![]() Also, never hike alone in case you get bitten and need a second person to get help. Hikers also should take precautionary measures to wear long pants and boots that protect their ankles. If you can’t pass comfortably at a distance, retrace your steps. If you’re on a trail, give the snake a wide berth and walk by. Don’t even think about picking them up or poking them with a stick. Local rattlers are pretty docile and don’t like conflict, Recchio said. Nothing, except maybe take a picture - at a distance. What should I do if I see a rattler when I’m out hiking? Before even handling a garter snake, it's important to know that they also bite, which could startle a child, Monk said.3. ![]() If you do encounter a garter snake this summer with your kids, Monk says it's important to teach them to hold them gently and not to drop them. "It's really good because you can use it to sort of lightly brush the grass or the ground in front of you, and that walking stick can alert a sleeping rattlesnake rather than your foot, or maybe your dog." She thinks they are a beautiful part of the Prairie landscape, but says if you do go out, grab a good walking stick. Monk says hikers shouldn't be afraid of encountering snakes while hitting the great plains this summer. The typical cost for one antivenin vial is $1,000 and most dogs need four to five vials, Monk said, but "it can even go up to 80 vials, so that's $80,000." Walk with a big stick Most veterinary clinics don't carry the antivenin treatment and will need to bring them in from a local hospital. If humans get bit, it's usually on the hand or foot, but for dogs it's usually their face, which isn't likely to result in a good outcome for the dog, she said. On backcountry trails, Monk warns dog owners to keep pets leashed at all times. The last known human death from a rattlesnake bite was in Colorado in 2017. When it comes to rattlesnakes, eight feet is optimal - close enough to take photos, but far enough to stay out of range of a strike, Monk said. "The first thing you want to do is just, you see a snake, you want to stop," Monk said. She says to stay six to eight feet away from it to give the snake opportunity to retreat and escape. Monk warns the myth that "Canadian rattlesnakes are nice" is simply not true - no amount of maple syrup will make their venom non-lethal. Rattlesnakes can be found starting around Moose Jaw, all the way across Alberta and straight down to Mexico. And that's how their genetic exchange happens, to prevent inbreeding." Southwest Saskatchewan is snaky "Garter snakes will often breed right at the den site, but many other snakes disperse, and rattlesnakes in particular will breed in the field. Monk says rattlesnake mating rituals are different than others. If you encounter a snake, they probably aren't interested in you - they are simply looking for food and a breeding partner.įor those interested in observing garter snakes, Monk says at this time of year, "there may still be quite a bit of garter snake activity at some of the dens, particularly in the northern part of the province."īut not all snakes are the same. While the prairie rattlesnake is also looking for food and a mate, they will respond differently if you encounter them. This time of year, Monk says snakes only have two things on their minds: "When it comes time to go out of the den, they want to find food and forage, and breed and find mates." ![]() Bull snakes are one of the largest and longest snakes found in Saskatchewan.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |