May 28, 2007 11:29 pm US/Mountain
Rattlesnake Bites 2-Year-Old Boy
by Alan Gionet
ELDORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) ―
A 2-year-old boy who went on a Memorial Day hike with his family was recovering after getting bit by a rattlesnake.
The rattlesnake bite occurred about 1:30 p.m. on the South Mesa Trail near Eldorado Springs in Boulder County. The boy was first treated in Boulder, and then transferred to Children's Hospital where he is expected to recover.
The most common types of rattlesnakes in Colorado are Western Prairie Rattlers and they use their tongue to sense their surroundings.
Most the time, snakes don't want to encounter people, just as much as we don't want to encounter them. Snakes are most active between 50 and 80 degrees and tend to find shelter when it gets hot, so they'll go into little crevices or hide under rocks or logs.
"They'll tend to in the afternoons seek out places where they can cool down," said Jennifer Churchill of the Colorado Division of Wildlife. "So they'll go into little crevices, they'll hide under rocks, under logs."
Churchill adds that people can't always hear a rattlesnake before it attacks.
"It definitely depends on whether they see you or hear you," she said. "A lot of wildlife tends to go after you if it's surprised."
Most snake bites occur between April and October.
The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these tips:
• When walking through grass or weeds, poke at the ground with a stick. to help scare away snakes.
• Wear loose, long pants as well as thick leather or rubber boots.
• Shine a flashlight on your path if you're hiking at night.
(© MMVII CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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