Little girl killed by rattlesnake

[2LaneCruzer]

Recently I've been following several threads on the internet with people arguing over whether a rattlesnake found near populated areas should be killed or moved or urged to move. Then this morning I saw this story on the Reno news...wondering how the folks on TBN feel about this subject? I found it simply heartbreaking, can't imagine what the family must be going through right now.

Winnemucca toddler killed by rattlesnake bite, family says local hospital didn't do enough | KRNV

This is one I shot (.22 with birdshot) on my house steps a couple years ago:

View attachment 655689

My heart goes out the family of the little girl; I have a soft spot for the little ones, having raised two girls myself. I can't bear to see them hurt.

 

[bullbreaker]

We have these legless lizards down here . Sittin in my back lanai I once saw one grab a small pygmy rattlesnake and eat it .
The whole process took about 45 mins . If you dont know what there are you would think there a snake .


The Difference Between Legless Lizards and Snakes - YouTube

 

[Sigarms]

Given the OP's original story line, the title of the OP's post should read "little girl killed by hospital"...

 

[pmsmechanic]

My curiosity is perked. Why would they be a protected species?

I'm not 100% sure. I did a bit of research and it looks like it's because the Prairie Rattlesnake is on the northern limit of it's range here in Alberta and numbers have been decreasing over the years. I know they aren't nearly as common as they were 40 years ago. At one time you could count on seeing at least 10-15 a year. Now you might see one every 2-3 years.

They are fun to tease with a warm spade. They strike at warm objects so if you wave a spade in front of them they will strike. It makes a spade ring pretty good when they do but they only make a spade ring on the first strike. The second strike is considerably more cautious.

 

[/pine]

I have yet to hear a good explanation on why...but here in the mountains of N.E. GA...where copperheads are the most prevalent venomous snakes (also some timber rattlers)...none of the regional hospitals stock any antivenom...all bite victims are transported to Atlanta which often requires an air ambulance which costs between $10K-$15K....

 

[shooterdon]

We have one species of rattlesnake (Massasauga) here and it is a protected species.

Michigan's only venomous snake now federally protected

Most people in my area kill them on sight. My neighbor had a nest of them under his front porch. Note the word "had". It would take a special kind of stupid to let them live there.

 

[deserteagle71]

I absolutely agree with your stance. Try to ignore those who know more about your life than you do. It's a struggle to do so.

What I found interesting in the on-line discussions I mentioned in my original post was that pretty much 100% of the people who insisted that a rattler should never be killed were folks who lived in the city so their chance of ever having a rattlesnake encounter was essentially zero. Whereas, the people who said they would kill them around their property lived out where they had to put up with the snakes. Go figure!

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Like I'm so fond of saying, most of our social problems today are city problems, and they try to solve it by making the cure the problem of the country folks.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

We live in the middle of 95 Blue Ridge Mountain acres. Lot's of different snakes; I have killed two Copperheads in 8 years. All others get a pass. Only ever seen one Timber Rattler in my life in Pennsylvania. He was just shy of six ft long. We ate him...

 

[r porter]

lost a dog and had to doctor a horse. with friends and kids around fangs get a dose of #12s from a 22 mag in my pocket all the time.

last fall i was watering a horse in a river and had a WM come to my leg and then headed for the horse as it drank. #12 time.