Summer time brings influx of snakes, need for education on how to avoid injury

In the summer time, Kimball sees an influx in snakes in the area, predominantly in bullsnakes and rattlesnakes. As a result, residents should be up to date on what to do if they encounter either of these animals.

The first thing that should be known is how to identify the types of snakes and also how to differentiate between bullsnakes and rattlesnakes.

Bullsnakes are nonvenomous constrictors, meaning they strangle their prey. Bullsnakes range from 37 to 72 inches as adults, the newly hatched tend to be a foot in length. These snakes tend to have a base color of a straw yellow that varies in darkness and brightness throughout the body. They have over 40 large dark body blotches that are black in the neck region and turn into a lighter brown or reddish brown on the middle of the snake's body. The blotches turn into bands or rings once they reach the tail region. Smaller lateral spots can be found on the sides of the bullsnake which at times will connect and form a checkerboard like pattern in the snake. The side scales are tipped with brown or black and this gives a speckled appearance on their sides. Their heads are yellow or brown marked boldly with black, and a stripe from eye to eye to the corner of the mouth. The undersides of their necks tend to be light, almost porcelain in color.

Prairie Rattlesnakes are another snake that residents should be aware of. These snakes are venomous. They range from 35 to 45 inches in length once mature and range from 7 to 13 inches at birth. These snakes have a diamond shaped head that is set off from a rather thin neck. Their base color consists of varying shades of brown, tan to greenish, to dark brown. They have dark blotches along the top of them and smaller spots on their sides. Their tails have dark rings and are tipped with a tan rattle. Some of the adult snakes will have a white outline on the blotches.

Both species of snake do have similarities which can at times, especially in the moment of shock upon finding one, make it difficult to tell them apart. However, it is important to be able to do so for one's safety and for the safety of those who may be called in to capture the snake.

Many people will confuse a bullsnake with a rattlesnake because of the bullsnake's defense tactics. The bullsnake, when startled, will actually flatten and widen its head, giving it a triangular appearance that mimics a rattlesnake's. A bullsnake will also rapidly shake its tail side to side in grass or leaves, another way in which it mimics the rattlesnake. One of the best ways to tell the difference between the two snakes is that tail.

"A rattlesnake will point its tail straight up and shake its rattle, but a bullsnake will lay its tail down and shake it. That's a very good way to tell them apart," Amanda Filipi, Education Specialist at the Wildcat Hills Recreation Center said.

Another thing about the bullsnake is that, since they are constrictors, they have the muscles that allow them to climb. Since they constrict their prey, they have bodies that allow them to climb trees, which allow them to reach bird nests and other higher dwelling creatures' homes. Since rattlesnakes are venomous, they rely on their venom to kill their prey so they do not need to have the ability to constrict. Therefore, rattlesnakes do not have the proper muscles to be able to climb trees. It's safe to say that if a snake is seen that looks like a rattlesnake and it's in a tree, it's actually a bullsnake.

Both snakes like to hide out in prairies, grasslands and pastures. Rattlesnakes like to use the burrows of small rodents in which to hide. Bullsnakes will also use its prey's burrows. However, they also like to burrow themselves in loose dirt and sand. They also inhabit bluffs.

There are quite a few myths surrounding these two snakes. So upon asking Filipi she cleared up several of them.

"Many people believe that bullsnakes eat rattlesnakes. This is a myth. They don't eat rattlesnakes. They just tend to eat all of the rattlesnakes' food. Bullsnakes tend to go through and eat a majority of rodents and other small critters in the area that rattlesnakes like to feed on as well. This means that the rattlesnakes either have to find food elsewhere or they die of starvation. This is why there tend to be fewer rattlesnakes around bullsnakes," Filipi said.

Two more myths are debunked by the way the snakes produce their young. The first myth is that bullsnakes eat rattlesnake eggs, again reducing rattlesnake numbers. The second myth is that rattlesnakes and bullsnakes can breed.

In order to debunk these, one must first understand the way the snakes produce their young. Bullsnakes lay eggs and their young hatch. However, rattlesnakes do something different. They do not lay eggs. They carry the egg inside of them, and when those eggs hatch, they birth live offspring. This means that there would be no rattlesnake eggs for bullsnakes to eat. Also, due to the two birthing methods, it's impossible for the two snakes to breed.

Now that the differences between the snakes are known, there are precautions that should be taken if one happens to stumble upon a snake. A call to the police station should be made and then an officer will come out to handle the situation.

"What we do is we go and try to capture the snake. Once we have the snake in a box or something, we try to release it outside of town where it won't be a bother or danger to residents," Police Chief Darren Huff said.

Residents should not try to capture snakes themselves. In a situation where a person does get bitten by a rattlesnake, they should try to remain calm and seek medical attention. However, prior to going to the hospital, they should call ahead to make sure their hospital of choice has anti venom on hand. To reduce further infection, the bite should be left alone. Calmness is encouraged, because this will hopefully reduce the speed at which the venom spreads through the body.

"When people panic, their blood pumps faster and that causes the venom to spread throughout the blood stream much faster. So staying calm is very important," Filipi said.

In order to reduce snakes around homes, residents should keep their grass trimmed and refrain from leaving out lawn equipment or other large items for the snakes to seek refuge under. Residents should also take care when in grassy areas and when moving things around their yards or land. This extra caution will help prevent snake bites.

Most rattlesnake bites tend to be dry bites, meaning they have not issued any venom. This is because rattlesnakes generally realize that humans are too large to try to take down for food. Bullsnake bites are not venomous, however, they can transfer bacteria that can cause an infection. It is always a good idea to seek medical attention for a snake bite regardless of whether or not the snake was venomous.