Colorado rattlesnakes · Rattlesnakes in Colorado
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Rattlesnakes in Colorado
Rattlesnakes in Colorado
Of the 25 species of snakes in Colorado, only two are venemous: the western rattlesnake, which lives almost everywhere, and the massasauga, which is limited to the grassy lands of the Eastern Plains. If you are afraid of snakes, head for the cool, highest elevations of the Rockies. Western rattlers can't live above 7,500 to 9,500 ft (2134 to 2743 m).
Rattlesnakes are more afraid of you than you are of them. If you hear a rattle, it's a warning. Freeze and look around for the snake. Move cautiously away from the snake once you locate it, even if it means cutting your hike short.
Do not try to kill or further antagonize the snake, as this may lead to additional bites.
If you are bitten, the good news is that you almost certainly will live through the painful experience. Remain as calm as possible. Rattlesnake venom is essentially digestive enzymes, and will break down tissue around the bite. Try not to move much (which spreads the venom) unless you must do so. Painful swelling of lymph nodes in the groin or armpit usually occurs within one hour if the bite is on the leg or arm. Call emergency medical services (911) and/or a poison control center. There is antivenin available for use against all native pit vipers in the US.
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Colorado Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.