Rattlesnakes and Other Reptiles
Rattlesnakes are the only venomous snakes in New Mexico except for the Arizona corral snake. Many harmless and beneficial snakes are killed each year because they mimic coral snakes or act like rattlesnakes. All rattlesnakes are venomous, with larger animals being generally more dangerous because they can deliver more venom. Venoms very in strength among different species, among individuals within a species, and even at different times for an individual snake. Approximately half of the rattlesnakes’ bites are dry, meaning they don’t always inject venom to protect themselves.
This is advantageous to the snakes, since they need their venom to catch food.
Snakebites kill less than 20 people per year in the United States. Most people who get bitten by snakes are trying to tease, catch or kill them. Remember rattlesnakes can be found anywhere in New Mexico, from the middle of cities to wild lands from deserts to grasslands to mountains. The best snakebite safety is to avoid being bitten. Watch where you walk, put your hands and sit. Don’t step over rocks or logs or through thick vegetation where visibility is poor. If you see a snake, leave it alone and it will leave you alone. Believe it or not, snakes are more scared of you than you are of them.
If someone is bitten it is important for them to remain calm and seek immediate medical attention. The bite should not be cut into, which can cause far more severe damage to blood vessels, connective tissue and muscles than the snakebite itself. The site of the bite should be kept below the level of the heart. Commercial snakebite kits are fairly worthless or even dangerous, since they contains razor blade that people use to cut into themselves. Also, the suction cup is not strong enough to remove venom, which binds instantly to the victim’s tissues. A restrictive bandage may be used, but never apply a tourniquet unless you are sure it is necessary to sacrifice a limb to save a life. Bring the snake along for identification if you can do so safely, even just the tail end of the snake. Remember that a dead rattlesnake can still give a lethal bite.