Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes

I have chosen western diamondback rattlesnake for the snake bite wound project and on below, I have research about the snake and the symptoms people will get after they got bitten by the western diamondback rattlers. I have also decided the setting for my snake bite project and the story will be set at the Sonoran desert in Arizona, United States. 

http://dskogsphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3521-Western-Diamondback-Rattlesnake-Crotalus-atrox.-Sonoran-Desert-Arizona.jpg
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Crotalus Atrox, also known as the Western diamondback rattlesnake which features triangular shaped head and heavy bodied. It is the largest southwestern rattlers and is considered as the most dangerous as they are venomous. The size of the snake is up to 7 feet long, around 2 meters. The tail has got black and white stripes and there are dark diamond shaped patterns on its back. On its face, there are two dark diagonal lines starting from its eyes to jaw on both side.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Western_diamondback_rattlesnake.jpg

During hot daytime, they regularly spend time in shades of rocks, low growing shrubs or take advantage f other animals' underground burrows. The western diamondback rattlesnake is different to other rattlers as other rattlers will escape when they met other larger size animals and only when they feel safe to do that and without threatened. But the western diamondback rattlers will not escape even when they don't threatened. They stay at the same place hissing and so you can see how scary and dangerous they are. Snakes can only extend up to 40% of their body length when they try to attack, but the motion of them attacking takes only less than half a second and so you can see how fast they are. Some of the rattlesnake bite are called dry bites which means there are no venom injected to the skin. Depends on what kind of snake you have bitten, adults usually take 1 to 9 months for a full recovery. On below, I have listed the symptoms after bitten by a rattlesnake and how the venom affect to the body.

Symptoms after getting a rattlesnake bite:

• Temporary or permanent tissue and muscle damage
• Two puncture marks
• Drooping eyelids
• Tiredness and muscles weakness 
• Low blood pressure
• Internal bleeding which will also cause bruising and discoloration on the skin
• Blister, pus, black tissue around the wounds, ulcer
• Tingling and numbness
• Pain and burning sensation at the area of the snakebite 
• Hard to breathe
• Swelling and redness at the area of the snakebite after a few minutes
• Dizzy, vomit, sweating, thirst, headache and feeling sick
• May cause kidney failure and serious allergic reaction

http://www.herpnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Crotalus-atrox.jpg

On below, I have found a report in 2015 of rattlesnake bite in Arizona discussed by RandyBabb and Keith Boesen- 

Randy Babb, who is a biologist with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, said 'Arizona is home to 13 species of rattlesnakes, with eight or nine species living in Southeastern Arizona, depending on how the region is defined. They range far and wide- from deserts, canyons and forests to urban backyards.'

Keith Boesen, who is a director of the Arizona Poison and Drug information center, said '150 to 160 rattlesnake bites are reported every year to the Poison and Drug information center, which covers all Arizona counties except Maricopa County.'

References:

• http://www.desertusa.com/reptiles/rattlesnake-bites.html
• http://www.whmentors.org/saf/snakes.html
• http://www.livescience.com/43683-rattlesnake.html
• http://www.backpacker.com/survival/out-alive-bitten-by-a-rattlesnake/2/#bp=0/img1
• http://www.meb.uni-bonn.de/dtc/primsurg/docbook/html/x12657.html
• http://tucson.com/news/local/rattlesnakes-are-out-and-they-re-biting/article_023b5a36-9f33-591b-bce8-bead42c4fa23.html
• http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bites-snake/pages/treatment.aspx