The common belief that baby rattlesnakes are more dangerous than adults has been overturned by a new study from Loma Linda University. After considering the history and spread of the myth, researchers concluded that bites from adult rattlesnakes are generally more dangerous because adult rattlesnakes carry and inject much larger amounts of venom.
The study also disproves the widely repeated claim that baby rattlesnakes cannot control the amount of venom they release and therefore inject all of their venom into their bite. Researchers say this misconception has serious real-world implications.
The study said the false beliefs led to “negative outcomes, including misinformed risk-taking by people who encountered snakes, unwarranted fear in snakebite victims, and inappropriate care by medical professionals who were misinformed or under pressure from patients and families.”
“This is an easy myth to bust, causing fear, panic, and real-life implications,” said William Hayes, professor of biology at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and principal investigator on the study. “There is enough evidence to show that baby rattlers can control their venom output just like adults, that adults have and release much more venom when they bite, and that adults cause significantly more severe symptoms in snakebite victims.”
Hayes emphasized that a rattlesnake bite is still a medical emergency and requires immediate medical attention. He added that antivenom is the only effective treatment.
The study results were published last week in the journal toxin.
Why are myths important?
In addition to influencing how people react to snake encounters, researchers say this myth also influences how rattlesnakes are treated.
“Misconceptions about rattlesnakes create unnecessary fear and often result in people injuring or killing rattlesnakes,” the study says. “Rattlesnakes play an important role in the ecosystems in which they live, and their populations have declined significantly in recent years in many areas of the United States.”
How did the baby rattlesnake myth spread?
Researchers have traced this myth back to at least 1967, when it began appearing in news reports. They found that California news outlets played a major role in spreading false claims in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. From 2000 to 2014, this misconception continued to spread through news outlets across North America.
Although this myth persists today, including in some well-known sources identified in the study, researchers found that news reports have become increasingly accurate since 2015. They suggest that better public education helps reduce the spread of misinformation.
They found that many of the inaccurate reports stem from misquotes by medical workers and emergency responders such as firefighters, police officers, and other rescue workers. In contrast, quotes from subject matter experts, especially university professors, were generally much more accurate.
Surprisingly common misconceptions
The study found that this myth remains very widespread. Hayes said 53% of Southern California students surveyed believed that to be true, as did 73% of first responders and health care workers who participated in the study.
“We want to get the word out to debunk this myth,” Hayes said. “We don’t want hikers to have an unreasonable fear of baby rattlesnakes or feel the need to harm or kill snakes. We also don’t want doctors and veterinarians to bow to pressure from patients and families who demand excessive medication after a baby rattlesnake bite.”
