Mojave Rattlers

[Kim]

Hi! Hope everyone is doing well. I was wandering if anyone might be able to tell me how to distingish a Mojave Rattlesnake (Neurotoxic) from any other breed of Rattler (hemotoxic)? Seems like that would be good info for anyone that spends time in the outdoors. Thanks!

[joebartels]

The Mohave is usually very green in color and has wide, light bands at the base of the tail. Again, if you can see the bands at the base of the snake's tail, you are way too close.


That's right off the top of my head... or was it about.com

and a photo of Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus

from Kingsnake.com
http://www.kingsnake.com/venom/scutulatus1.jpg

[ck_1]

Head up to Granite Mountain near Prescott, once you pass the saddle, on the way to the summitt...you'll meet a mohave up close...mean sob., very aggressive...

I just follow the policy of if it rattles, stay away from it...mohave, diamondback, small childern...

[Fritzski]

It varies in coloration like most snakes and can sometimes be almost indistinguishable from a Diamondback with the exception that the white stripes on the tail are larger than the black ones.

[Nighthiker]

On the mohave the dark rings are about half as wide as the light gray rings while the diamondback are about equal in size. They also have a narrow stripes from behind the eye that does not intersect with the mouth.

[olesma]

These descriptions probably aren't helping you very much. But it is true - with the right coloration they can be very hard to distinguish from a Diamondback.

Honestly though, if you are close enough to study one, then you need to know just how close is safe enough. Rattlesnakes are fascinating and the alure is probably due to the very fact that they are dangerous creatures. Keep a healthy distance - observe the little dude, then try and make a positive identification later.

If you are bit by one, your best bet is to try and kill the offending viper and present all or a portion of it to the medical personel when help arrives. They can make the positive ID and administer the proper antivenom.

Of course - your best bet is just to be careful and not get bit.....

[joebartels]

There is no need to try to capture the snake. Aside from being both difficult and dangerous, it is rather foolish. The doctors at the emergency room only need to know a description, such as 'It rattled'. The snake serves no purpose to the care providers. Now, this point can be debated, in fact, my Audubon Field Guide to the Southwest suggest that the dead snake be brought with to the emergency room 'if possible'. Several other sources contradict this recommendation. You make the call. If you want to try to catch the snake, good luck.

Olesma, I realize you said kill and not capture however I'd pass on the snake wranglin' myself though I guess it's debatable.

[GTG_AZH]

Not to rain on a snake killing parade, but just about any antivenin administrered in the US will cover any snake bite from snakes of North America. Some will cover bites from snakes from North and South America, including many European and African species, if my memory serves correct. When my friend got bit in 1989, we got to check out all of the antivenin packaging. His antivenin was comprised of venom from over fifty different types of snakes.

And remember, for every rattlesnake killed, around one hundred or so vermin live to breed.

http://hikearizona.com/dex2/article.php?AID=15

GTG

[joebartels]

I only take photos and memories

Okay and a bear once, he was so cute

[azhiker96]

I think the best thing to do is leave the snake alone and seek medical attention. As GTG pointed out, the antivenins are made as a cocktail for north american snakes. If it rattled then it's covered. Also, most bites are "dry" bites meant to scare off attackers. If you get close enough to kill or capture the snake you mad get bit a second time. The second bite would probably NOT be dry. Even if you succeed in killing it without getting bit you'd still have to take it with you. Dead snakes still have reflexes for awhile and even severed heads have been reported to bite and inject poison. With nothing to gain and much to lose, killing the snake doesn't make sense unless you're hungry and want a snack for the road.

[Randy]

I like the way they do them at Rawhide: the McRattler nuggets deep fried with ranch dressing....-R

[azhiker96]

They are great battered and fried. But nothing beat snapping turtle for stew!

[olesma]

And remember, for every rattlesnake killed, around one hundred or so vermin live to breed.

Hey - I don't condone killing them. I like the little critters, and I wish I could see more of them.

I do find your information on the antivenom interesting. I need to do some research and bring my knowledgebase up to date in that regard. I've always been taught, and advocated killing the snake that bit you - if it's totally unnecessary (as your info indicates) I need to change my stance.

Hmmmm....learning is good......

[Nighthiker]

Taking at least four people to the hospital, the only thing that I noted the hospital er staff was interested in was that it was a rattlesnake they were not concerned which type of rattlesnake. Only on one occassion was a snake brought in, once they heard it rattle they were not interested in what type.

[Daryl]

From what I've heard, the hospital will treat you based on your symptoms and thus do not need to know what type of snake it was. The different venems have very different symptoms.

Another school of thought... Most rattlesnake bites are dry (no venem injected) or very little venem. This is because the snake doesn't want to waste their venem on you since they do not plan on eating you. However, if you agitate a snake enough, they will use their venem just because they are pissed off.
So, if you step on one and get bit. Chances are very good you will be okay. If you try to kill it, you risk getting bit a second time, and this time by a pissed off snake that will use the venem and you will not be okay.

[jefe]

from AZ poison control

http://www.pharmacy.arizona.edu/outreac ... esnake.php

"Fifty to 70% of reptile bites managed by the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center were provoked by the person who was bitten--that is, someone was trying to kill, capture or harass the animal."

An attempt to kill or capture the snake is a good way to sustain another bite.

[imike]

The Mojave's I've encountered over the years always seem to be the friendlier ones... sort of looking for new friends to share the moments with... tending slow to agitation, and nearly downright personable. Climbing a wall in the Grand Canyon I nearly set my hand around a rock without looking, and then with a bit more thought, glanced up, and sure enough, mojave rattler calmly gazing out, wondering if I was really going to grab him. Another time, slipping around a short boulder about knee high, glanced down to see a mojave curled on top the rock, six inches from my knee, looking up with nearly a smile, sort of as if wondering if I was going to pause and share the nice sunlit rock.

I've been bitten twice... both times from stepping on the snake in tall grass... damn copperheads... only snake I know that just refuses to move or give any indication they are there until you step right on them.

[big_load]

I've been bitten twice... both times from stepping on the snake in tall grass... damn copperheads...

That's why I don't like tall grass. Or copperheads. (They sure are pretty, though).

[Patruinaz]

Hi, new here and new to hiking (been hiking for a month now). While on a trail in Cave Creek Regional Park, at some point I heard a rattle. Noticed a Diamondback just off of the trail, about I would say 5foot in front of me. Being my first rattler, I didn't try to pass him on the trail. Now, if I did pass him, could he have attacked if I passed him with 5 foot between us or can (will) they easily strike? (Got a nice pic of him by the way)
Thanks for any replies.

[big_load]

Most references cite the strike range as 1/3 -1/2 of body length.