Another option is giving your pet a rattlesnake vaccine, although there’s debate about the efficacy of the shot, Decker said. The wildlife division advised that keeping your dog on a leash lessens their chance of being bitten. The vast majority make it,” she said, adding, “Are they pretty miserable? Absolutely.” “I can’t remember the last patient we had that passed away. Owners should take their dogs to a veterinarian if they suspect a rattlesnake bite. The most serious bites are to a dog’s head, where swelling can impact their eyes and airway, she said. A rattlesnake bite will start to swell and become very painful, and that pain and swelling will increase as time passes. If you think your dog was bitten, get your pet to safety and check for bite marks, Decker said. They’ll just see a dog jump and yelp, she said. The more your dog spends off-trail, the more they are at-risk for snake bites, Wynlee Decker, a veterinarian with the North Ogden Animal Hospital, said.Īn owner may not see the snake that bit their dog or understand what happened. (Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mike Parmley gives a dog named Ruby a close up look at a rattlesnake during rattlesnake aversion training for dogs at Barley's Canine Recreation Center, on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. And do your best to limit access to outdoor food, like from bird feeders or chicken coops, as it can attract rodents - and the snakes that eat them. The reptiles are most active at dusk and dawn and seek shelter from the midday sun in their rocky dens, according to the wildlife division.Īt home, if you have a yard, get rid of places that could provide a snake shelter, like piles of wood, rock or junk, the wildlife division advised. Others, including the sidewinder and Mojave rattlesnakes, live in areas along the state’s borders. Rattlesnakes in particular live all throughout the country, but the most common subspecies in Utah is the Great Basin rattlesnake. About five of those people die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rattlesnake precautions at homeĪcross the U.S., venomous snakes bite somewhere between 7,000 and 8,000 people a year. And do not kill it unless you are threatened - you could be charged with a class B misdemeanor. Don’t try to scare it off - there’s no guarantee it won’t try and flee toward you. Once you’ve got an idea of where it is, head in the opposite direction, Dittmer said. If you can’t see it - but can hear it, “stop and take a deep breath, and try to identify where you hear the rattle coming from,” Dittmer said. Then, from a distance, you can observe it if you feel comfortable, Dittmer said.
So if you can’t spot those subtle differences, stay back and assume it’s a rattlesnake. Regardless, wildlife officials say you shouldn’t get close enough to try and identify a snake. the longer nose and rounded pupils found on a gopher or other nonvenomous snake. A rattlesnake’s is more broad and triangle-like, with vertical pupils, vs. Its tail is also wide and blunt, compared to the gopher snake’s thinner, more pointed one. The two share similar tan and brown colorings, and gopher snakes will often hiss or vibrate their tails when threatened, according to the wildlife division.Ī rattlesnake of course has a rattle. The most common snake in Utah is the nonvenomous gopher, and they’re often mistaken for rattlesnakes. Understanding whether the snake you’ve encountered is a rattlesnake is not the easiest calculation. “It has no arms and legs.” What to do if you encounter a rattlesnake “From the perspective of a snake, it is very vulnerable,” Dittmer said. But even running through the brush can set them off. The good news? Rattlesnakes won’t bite you unless they feel threatened, Dittmer said. They’ve also been known to slither into residential areas in search of water or rodents to eat as drought conditions worsen. They can live at most elevations - Dittmer knows of a rattlesnake found near the top of Mount Timpanogos. In particular, rattlesnakes like to take shelter along rocky outcroppings, which is why they’re often encountered on warmer, south-facing hiking routes, he said. The venomous snakes can be found all throughout Utah, but most human-rattlesnake interactions in the state happen along the Wasatch Front, according to Drew Dittmer, a native species coordinator with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Their favorite spots to do all that? Your favorite hiking trail. Rattlesnakes have emerged from their winter dens to spend the summer hunting, sunbathing and looking for water.
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