More rattlesnakes could be in the forecast for N.M.

 

Heavy rains don’t just bring the threat of dangerous flooding, which can devastate portions of the state already hard-hit by recent fires.

They also bring rattlesnakes looking for a bite to eat.

That’s because rattlesnakes’ prey — usually rodents and rabbits, which multiply quickly — also come out after a good rain, snake experts say.

...Rattlesnake season in New Mexico runs from April through September, according to the New Mexico Poison and Drug Information Center. But the peak month is August, when high temperatures and continued monsoon activity beckon them from their dens.

Dr. Brandon Warrick, acting medical director for the center, said Monday his facility generally sees 70 to 100 snakebite cases a year.

He echoed snake experts’ warnings, noting “when rains come and there is an increase in food sources, then we see an increase in activity with rattlesnakes.”...MORE