I had heard the Mojave rattlesnakes have especially potent venom so
decided to look it up. I was surprised to discover that there are two
different populations of Mohave rattlesnakes with distinctly different
venoms. Those with type B venom are located in south central Arizona
(your neck of the woods?). Those with type A venom are those located
elsewhere in Arizona as well as California, Nevada and Mexico.
The Type B venom is a primarily a hemotoxin like other rattlesnakes and
considered less toxic than the type A venom. The type A venom is
primarily a neurotoxin like that produced by a coral snake or cobra. It
takes a special cocktail of anti-venoms to counteract the Mohave type A
venom. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crotalus_scutulatus#Venom>
But I would prefer not to be bitten by either. Talking about
rattlesnakes and bites reminds me of something I read by Archie Carr
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Carr> about the probability of
envenomation in a snake bite. Discounting rattlesnakes, the probability
of actually being envenomated during a bite by a typical venomous snake
is only about 50%. The rationale given for this is that venom is a
precious resource to the snake which it gives up reluctantly. It takes
quite some time to replace the venom during which the snake will not be
able to catch and eat its prey.
But rattlesnakes are a different matter. If a rattlesnake bites you
your probablility of getting envenomated is more like 70%. Archie's
theory why this was so was the rattler's rattle. Stated from the
snake's point of view: I saw you coming, I rattled to warn you away,
you ignored it and kept coming anyway. So I bit you good and hard and
squeezed a bunch of venom in you so you don't come back and hurt me. It
always sounded pretty reasonable to me.
Chuck Norcutt
On 4/2/2015 4:39 PM, Chris Trask wrote:
You are absolutely correct, Chuck. They are indeed a more placid
snake than the Diamondback, but that is a relative thing. They are
also far less common than the Diamondbacks.
<<SNIP>>
While guiding a group of people many years ago, I heard the sound of
a rattler but could not determine the exact direction it was in as we
were coming down a slope in a narrow canyon and the sound was
bouncing off the canyon walls. I slowly followed the sound, in the
end looking down at my feet. There, coiled beneath an overhanging
rock, I saw a Mojave rattler that was about 3" across in the middle
and about 2" from my foot. I knew it was a Mojave from the greenish
tint and pattern of the scales.
Mojave rattlers are aggressive, and they have a habit of chasing
people. I first made sure that everyone was well away from me, then
jumped about 8 feet downhill. It was the closest encounter I've ever
had with any species of rattlesnake.
Also many years ago, I was sent some photos by a botanist at the
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum of a rattlesnake they had encountered and
killed on the grounds. It took me a couple of weeks, but I finally
identified it as a Red Diamond Rattlesnake. They later encountered a
second one. What they were doing there I have no idea, as they are
supposed to be found in far southern California and northern Baja.
Chris
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro - Hunter S. Thompson
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