Rattlesnake Killed After Biting Man In Temescal Canyon

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A man who attempted to move a rattlesnake from his Temescal Canyon property using barbecue tongs was bitten by the snake and remained hospitalized Monday, Riverside County Department of Animal Services reported.

Firefighters from Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Station No. 64 were called to the man's home on Elderberry Lane in Sycamore Creek around 5:15 p.m. Saturday.

"It was reported that the victim tried to pick up the snake with barbecue tongs and he was bit in the left hand near his thumb," according to RCDAS.

RCDAS Officer Mike McGee responded to the Sycamore Creek property and found the rattler coiled near some bushes. He used snake tongs that reach about 5 feet and a storage bucket to capture the creature that was killed.

“We try to release rattlesnakes within one mile of where we remove it from, but it was highly likely this snake might end up in one of the adjacent homes again,” McGee said. “I didn’t believe a routine release would be safe this time.”

The rattlesnake bite victim told RCDAS Monday that he was doing well and was expected to be released from the hospital.

According to the Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program headed by the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, the nine species of rattlesnakes found in California are not considered endangered or threatened. California residents can take most rattlesnake species on private lands in any legal manner without a license or permit, although a bag limit of two still applies. Additionally, the red diamond rattlesnake (C. ruber) is prohibited from being taken or killed by state wildlife regulation, according to the program's webpage.

As temperatures have climbed in recent weeks, so have the number of rattlesnake sightings.

McGee has responded to at least four recent calls — and safely removed and released two rattlesnakes, according to RCDAS.

RCDAS Commander Chris Mayer advised against using cooking utensils when dealing with rattlers.

“A coiled rattlesnake can strike the length of its body and the bites are painful and, in some rare cases, fatal,” Mayer explained.

Most rattlesnake bites occur when inexperienced people try picking up, pestering, moving, or killing the creatures, the UC program website reported.

If you want a rattlesnake removed from your property, it's best to call a professional, the website states.

A final course of action may be to kill the rattlesnake, but it's not recommended.

Generally, rattlesnakes only bite in self-defense and attempting to kill them can, and sometimes does, result in a person getting bitten. Even a dead rattlesnake can have a bite reflex and is capable of delivering venom.

"In the United States, about 1,000 rattlesnake bites are reported annually, although typically fewer than 4 people die from these bites in a given year," the UC site continued. "Although seldom fatal, bites can be extremely painful and can lead to severe tissue loss and medical trauma. It is important to never handle rattlesnakes, not even dead ones."

The UC site reminds residents that rattlesnakes help control rodent populations and are part of the ecosystem.

"Rattlesnakes are natural and important predators and automatic killing of them is not recommended any more than is the automatic killing of coyotes, mountain lions, or bears, all of which can very rarely harm people," according to the UC program's website.

Mayer said the public can learn more about what they can do if they encounter a rattlesnake — and how to make a yard more rattlesnake-proof — by visiting the RCDAS website here.