Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have about 25 years of snake experience but not with venomous. I do reptile rescue on the Oregon Coast. Today someone brought me three snakes abandoned by renters. Two are diamond backs, one is a racer. The rattlesnakes are young. The smallest was born last summer (judging by size) and the larger one is about a foot long. The larger one has a swollen lower lip. I thought maybe someone tried to pull his fangs but as I look it might be more a lower jaw issue. Posssibly done while striking the glass? My question is how to treat this without getting bit. I am not afraid to tackle the problem but we don't have rattlesnakes in this part of our state and I need to be extra careful. What would you guys suggest in the way of first aid, if any. I intend to contact our High Desert Museum located in our rattlesnake country and take the snakes to them. They have them on exhibit there so they are qualified. Problem is its about 5 hours from me and the roads are ice this time of year. Thanks for any advice you might have.

I would first make sure that hots are legal where you live and sorry but i dont know how to treat the lip problem.

First, I would leave him alone for a while. Cover the cage or keep it where he can't see anywone in the room so he doesn't strike the glass and see if it gets better or worse and work from there.

If you have no experience with venomous, I wouldn't be messing around the head unless you really have to. Such a small snake is unlikely to kill you, but it's hard to handle and even if you tube him when you to grab the body, you're still inches away from the head so the lieklyhood of being bitten is high. Not a good place to start practicing.

If it starts to get worse before you can transport him, or you feel you absolutly have to do something, ask again and someone can try to walk you through the tubing procedure or better yet maybe locate somone in your area with experience.
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What goes up must come down...unless it exceeds escape velocity.

Thanks again for the info. As for the advice...I have already covered the tank and I like the idea of letting a little time pass and see what happens. I want to help this poor thing but I also want to keep my fingers!!! My husband is less than thrilled about this! I will give the snake some space. As for the little one...should it be kept seperately? I know your what your thinking but I can move it to a different tank without incident. (Just nervous about the whole head thing with the other one).Sorry about the rookie questions but yesterday i never expected to have two rattlesnakes! As for the legal stuff...I will be calling around and moving them to an approved facility asap and my only intention is to keep them safe and as healthy as possible in the interum (especially if I intend to stay married! LOL) They are kinda cute though...... Thanks again guys!

Chances are they won't bother eachother. If you end up having them long enough that you need to feed them, then you should separate them. Otherwise, just let them relax.

And don't worry, you're asking perfectly reasonable questions and at the right time (i.e. before trying anything).

Good luck.
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What goes up must come down...unless it exceeds escape velocity.

Since you have never had venomous snakes before you probably have nothing to move the baby rattlesnakes with. A quick and dirty snake hook can be made with a wire coat hanger. The heavy wired ones should be used not the thin wired ones.

Unwrap the wire at the neck of the hanger and straighten out just the side that has the hook on it. Open the hook some as the angle is too tight, make it about 90 degrees.

The other end makes a nice handle when squeezed together and hooked around the main wire body.

I will see if I can send you a picture through your email.

Renters left behind 2 rattlesnakes....

I wish I could say that threads like this were rare.

This is the kind of stuff I talk about when I say that the hobby already IS underground and founf it odd when told that "asking about escape from or other bagging problems" creates a bad image....

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that the renters were not venom researchers, doctorate holders, experienced herpers, breeders, facility workes etc. like many of the posters here....but more typically were of the ignorant moron variety that sadly makes up a sizeable portion of the (underground) herp community.

I am more and more convinced that Florida style legislation may actually be your best friend before outright bans get put into place where you live.

These poor snakes were not owned or cared for. They were captured (probably during deer season) stuck together in a 10 gallon tank with no heat. The larger one has obviously been teased into bashing his face on the glass.
This is a small town and in 3 years of rescue work I have had to help burmese abandonded in the same manner who were left to sit in filth, boas just dumped, and another burm with cigarette burns! Not to mention several iguanas and two huge sulcatas. I don't know the answer but I spend alot of time educating people in hopes it helps somewhere. Kinda why one of my favorite bumper sticker is "stupid people shouldn't breed!"