Rattlesnakes have emerged from their winter dens to spend the summer hunting, sunbathing and looking for water. Their favorite spots to do all that? Your favorite hiking trail.
The venomous snakes can be found all throughout Utah, but most human-rattlesnake interactions in the state happen along the Wasatch Front, according to Drew Dittmer, a native species coordinator with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
In particular, rattlesnakes like to take shelter along rocky outcroppings, which is why they’re often encountered on warmer, south-facing hiking routes, he said.
They can live at most elevations — Dittmer knows of a rattlesnake found near the top of Mount Timpanogos. They’ve also been known to slither into residential areas in search of water or rodents to eat as drought conditions worsen.
The good news? Rattlesnakes won’t bite you unless they feel threatened, Dittmer said. But even running through the brush can set them off.
“From the perspective of a snake, it is very vulnerable,” Dittmer said. “It has no arms and legs.”
What to do if you encounter a rattlesnake
Understanding whether the snake you’ve encountered is a rattlesnake is not the easiest calculation.
The most common snake in Utah is the nonvenomous gopher, and they’re often mistaken for rattlesnakes. The two share similar tan and brown colorings, and gopher snakes will often hiss or vibrate their tails when threatened, according to the wildlife division.
A rattlesnake of course has a rattle. Its tail is also wide and blunt, compared to the gopher snake’s thinner, more pointed one. Their heads differ too. A rattlesnake’s is more broad and triangle-like, with vertical pupils, vs. the longer nose and rounded pupils found on a gopher or other nonvenomous snake.
Regardless, wildlife officials say you shouldn’t get close enough to try and identify a snake. So if you can’t spot those subtle differences, stay back and assume it’s a rattlesnake.
Then, from a distance, you can observe it if you feel comfortable, Dittmer said. Or, calmly walk away.
If you can’t see it — but can hear it, “stop and take a deep breath, and try to identify where you hear the rattle coming from,” Dittmer said.
Once you’ve got an idea of where it is, head in the opposite direction, Dittmer said. Don’t try to scare it off — there’s no guarantee it won’t try and flee toward you. And do not kill it unless you are threatened — you could be charged with a class B misdemeanor.
Rattlesnake precautions at home
Across the U.S., venomous snakes bite somewhere between 7,000 and 8,000 people a year. About five of those people die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Rattlesnakes in particular live all throughout the country, but the most common subspecies in Utah is the Great Basin rattlesnake. Others, including the sidewinder and Mojave rattlesnakes, live in areas along the state’s borders.
The reptiles are most active at dusk and dawn and seek shelter from the midday sun in their rocky dens, according to the wildlife division.
At home, if you have a yard, get rid of places that could provide a snake shelter, like piles of wood, rock or junk, the wildlife division advised. And do your best to limit access to outdoor food, like from bird feeders or chicken coops, as it can attract rodents — and the snakes that eat them.
Keeping your dog safe
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mike Parmley gives a dog named Ruby a close up look at a rattlesnake during rattlesnake aversion training for dogs at Barley's Canine Recreation Center, on Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
The more your dog spends off-trail, the more they are at-risk for snake bites, Wynlee Decker, a veterinarian with the North Ogden Animal Hospital, said.
An owner may not see the snake that bit their dog or understand what happened. They’ll just see a dog jump and yelp, she said.
If you think your dog was bitten, get your pet to safety and check for bite marks, Decker said. A rattlesnake bite will start to swell and become very painful, and that pain and swelling will increase as time passes.
The most serious bites are to a dog’s head, where swelling can impact their eyes and airway, she said.
Owners should take their dogs to a veterinarian if they suspect a rattlesnake bite.
“I can’t remember the last patient we had that passed away. The vast majority make it,” she said, adding, “Are they pretty miserable? Absolutely.”
The wildlife division advised that keeping your dog on a leash lessens their chance of being bitten. Another option is giving your pet a rattlesnake vaccine, although there’s debate about the efficacy of the shot, Decker said. You can also try training your dogs to avoid rattlesnakes.
Teaching dogs to detect rattlesnakes
Mike Parmley began teaching dogs rattlesnake avoidance at his Salt Lake City dog day care and recreation center about five years ago, under the tutelage of longtime rattlesnake-aversion dog trainer Web Parton.
Parmley exposes dogs to defanged rattlesnakes and uses a low-level electronic collar to shock them, which creates a negative association.
“They come upon the snake — they smell it, they hear it, they look at it. I apply an impulse,” Parmley said, “We run.”
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Hannah Wright walks her dog Mijo up close to get a good look at a rattlesnake, during rattlesnake aversion training for dogs at Barley's Canine Recreation Center, on Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
With enough of this reinforcement, a dog will learn to avoid a snake with a single whiff. Some will choose a circuitous path around the reptile. Others might stop in their tracks or start barking to alert their owners. Some will do nothing but stay away.
Recently, Parmley said he’s seen a jump in the number of people signing up for his classes. He attributes the increase to the influx of people into the state as well as a rise in dog ownership during the coronavirus pandemic.
He’s had clients come to him with their new dog after a previous pet died from a bite, Parmley said. He sees a lot of hunting dogs, a lot of ranch dogs. Sometimes, people will find him after spotting a snake on a trail or having a close encounter, then searching for ways to keep their dogs safe.
As the old adage goes, for every snake you see, there’s ten you didn’t. When Parmley announced classes for May and June, they filled up within hours.
