Residents be vigilant, snake season is upon us

Kelsey Herzberger, who works for the United States Post office here in Kimball, called 911 on Saturday, May 21, to report seeing a rattlesnake in the road on Crestwood Drive.

The dispatcher on duty called an officer and the response was to advise the reporting party to handle the situation herself.

According to the Kimball Police Department, taken from the law enforcement logs, there is no city ordinance for snakes. “If you find a snake, just run it over.”

The trouble was that Herzberger was delivering mail on foot so she found a resident of the neighborhood to run the reptile over with their vehicle.

While Herzberger was not concerned with the response she received to handle the situation on her own, her concern was for children and pets in the area and she knew that the snake should be taken care of to protect everyone in the vicinity.

“Rattlesnakes have been reported in the Kimball area in the past. They typically come out in the spring. We urge families to be vigilant, especially with young children and small pets,” Kimball Mayor Keith Prunty said. “Residents should exercise caution if they encounter any kind of snake. Residents are also reminded to keep their lawns mowed and weeds trimmed to help eliminate areas snakes can hide or create dens. This is another reason why ensuring people are good neighbors and follow our nuisance codes are important. Residents can contact the city to report a nuisance property and a nuisance notice will be issued to the property owner.”

Kimball County Sheriff Harry Gillway, however, said that it is a matter of protecting the public.

Gillway said that generally the sheriff’s department does not answer calls for snake protection inside the City of Kimball, unless the reporting person requests them.

“We have answered numerous calls (regarding snakes) in Dix, Bushnell, Oliver Lake and other places in the county,” Gillway said.

“I have captured several snakes in Bushnell and Dix,” added Kimball County Deputy Sheriff, Brandon Loy.

Loy added that he has dealt with ten to 15 snake calls that were actually a “threat” to people .in the last five years in Bushnell, Dix and even within Kimball city limits.

Rattlesnakes have an iconic appearance and behavior that makes them easy to spot, but identifying a young member of one of the 33 existent species isn’t straightforward. Baby rattlesnakes are just as dangerous as adults, and identifying one can be a matter of personal safety.

According to Chellie Autrey, R.T. (R), CPhT, Radiology Director and Pharmacy Coordinator for the Kimball Health Services Hospital, the local facility keeps enough vials of the anti venom or CroFab for the first dose needed and then the bitten victim is transferred to another facility.

The shelf life of CroFab is approximately 18 months and Autrey stated that the hospital facility keeps an active eye on the product to keep it in date.

“It costs the hospital thousands of dollars to keep our supply updated. Kimball Health Services always has anti-venom in stock and on a side note, the Nebraska Regional Poison Center is an area group of hospitals that all carry the rattlesnake anti-venom,” she said. “I don’t believe we have seen anyone in the last five years, but we have numerous bites prior to. Last year, the State Patrol ran vials from Kimball to Sidney for a patient that was bitten.”

“Everyone who is bitten and comes to our hospital is transferred to another hospital due to the severity of a rattlesnake bite. They are either flown out or transferred by ambulance,” she added.

According to Ron Johnson, Extension Wildlife Specialist for the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, there are four kinds of venomous snakes in the state – the prairie rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake, western massasauga (a small rattlesnake) and copperhead. The prairie rattlesnake is found in the western two-thirds of Nebraska and the other three in the southeastern corner.

The venomous snake most common in Kimball County is the Crotalus virdis or “Prairie rattlesnake”. As the name indicates, this rattlesnake lives in grassland areas and in the western two-thirds of Nebraska.

The Prairie rattler is moderate in size, olive/greenish-gray or greenish-brown with brownish blotches on the back. The blotches, outlined with a thin white line, become more narrow cross bands on the tail. The triangular head has two light slanting lines, with the top line above the corner of the mouth.

Their young are born 8 to 12 inches long and number anywhere from 4 to 20 in a litter. Prairie rattlesnakes prefer habitats such as prairies, pastures, prairie dog towns, and rock outcroppings that border Kimball in all directions. These snakes are very often active during the daytime.

The most obvious sign of a rattlesnake nearby is the buzz or whirring sound. Rattlesnakes usually, but not always, sound a warning rattle when nearby. The presence of rattles at the end of the tail also serve as a identifying feature. Some nonvenomous snakes, including bull snakes, vibrate their tails rapidly when alarmed; in dry vegetation this may sound like a warning rattle.

Many Nebraskans enjoy outdoor recreational activities such as hiking, hunting, fishing, and camping, and farmers and ranchers often check fields by walking. Some understanding of venomous snakes will allow enjoyment of outdoor activities without unwarranted fear of snakes.

The public should learn about Nebraska’s venomous snakes, take steps to avoid snakebite, and learn what to do in case of snakebite.

If you or someone you know is bitten while out enjoying warmer weather, the key to surviving is to remain calm and seek medical attention immediately! Call 911, even if you are not sure if the snake that bit was a venomous one. Do not wait to find out, as venom can cause blurred vision, difficulty breathing, fainting, paralysis and death.

Receiving antivenin as soon as possible can prevent or reverse the serious adverse effects of a bite.