Rattlesnake bites expected to surge in August. Here's how to stay safe

Toxicology and venom specialists are warning residents to be mindful of rattlesnakes as the monsoon cools down temperatures across Arizona.

Arizona has seen 125 rattlesnake bites this year, according to reports from Banner Health Poison & Information Center, which tracks bites recorded in Maricopa County, and Arizona Drug & Information Center, which is based in Tucson and tracks bites recorded in all other counties in Arizona.

These bites start to pick up when temperatures do, experts say. In 2024, records jumped from six bites in March to 29 bites in April. Cale Morris, the venom manager at the Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary said that rattlesnakes are most active in 75- to 85-degree temperatures.

"It's all about temperature with them, because they're cold blooded," Morris said. "They can't control their body temperature like we can."

He said that once June and July bring about scorching temperatures, rattlesnakes hide in the daytime and become more active at night. Once the monsoon brings about more rain and cooler temperatures in August and September, bite records spike again.

Steven Dudley, the director at Arizona Poison & Information Center, said that the majority of the rattlesnake bites recorded in their counties occur in residents' backyards. He said property expansion into desert areas may have a role in this.

"I can tell you, definitely for Pima County, Tucson is growing," he said. "There are housing developments that are expanding further and further what was previously just desert, which is where the snakes live. We're encroaching on their territory, not the other way around."

Morris also said that rattlesnakes are not aggressive. He said that they only attack when provoked, and do not go out of their way to interact with humans.

"They're actually very shy creatures," he said. "If you just give them room, and step back when you see them, it's so easy to stay safe."

What happens when you're bitten by a rattlesnake?

Bryan Kuhn, Poison Education Specialist at Banner Health Drug & Information Center, explained that when a snake bites someone, they inject venom into the subcutaneous space — the area between the skin and veins and arteries.

"The longer that venom dwells in that area, the longer it has time to have significant, extensive symptoms," he said. "There's a lot of different proteins and enzymes and components in venom that all do a slightly different task with relation to the symptoms that we see."

Common symptoms of a rattlesnake bite include :

• Swelling: Swelling may occur rapidly around the bite area. Swelling can be severe, especially if the bite occurs on a limb or in a sensitive area such as the face.
• Bruising: Bruising may develop around the bite site due to damage to blood vessels and tissues.
• Redness and warmth: The skin around the bite site may become red and warm to the touch.
• Tingling or numbness: Some individuals may experience tingling, numbness or a pins-and-needles sensation near the bite area or in other parts of the body.
• Weakness or fatigue: Rattlesnake envenomation can cause weakness, fatigue and general malaise.
• Nausea and vomiting: Some people may experience nausea and vomiting after a rattlesnake bite.
• Dizziness or fainting: Rattlesnake venom can affect blood pressure and circulation, leading to symptoms such as dizziness or fainting.
• Difficulty breathing: In severe cases, rattlesnake envenomation can cause respiratory distress, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
• Changes in heart rate: Rattlesnake venom can affect heart function, leading to changes in heart rate, irregular heart rhythms or chest pain.

How do you treat a rattlesnake bite?

Kuhn and Dudley said that the only effective way to treat a rattlesnake bite is with antivenom, which can only be administered at a hospital. Any other do-it-yourself remedies, like trying to suck the venom out of the wound, wrapping a tourniquet around the wound or applying ice to the wound may only worsen the symptoms.

"We've seen this story time and time again where people try to delay care, they think they can watch it at home," he said. "Antivenom doesn't reverse the damage that a rattlesnake does, it just stops it from spreading more. So all that time that you waste by not going to the hospital, you can't get that back."

Reporter Tiffany Acosta contributed to this article.

Annie Goodykoontz is a reporter for The Arizona Republic. You can reach her at AGoodykoontz@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rattlesnake bites expected to surge in August. Here's how to stay safe