Nevada is home to many types of snakes, including rattlesnakes. As the weather has warmed up, more people have reported seeing the slithery creatures. Snakes are like people when it comes to weather. They tend to stay out of the heat, and like to venture out when the temperature is more comfortable.Â
During this heatwave, it's more likely to spot a snake in the morning or evening.
"Now that we're having consistent, warm weather, the sightings have all just popped up at once," John Potash, Owner of Get Rattled said.
When people come into contact with a rattlesnake, or any snake, experts say it is best to avoid it.
"Snakes are all flight and no fight," Dave Boland, Assistant of Get Rattled said. "They really just want to get away from you, and in most cases, they've already gone down off the path but if they get cornered, they're going to defend themselves."
One of the biggest mistakes that people make, is to agitate the snake. That can be done in a number of ways, and can increase the chance of getting bit.
"About 75%Â of people who get bit is because they deliberately engage with the snake, be it trying to catch it, poke it with a stick, kill it," Potash said.
Killing a rattlesnake is discouraged. Gopher snakes look and act like rattlers, and can often lead to problems because of mistaken identity. That is another reason to leave snakes alone.
"They belong in nature. They serve a purpose and a lot of times, people misidentify gopher snakes as rattlers and end up killing a harmless, beneficial snake," Potash said.
Pets are often the victims of rattlesnake bites.They may have a good sense of smell, but they don't have the instinct to understand how dangerous a snake bite can be.Â
Experts say a few dogs have already been bitten by rattlesnakes, this year.
"Some dogs are bred to be curious and they'll stick their nose right into a place where a rattlesnake is at, and often times take a bite, right to the muzzle," Boland said.
Snake bites can be fatal for the dog. It can also be very painful and cost thousands of dollars to treat. That is why Get Rattled offers Rattlesnake Avoidance Training. Dogs are fitted with a shock collar, and taken near a rattlesnake by the instructor. Once the dog picks up the snake's scent, it gets a jolt, associating the snake with pain. It may take a few tries, but the dog eventually avoids the snake, even when the handler guides it that direction. Sometimes, the snake will be placed between the dog and its owner. After the training session, it will likely walk all the way around the snake to get to its owner.
"They'll be like, 'Hey, what's going on here?' and they'll hear it, smell it, or see it, any combination and all of the sudden, they're like 'I remember that. Get me out of here,'" Potash said.
Potash recommends two sessions for the dog, just as a refresher course. Two dogs went through the training course for the second straight year, Friday. One of them would not go within 100 feet of the snake, despite the owner's encouragement, meaning it remembers to avoid the snake.
The other one was guided to the snake. It did get close enough to smell the rattlesnake, and quickly got a refresher.
"Every dog is different in how well they remember it, and that's why we always recommend at least one refresher training within about 12 months," Potash said.
Get Rattled has already trained about 800 dogs in the western U.S., this year. They have a schedule of dates and times for more classes throughout the summer. Each class costs $70-$85, depending on its location. o check the calendar, follow this link: getrattled.org
