Snake Articles

Protect Against Rattlesnake Bite

The rattlesnake is one of the most common venomous snakes in the Americas. With 32 known species of rattlesnakes that range from as far north as Alberta, Canada to Central Argentina, a rattlesnake is a reptile that lives in a wide array of habitats. Because snakes live in such diverse climates and because of their sheer numbers, humans are bitten more often by rattlers than any other type of snake.

In the United States, that means an average of 7,500 people become rattlesnake victims each year. Rattlesnakes generally do not attempt to bite people on purpose unless provoked or surprised. In fact, rattlesnakes generally will retreat if they are aware of the presence of humans. However, over half the rattlesnake bites that occur are to humans who were aware snakes lived in the areas they frequented, yet did nothing to avoid getting bit.

Wearing Snake Gaiters that protect from the top of your boot to your knee, or Snake Chaps that protect your full leg from boot to thigh, is your single best defense. Article continues here...

How Does a Rattlesnake Rattle?

The main reason a rattlesnake has a rattle at the end of its tail is to scare off predators. The rattle is composed of a series of hollow, interlocked segments made of keratin, which is the same substance that human nails and hair are mainly composed of. Snakes contract their tail muscles when startled or when they want to warn another creature to stay away, and that causes the segments to vibrate against each other and create a rattling sound.

The muscles that cause the rattle to shake are strong and tireless, so snakes can keep up that sound for a very long time if needed. Different species of rattlesnakes have different size rattles and produce different sounds, but anyone who has heard an aggravated rattlesnake will agree that the sound closely resembles that of a baby's rattle, hence the name.

Article continues here...

The 3 Deadliest Snakes in the U.S.

There are actually a number of venomous snakes in the United States, although the actual number of
fatalities that occur is generally around a dozen or less each year. That is because most humans do not
put themselves in a position to get bit by snakes.
What follows are generally considered the three deadliest snakes in the US based on their venom and
capability of biting humans. These are the snakes to really watch out for when you are in the woods.

Eastern Coral Snake
This is the most deadly snake in the US. The venom of an eastern coral snake will kill a human if not
treated very quickly. This is because the venom is a neurotoxin that is designed to shut down the nervous
system and cause your heart to stop beating. Surviving a coral snake attack, especially in rural areas well
away from treatment, is very difficult at best.
However, the eastern coral snake rarely bites humans and is only responsible for a very small number
of deaths each year. This is because the eastern coral snake is very shy and they avoid humans, which
means that the majority of the bites occur when the snake is provoked or teased. The eastern coral snake
has red, black and yellow bands wrap around the body.

Article continues here...