Baby rattlesnake bites man, California firefighters warn. ‘Watch your step’

A baby rattlesnake bit a man in the California foothills, firefighters reported.

An ambulance took the man to a hospital, the Calaveras Consolidated Fire Protection District said in a Monday, March 31, news release.

He was bitten in the leg on Wimer Road near Highway 26, firefighters said.

“Watch your step,” firefighters warned.

Most rattlesnake bites in California take place between April and October, when humans and snakes are both more active, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Calaveras County is about an 80-mile drive southeast from Sacramento.

What to know about snake bites

Venomous snakes bite more than 7,000 people each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“About 5 of those people die,” the CDC said. “The number of deaths would be much higher if people did not seek medical care.”

Rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths and coral snakes are all venomous snakes that live in the U.S.

If you see a snake, back away slowly and don’t touch it. Here’s what the CDC says you should do if a snake bites you:

• Try to remember the color and shape of the snake. It could help with treating the bite.

• Stay calm and still to slow down the spread of venom.

• Seek medical care as soon as possible.

• Apply first aid if you can’t get to the hospital quickly.

• Wash the wound with warm, soapy water.

• Cover the bite with a clean cloth or dressing.

• Don’t slash the wound with a knife or try to suck out venom.

• Don’t apply ice to the wound.

This story was originally published April 1, 2025 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Baby rattlesnake bites man, California firefighters warn. ‘Watch your step’."