Rattlesnake Bites Man In Auburn Foothills
AUBURN, Calif. (CBS13) – A father was bitten by a rattlesnake while walking with his kids, and officials are putting up warning signs to alert residents to the danger.
The unusual weather in recent months has delayed rattlesnake mating season, bringing the venomous reptiles underfoot in the Sierra foothills later than expected, experts say.
David Barpal said he was walking his kids to swimming lessons nearby when he felt a sharp pain that felt like a wasp string, but quickly saw that a rattlesnake had attacked his foot.
"I saw the little snake sitting there and a lot of things started running through my head," he said.
David said his foot swelled up to twice its normal size, but the snake's bite only partially broke the skin and he was able to escape serious injury.
"Got one fang and the fang just grazed it," he said. "I was lucky. I only got a little bit of venom in it."
Ramirez Rattlesnake Removal owner Bruce Ramirez said David did the right thing by remaining calm and calling 911. Bite victims should call authorities as soon as possible and try to squeeze out any excess venom in the wound, he added.
"Do not try to suck it out, do not try to cut it out," Ramirez said. "Keep the injured part below the level of the heart and remove and jewelry."
If untreated, rattlesnake bites can be fatal.
