Arizona Toddler bitten by Rattlesnake

[Brent in Az]

I've been following this story of a 15 month old girl that was bitten on the foot twice by a Rattlesnake. Not sure what species?
After more than 30 vials of antivenom, it appears she will be o.k.
The long term effects of the bite are not yet known.
I am very glad she is doing o.k.

She was bitten on May 16th

https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/shes-a-miracle-toddler-bitten-twice-by-rattlesnake-receives-over-30-vials-of-antivenom/

 

[JimP]

I read about it shortly after it happened and am glad that she went home so fast.

That's a problem with toddlers, they are quite inquisitive and may of just approached the snake to see what it was with mom not even noticing it.

It seams like I read that it was a western diamond back.

 

[Surgeon1]

I was bit on the right foot at age 8 by a prairie rattler. Got 24 vials of horse antivenom and was sick for the rest of the summer!

 

[Brent in Az]

I read about it shortly after it happened and am glad that she went home so fast.

That's a problem with toddlers, they are quite inquisitive and may of just approached the snake to see what it was with mom not even noticing it.

It seams like I read that it was a western diamond back.

Its a good thing it wasn't a Mojave

 

[Brent in Az]

I was bit on the right foot at age 8 by a prairie rattler. Got 24 vials of horse antivenom and was sick for the rest of the summer!

I've been struck in the side of the hand, fortunately it was a glancing blow with no penetration
Ive had some close encounters over the years

 

[Russ16]

My cousin was but in the Klee at about that age. Skin grafts and and multiple Achilles surgery were in her future. Basically shriveled her Achilles so her foot was pointed down. It was 50 years ago I assume the treatments are better now.

 

[Datchew]

We have a good friend that got hit on their property in Seguin about 10 months ago.
Snake bites can be nasty and treatment very prolonged.

Pretty amazing and scary creatures. They pack a wallop!

 

[Newboomer]

We have a good friend that got hit on their property in Seguin about 10 months ago.
Snake bites can be nasty and treatment very prolonged.

Pretty amazing and scary creatures. They pack a wallop!

For me the only good snake is a DEAD snake.

 

[cwpayton]

For me the only good snake is a DEAD snake.

amen brother except I give the bull snakes here in NV. a pass most cause they are reported to kill rattlers. I almost was bitten Fri. by a rattler on a hike with my wife , snake coiled beside the trail, I cant hear them but she did. I ended the discussion with the snake left him on a tree limb ,came back and we could not find him.
My dog got bit last spring 2024, but apparently it was a dry bite, swelled up 2 days, we carry cepahalexan and dexmethasone for the dogs.

 

[sgt_zim]

Good grief. 30 vials is about 250-300K worth of medication.

 

[JimP]

amen brother except I give the bull snakes here in NV. a pass most cause they are reported to kill rattlers. I almost was bitten Fri. by a rattler on a hike with my wife , snake coiled beside the trail, I cant hear them but she did. I ended the discussion with the snake left him on a tree limb ,came back and we could not find him.
My dog got bit last spring 2024, but apparently it was a dry bite, swelled up 2 days, we carry cepahalexan and dexmethasone for the dogs.

I always had heard that the bull/gopher snake would kill rattlers but found out different. They don't but there are a number of other snakes out there that will such as king snakes and the racer family.

A few years ago down in Arizona I came upon this mess.

 

[Datchew]

I always had heard that the bull/gopher snake would kill rattlers but found out different. They don't but there are a number of other snakes out there that will such as king snakes and the racer family.

A few years ago down in Arizona I came upon this mess.

That is what I'd call a target rich environment.
You needed napalm!

 

[JimP]

In all the years that we have known about that den not one of them have been killed by any of us that know the location.

It is fun to hike into it during our javelina hunts there to see if they are out and about. Most of the time there will be a couple in the surrounding bushes and in the cracks and crevices of that rock, that is if it is warm enough. We have been there when there is no sign of it even being a den with a pack rats making it's nest at the mouth of it.

This den is miles away from the nearest home but only a couple hundred yards off of the Arizona Trail that sees quite a few hikers during the hiking season so we just allow them to go about their business of pest control and eating a rabbit when they get the chance.

 

[Brent in Az]

Good grief. 30 vials is about 250-300K worth of medication.

I imaging the hospital bill is staggering

 

[Brent in Az]

Some years ago a friend of mine from Montana came down to hunt Javelina and Quail in January.
I took him to a spot where there was a rattlesnake den. A big ball of rattlesnakes about 4' back in a crevasse. He was sticking his video camera down in there to get some close up

 

[Newboomer]

amen brother except I give the bull snakes here in NV. a pass most cause they are reported to kill rattlers. I almost was bitten Fri. by a rattler on a hike with my wife , snake coiled beside the trail, I cant hear them but she did. I ended the discussion with the snake left him on a tree limb ,came back and we could not find him.
My dog got bit last spring 2024, but apparently it was a dry bite, swelled up 2 days, we carry cepahalexan and dexmethasone for the dogs.

I guess I must be real lucky. I've lived in NV since 1989 and have never seen a rattler. I spend a fair amount of time out in the bush, too.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

We have a good friend that got hit on their property in Seguin about 10 months ago.
Snake bites can be nasty and treatment very prolonged.

Pretty amazing and scary creatures. They pack a wallop!

@Datchew
Lucky it wasn't in Australia.
We have ten of the most deadly snakes in the world.
If'n y'all got but by our little fierce snake/ inland Taipan you may have just enjoy time to put your head between your legs and kiss your arse good bye.
Our king browns and tiger snakes are extremely venomous.
Fortunately most of our snakes are pretty timid. After sixty years of being in the bush I can count the number of snakes I've seen in one hand.
Bob

 

[Datchew]

@Datchew
Lucky it wasn't in Australia.
We have ten of the most deadly snakes in the world.
If'n y'all got but by our little fierce snake/ inland Taipan you may have just enjoy time to put your head between your legs and kiss your arse good bye.
Our king browns and tiger snakes are extremely venomous.
Fortunately most of our snakes are pretty timid. After sixty years of being in the bush I can count the number of snakes I've seen in one hand.
Bob

Years ago, a much younger Datchew took the catamaran out to Rottnest Island off the coast of Perth to view the cute little quokkas (sp?) hopping around the island and eat amazing meat pies at the local bakery with a pair of local girls we met up with.

Afterward, we did some snorkeling on the reef there. Can't recall how far it was from the bakery at this point.
Upon returning, we had a close encounter with one of your king browns on the sandy path back to the boat. It looked like Indiana Jones left his bullwhip laying about.
Nobody was bitten but I had no idea how poisonous they were until a local filled me in.

It was that day that I learned about king browns and also fell in love with brown vegemite!

 

[JimP]

I have found that with all the snakes that I have come across is that if you leave them alone they'll leave you alone.
From what I’ve read most bites from our North American snakes happen when someone starts out saying "hold my beer and watch this"

 

[Happy Myles]

My Grandmother lived with us on our cattle ranch. She kept a garden hoe at our front door and another at the back door she used them as walking sticks. Our green yard attracted mice and gophers which in turn attracted lots of rattlesnakes. She also had turkeys which were great watch dogs. When rattlers showed up the turkeys would circle them screeching and gobbling. Grandma would chop the snakes head off with her walking sticks, aka her garden hoe. She said, “ at my age this is the only excitement I have! “