This year, seasonal changes have led to California coping with summer weather even though it’s still officially winter. One result: rattlesnakes are coming out of hibernation earlier than usual. To help residents learn how to stay safe and what to do if bitten, California Poison Control System (CPCS) and the Fresno Chaffee Zoo are hosting Rattlesnake Awareness Day on Thursday, March 19, at 11 a.m.
The public is invited to visit the zoo and attend a live demonstration and informative briefing. A recording will also be available on CPCS’s Facebook page or YouTube channel the week following this event. Dr. Rais Vohra, Medical Director for the Fresno/Madera Division of CPCS, and Mark Halvorsen, Curator of Herpetology, Fresno Chaffee Zoo, will be on hand to help people learn about rattlesnakes, including safety guidelines, first aid tips, and how to get help in the event of a bite.
“Rattlesnakes are shy and usually avoid humans, which make the odds of being bitten by one low, especially if you take the right precautions,” said Dr. Vohra. “However, they can still pose a danger anytime, so you need to be alert and careful. A rattlesnake bite can be deadly—severe or life-threatening symptoms may occur within minutes or even hours after a rattlesnake bite.”
Rattlesnakes tend to live in wooded and desert areas and are frequently found on hiking trails and in rural areas throughout California. The venomous snakes are important to the ecosystem, but can be dangerous if they feel threatened. Even newborns, which unlike most other snakes are born live rather than hatched, possess lethal venom.
Rattlers have excellent camouflage and can make a rattling sound.
“However, they do not always make a sound so you could be standing next to one and not even know it,” explained Dr. Vohra. “It is especially important to carefully supervise children and pets when outdoors.”
Many veterinarians now carry rattlesnake anti-venom and rattlesnake vaccines for dogs and other pets that are bitten.
If you do encounter a rattlesnake and are bitten call 911 immediately and get immediate medical attention.
Other tips include:
Do not apply ice, do not use a tourniquet or constricting band, do not try to suck out the venom, and do not use any device to cut or slice the bite site.
Keep calm, do not run, and keep the affected extremity elevated during transport to a medical facility.
Rattlesnake Awareness Day is being held during National Poison Prevention Week (NPPW), March 15 through 21. Tying in with NPPW, CPCS will have a “Close Calls with CPCS” video series in which CPCS poison experts will discuss real‑world scenarios on trending poison topics. One video will be released daily during NPPW. Topics will include toxic wild mushrooms, nitrous oxide dangers (laughing gas/whippets), Kratom and 7-Hydroxy-Compounds, pediatric poisoning prevention, and gardening safety.
Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (number is the same in all states) for questions about poison encounters. Trained pharmacists, nurses and other providers are available to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service is free, confidential and interpreters are available. Follow CPCS on Facebook, on YouTube @californiapoisoncontrol, and on X @poisoninfo. Sign up for The California Poison Safety Post, California Poison Control System’s quarterly electronic newsletter, by visiting calpoison.org/newsletters. CPCS is part of the University of California San Francisco School of Pharmacy and is responsible to the California Emergency Medical Services Authority.
