KJZZ

Eight people were bitten by rattlesnakes in the Tucson area over the weekend.  It is the time of year when rattlers give birth, and that has prompted officials to issue a warning about increased snake activity.  When rattlesnakes are born they do not have a fully developed rattle. That is why more people get bitten this time of year. 

Daniel Marchand is curator with the Phoenix Herpetological Society. He urged everyone to be careful while working in their yard over the next few months.

“Look before you go there or put your hands there making sure that there’s nothing there because that little baby rattlesnake unfortunately is not going to be audible but yet is fully functional and he’s born with venom and is very dangerous,” said Marchand.

He said baby rattler bites are not always reported right away, because the person will not get sick for hours or days afterward when they become dizzy or notice swelling because of internal bleeding. 

You might think living in the city means you are safe, but Marchand said rattlesnakes are often found within two miles of any urban mountain preserve.