Rattlesnake Bites Man After He Tries To Pick It Up With Tongs, Reptile Euthanized

A man in California was hospitalized after he was bitten by a rattlesnake as he attempted to pick up the reptile with barbecue tongs.

Firefighters arrived at a property in Sycamore Creek on Saturday evening after receiving information that a man was bitten by a snake. The man received first aid before he was taken to the hospital in an ambulance, John Welsh, spokesperson for Riverside County Animal Services, said in a press release.

Authorities said the man, whose identity was not revealed, was bitten on the left hand by the venomous reptile after he tried to pick it up using barbecue tongs.

Officer Mike McGee with the Riverside County Animal Services responded to the home and found the reptile coiled near the bushes in the property. He removed the reptile using his snake tongs and placed it in a storage bucket. The snake was euthanized as the officer felt it was not safe to release the reptile near the community.

"We try to release rattlesnakes within one mile of where we remove it from, but it was highly likely this snake might end up in one of the adjacent homes again. I didn’t believe a routine release would be safe this time," McGee said.

He added a number of rattlesnake sightings have been reported in the area of late due to the increasing temperatures. He added he has been trained to remove rattlesnakes.

"There’s always adrenaline. Every time your alerts are always up. You don’t want to get too comfortable," he said.

In an email to CW-affiliated television station KTLA on Monday, Welsh said the victim was doing “remarkably well,” and will be discharged from the hospital later in the day. He added the victim had "been around snakes most of his life, hence his daring actions."

Rattlesnakes are California’s only native venomous serpents, and are widespread in the state. Around nine species of rattlesnakes are found in the state in various habitats, right from coastal to desert, and some may grow up to 6 inches.