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brightlocks t1_jeaqj3n wrote

Reply to comment by PREClOUS_R0Y in Population density in Massachusetts by bubbastars

Don’t even worry about them. Timber rattlers? We had them when I lived in Jersey, and they are all over the Hudson valley. They are comically lazy.

I was out hiking with my kids in jersey once and this rattlesnake was sunning in the middle of the trail. We waited like 20 minutes for it to move or something before we finally just stepped over it. When we got a few feet down the trail, it rattled at us twice. Before you @ me with the snake was sick…. Nah. They are like this. Bites are incredibly rare.

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CausticOptimist t1_jeb4ai0 wrote

I used to run on this trail in western ma that went around a reservoir up against a rocky mountainside, their absolute favorite hangout. There was at least one person that got bitten and had to be airlifted to Boston.

I asked an EMT once what I should do if I got bit on the far side of the reservoir, about two miles from the nearest ambulance accessible area. Like I was curious to know if trying to walk closer to civilization would spread the poison faster or if I should just lie still and wait.

He told me the best thing to do in this situation is capture the snake which seems like the very last thing on earth I’m going to be inclined to do. Sure buddy, I’ll just grab a poisonous snake by the face and hold onto it for 30 minutes

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wiserTyou t1_jebuk4q wrote

Really though, you should keep your heart rate as low as possible and cover the bite with a clean bandage. It takes a lot of antivenin for a timber rattlesnake bites and many hospitals don't have it because it's expensive and expires. Realistically if you're far from help and also far from a hospital, you could end up in a very bad situation.

Fortunately, timber rattlesnakes are not very aggressive and prefer to leave. They're ambush predators so be careful around bush and fallen logs you have to step over. Make noise while hiking,they'll likely leave and you will never know they were there. Copperheads prefer to hang out on sunny rocky areas, be careful climbing rocks.

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