Watch Your Step, More Rattlesnakes Are Emerging From Their Dens Around Texas
We Texans are fairly privy to snakes considering how prevalent they are across the state, but knowing when these creepy crawlers are most active is just as important as identifying what type they are. Rattlesnake season runs from April until October, and they can be found from the Piney Woods all the way to Big Bend.
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Texas is home to a whopping 76 snake species spanning four of the five families that occur in the U.S. If you include subspecies, we have 115 or greater -- that's more than any other state!
Rattlesnakes are a group of pit vipers in the family Viperidae, which also includes copperheads and cottonmouths. Along with coral snakes, these four are the only venomous snakes in Texas.
10 rattlesnake species are recognized in Texas, second only to Arizona, which has 13. Each type has a specific region where it lives, with the exception of the Western Diamondback, which can be found everywhere from Big Bend to the Big Thicket.
Since they're cold-blooded and hibernate during winter, rattlesnakes typically begin emerging from their dens in early to mid-spring, so they should be out in full force by now. Make sure to watch your step while hiking, especially in rocky areas like West Texas and the Hill Country.
Wear long pants and thick boots in rugged areas to protect yourself from getting bitten. If you do happen upon a snake, back away slowly and leave it plenty of room.
In the event of a bite, don't apply ice or a tourniquet, make incisions, or attempt to suck venom from the wound. Do remain calm, move the victim away from the snake, remove any jewelry or constricting clothing from them, lift the affected limb level with the heart, limit movement, gently wash the bite with soap and water, and call 911 immediately.
This is a picture from the annual Rattlesnake Roundup that takes place every March. How would you like to get up close and personal with all these creepy crawlers?
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Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and changed her major twice (psychology, computer science, and finally criminal justice) before taking a leap of faith and dropping out to pursue a career in freelance writing.
Today, Katie writes for the Texas and Arizona pages of OnlyInYourState.com and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on the sofa with a hot cup of coffee, watching a crime TV show or scary movie.
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