rattle attach you is different but i think most of accidents happens not because of the snake fault
in italy in the alps we have venon snake called viper the suggestion as to treat is exactly as the rattle american the difference is that they suggest to hit the rocks with a stick meanwhile you walk because snakes can feel vibrations (not sounds) and usually they move away

[Iceaxe]

While walking back to the motel I suddenly heard "rattling" sounds all around me. Sure I was standing in the midst of dozens of 8' rattle snakes I freaked out and sprinted out of the field, tripped on something and fell in the gravel parking lot bloodying my knees pretty good. My buddy, who I had left behind, was still standing in the field...he yelled to me.."Dude....its just the lawn sprinklers"

[accadacca]

While walking back to the motel I suddenly heard "rattling" sounds all around me. Sure I was standing in the midst of dozens of 8' rattle snakes I freaked out and sprinted out of the field, tripped on something and fell in the gravel parking lot bloodying my knees pretty good. My buddy, who I had left behind, was still standing in the field...he yelled to me.."Dude....its just the lawn sprinklers"

Yeah, what a great story. Sprinklers.....sssssssssss

[Iceaxe]

Don't mess with snakes.... even dead ones...

About 20 years ago I was hunting and happened onto a really big rattlesnake that was crawling out from under the log I had been sitting on for the past hour while murdering Morning Doves. The snake had to have been within inches of my butt the entire time and crawled out when the day began to warm up. So... after I finished crapping my pants I did the only sensible thing I could think of at the time.... I blew the snakes head off.....

...Fast forward two hours....

The snake was shot with a shotgun, close range, you get the picture.... the head was completely gone but since the snake was streached out crawling its body and rattles were unharmed.... suddenly I get the bright idea that it would be really cool to cut off the snakes rattles and take them home. I mention this to my hunting buddy and he says he'll get them since he was standing over the snake admiring my handy work. Anyhoo.... he whips out his knife and begins cutting off the rattles, the snake suddenly coils up and strikes him with its bloody stump where its head once was.... my partner jumps 10' striaght up, craps his pants and turns completely white...

No real harm done since the snake didn't have a head, but it did leave a bloody spot on my partners jacket where the snake hit.... only thing that saved his ass was the snake lacked a head.... lesson learned...

End of story....

Ice

[accadacca]

That's a great story. It would have been priceless to see your buddies face.