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i was told by someone that the venom from a pygmy rattler is the least potent of any rattler. is this true?

Dont quote me, but the pigmy rattlesnake actually has a very toxic venom. Its small sized doesnt allow it to give a "big" dose. It is also claimed that there has never been a recorded fatality from the pigmy. I may be wrong though. I saw on television where some guy got bitten by one on the finger and his arm swelled up all the way to his shoulder. It seems as if amputation is also common in pigmy bites.

I was nailed by one in 1975 while picking lemons off the ground at a ranch owned by a some Seminole people that we knew. That little snake (

If you don't finish this little bedtime story, I won't be able to sleep tonight.

must have been cut off somehow?

anyways, the little pig that bit me was about 12" long, basking at the edge of the canopy of a citrus tree. Coiled in the duff, absorbing the morning's rays and along comes a monkey (me) to gather the sour gems for his midday snack. WHAMMO, did not see it, did not hear it, until AFTER it nailed me in the soft part of my wrist - Rattlesnake! It felt like someone had just snapped a rubberband across my skin, a stinging sensation but deep not at the skin surface. At 10 years old or so I knew what had happened and thusly did I run excitedly to the ranch owner. I knew I was going to die, a horrible death not fit for man or beast, it was the end and I had not even stolen my first kiss from a girl. The ranch owner, who was a Seminole, applied the then popular cut and suck methond and told me to lead him to the snake.
As we approached the serpents lair he informed me that it was necessary to find and kill the snake before its power over me progressed too far. If it was gone, then I would have a hard time - at this point my wrist was still burning and a throbbing sensation began in my armpit (walking around with this fellow did not help Im sure!) Well, as we approached the dreaded serpents lair I aspied it exactly where I had left it, and my prized lemons, basking in the shade of the tree's canopy. Well, Mr ranch owner walked up to that snake and promptly flattened it with his Tony Llamas and then threw it over the fence. He told me not to worry anymore and that I would be fine, well it didnt feel like I was fine and when my mom got back from leading a trail ride through the glades she dashed me off to the hospital where I spent the night. By sunset the pain and swelling were gone, though I dont recall being treated with anything other than saline drip.
The bite was most certainly dryish, it had been early in the morning so perhaps the snake was holding back, but in the beginning it hurt like 'ell and I would not want a repeat.

Im sure if circumstances were correct, that is to say "bad", a pygmy would have no problem killing a human. Others may disagree, and I agree in this day and age its unlikely, BUT I feel its certainly still possible.

Aguacates!
B

Thanks for the great narrative. Sounds like the old "cut and suck" really works then (probably at least left a cool scar).

But the reseach I have checked out leads me to beleive that Crotalus cerestes (sidewinders) have a rather low toxicity and yeild, thus making them one of the "milder" rattlers (If that term can even be used) LOL. I have also heard about tigris being a very mild venom, but I personally think that there has not been enough research in that area to make a judgement call and, happen to think that tigers actually "pack a punch". Now even know I know the tigris is more related to the sky island crotes, I just think tigris hasn't been researched near as much as even those guys (laubs, willards and pricei). A project to look into, hmmm. Well I hopefully I helped a bit but if not, atleast I enjoyed typing LOL, Roots

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yes all your info has helped, and thank you for the quick reply, the guy that asked me about knew i go to the hamburg pa. reptile expo from time to time and asked me to "pick him up a pygmy rattler, because the there venom is really mild" and i didnt think that sounded right. let alone its illegal in new jersey to have any hot reptiles.

I won't comment on the other issues, but yes, Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius) venom is considered to be quite mild by most sources, and due to the size of the average pyg, the venom yield is relatively low.
With that said, if you are bitten by one, the consequences are still no laughing matter.
Shane
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C. tigris venom is considered one of the most potent of all Crotalus, though the yield is minimal.
Shane
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Swamplord is correct. It has some very toxic venom but limited quantities. OUCH!!

Al
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"Snakes in Peru are not there for decoration, they really bite people."

Professor David Warrell, Omaha 10/21/05

I agree. I know of no human fatalities from Sistrurus miliarius, but do not doubt that the potential is there to kill a child. I have seen some individual pygmies in south Florida that are big enough (around 30" to perhaps kill an adult if the bite were not treated promptly & properly.

Bear in mind that their close relative the Massasauga has a potent venom.

~~Greg~~
The Venomous Snakes of Florida

Well, ouch is right, but in the real world....
http://www.venomdoc.com/LD50/LD50men.html
Copperhead venom could be considered extremely toxic by some measures....
Shane
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Only the real world if you're a mouse, if not, LD50 charts don't mean a whole lot.

They often don't even mean a lot to a mouse, as different labs can get very different results, for various reasons. But, in order to compare venoms, some standard is needed.
In the real world, there are no know fatalities due to a pyg bite, though there are a couple of anecdotal accounts. Every resource I have available to me point toward them being one of the least virulent (LD50 of course) of the venoms of native U.S. snakes.
Shane

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Well actually, they mean alot in mouse as they are what the studies are done with. LD50's don't show what the venom can do to a human being. Microlepitodus oxyuranus is at number 1 on all charts, they can kill a gazillion mice, but when was the last fatal bite to a human? There hasn't been one. Bushmasters are way down on the chart, yet their venom does serious things to one's system, and have caused fatalities over the years. Just because something has a high LD50 does not mean that the venom isn't toxic to a human. People use LD50 charts as a standard for what snake has a "mild" venom way too often. There are plenty of snakes that are way down on the bottom of lists that produce bites far worse than those with low LD50's. So I choose not to use them as a reference.

I got your point, and I'm well aware of how LD50 testing is done, but still, like I said before, it often doesn't mean much to a mouse either, because different labs do get very different results, even with the same route of injection, and standard 20g mice.
If antivenom were taken out of the picture, then the numbers would probably relate much better to human danger. You can go by whatever method you like, but the fact still remains that there are no documented fatalities due to pyg envenomation.
Shane
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