Watch out for rattlesnakes

Our longtime friends and neighbors, Carol and Ron Swan, have a serious problem with snakes. Not just any snakes, but the infamous rattlesnakes. We have seldom seen them around our yard at the north end of Fish Springs but Carol thought perhaps these rattlers are hanging out around the creek in the south end of Fish Springs. Last week she saw two very fat scary-looking 3-foot-long rattlesnakes in the middle of the road and they were sliding quickly toward her yard.

Brave as she is, Carol picked up her garden rake and launched it high in the sky while one of the snakes was attached to it! It almost landed on her, very scary indeed. Did you hear the loud scream, or was it just a sigh of relief?

What to do? Stay away from them and certainly don't pick them up. Learn to identify these venomous pit vipers. Their head is triangular and there is a small pit located behind their nostril and in front of their eyes. The pupil of each eye is a vertical slit. They usually have a rattle on their tail and they know how to shake it to warn you away. Their fangs do not always inject venom but I wouldn't want to chance it.

Baby rattlesnakes are extra dangerous because when they strike they remain attached and pump a large amount of venom into their victim because they haven't learned to gauge the amount of needed venom to kill their prey. They say if you're bitten, you should keep the injured limb below the level of your heart and call 911 to get to the appropriate medical facility.

Did I mention to stay calm? Fat chance! But it's important to keep your heart beating at a normal rate. The venom destroys tissue and causes blood clotting problems. Antivenin serum is very expensive and Carol said she would like to know where she could get some of the antivenin, just in case.

Seniors corner

I found a little space after writing about the rattlesnakes this week so I want to remind you about some neat things going on at the Douglas County Senior Center, 2300 Meadow Lane, Gardnerville, 783-6455. Yoga on the soft, shaded grass every Tuesday and Thursday from 10-10:30 a.m. with Jill Mustacchio. It's free and wonderful.

At 11 a.m. there's the good old days ragtime music every other Tuesday (next on Aug. 26) with Gene Guadagni on the piano and Les Armer on the banjo. And then there's early bird bingo at 1 p.m. on the third Sunday of each month and the pot is up to $650. Wow! Get out of the house and have some fun.

n Linda Monohan may be reached at 782-5802.