Hi List, Questions...
Is it possible, since the Mojave Green is so deadly, to secure some sort of antivenin for use in an emergency while in the field?
I've read the antivenin needs to be refrigerated? There are tiny 12v portable fridges you can have with you at camp... So if you're in the field, perhaps you could keep a vial(s) of antivenin (antivenom) in a portable fridge in the vehicle while on expedition in remote areas. (if this is legal of course) This might buy some time for a snakebite victim to get to a hospital.
The nearest hospital to areas I hunt in the Mojave Desert is in Barstow, CA... It's a LONG way away, and if you're 1-2 hours down a dirt road in a very remote area of the Mojave desert, according to the rumors of the toxicity of the Mojave Green Rattlesnake venom, you'd be dead before you reach the main road...
I searched and couldn't find anything that compares the venom from the Mojave Green to a Cobra, Mamba, or Australian Brown or any other venomous snake. Anyone know a good site which lists all venomous snakes for comparison purposes?
Also, I read on the DoD website "...DoD officials said military medics carry antivenin. A soldier, sailor, airman or Marine bitten by a poisonous snake is generally only minutes away from treatment. Antivenin is an equine serum; persons sensitive to vaccines from horses could have an allergic reaction...."
This leads me to believe it's possible to bring antivenin with you into the field. Are there restrictions for civilian use/transport/possession? If restrictions exist, are there exceptions...?
Some people can have a severe allergic reaction to the antivenin which could cause the person to go into anaphylactic shock. I know of people who carry an EpiPen for Bee-Sting because they are allergic... http://www.epipen.com/ Can this rare condition be remedied by an EpiPen...?
Thoughts, opinions, experiences? Regards, Eric On 11/15/2010 8:34 AM, Adam Hupe wrote:
Dear List Members, Just a note to warn meteorite hunters not to be too complacent. The most feared creature here in the Southwest is the Mojave Green Rattlesnake and rightfully so considering its venom is 75 times more deadly than that of a Cobra. You got about 1/2 hour to get anti-venom and if you survive a bite from this fellow, you can count on around a $60,000.00 hospital bill. They come out in the fall and you are most likely to run into one in the morning warming itself in the sun. They hide in and around creosote bushes which are everywhere. I see people listening to I Pods or wearing metal detector headphones while searching for meteorites, oblivious to their surroundings. The only warning we got when we ran into this deadly snake was the shaking of its rattles. I have heard Western Diamondbacks before and their rattle is much louder than the Mojave Green. I had a lot more confidence searching with knee high Kevlar snake boots until we ran into this fellow. The snake we ran into was up in the bush waist high before it dropped to the ground and took up a strike posture. We nicked named this large and fat, 4 foot plus snake "Mojave Green Jeans" Luckily, I had an image stabilizer on my camera. I may have been shaking more than the snake. The closer I got to it, the quicker the rattle shook. At one point, it sounded like a constant whoosh instead of a rattle. I would back off to about 6 feet away from it and then it would go silent for a while so I don't think they give you much warning. Just two weeks ago, we ran into a snake we were unable to identify which struck out at my brother in laws magnetic cane. It was also hidden in a bush. It wasn't a rattler but had some pretty wild looking checker board pattern. Meet Mojave Green Jeans: http://themeteoritesite.com/AMojaveGreen-a.jpg I Counted 11 Rattles, A Very Mature Snake: http://themeteoritesite.com/AMojaveGreen-b.jpg Side View: http://themeteoritesite.com/AMojaveGreen-c.jpg The Business End - Poised To Strike: http://themeteoritesite.com/AMojaveGreen-d.jpg Be Careful! Happy Hunting, Adam ______________________________________________ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
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