April 2025 by Interpretive Ranger, Christine Cardosi

Last April, we talked about illegal poppy picking, which bees needed saving, and April showers, all in an effort to debunk some wildlife myths and misinformation.  Well, we’re back again with more common nature misconceptions to tackle on this April Fools. 

Let’s start by counting ourselves lucky that the only venomous snake we need to concern ourselves with in California is the rattlesnake, AND they’re courteous enough to give us some warning!  Currently grouped into seven species, all within the genus Crotalus, California rattlesnakes are notable for their thick bodies, diamond-shaped heads, quintessential rattle, and venom.  Now, before we get into the nitty-gritty details of this myth, let me first say that any rattlesnake bite is potentially dangerous to humans, regardless of species, size, age, etc.  As such, all rattlesnakes should be treated with cautious respect and space, and all rattlesnake bites should be treated with a trip to a medical professional. 

But what about baby rattlesnakes?  As babies, are they equipped with more potent venom?  Have they not yet matured enough to control their venom injections (operating under the assumption that adult rattlesnakes do control their venom)? 

The intensity of venomous snake bites comes down to 2 factors: venom composition (the chemical makeup) and amount of venom. 

Different venom types kill their intended target in different ways: hemorrhagic venom causes loss of blood, myonecrotic venom leads to muscle tissue death, neurotoxic venom damages the nervous system…  The list goes on, and venomous snakes can produce multiple toxin types within their venom.  These diverse makeups and effects can vary not just across different snake species but also across maturity within an individual species.  This study showed that the composition of a newborn rattlesnake’s venom compared to an adult rattlesnake’s venom has been found to be different in some species.  So, there is something to be said about the differences between baby and adult snake venom, but it likely has more to do with the difference in what baby and adult rattlesnakes hunt and eat. 

The idea of rattlesnakes being able to control their venom, also known as “venom metering,” is still being studied.  This study of venom metering in juvenile rattlesnakes showed that there is some amount of metering, but as the young rattlesnakes became more familiar with hunting, they injected higher amounts of venom into larger prey.  This is a very different conclusion than the myth of baby rattlesnakes uncontrollably injecting their venom in a bite. 

Baby rattlesnakes may be considered more dangerous because they are more incognito than their adult counterparts.  Born with just a “button” – the lonely first segment of their rattle – they are unable to make the telltale alarm buzz to ward off unsuspecting people.  Their smaller size, too, makes them harder to see.  That size difference does have an impact on venom strength – smaller venom glands mean less venom and less venom means a less impactful bite. 

At the end of the day, any and all rattlesnake bites are dangerous and require proper medical treatment. But good news!  Rattlesnakes do not want to bite humans – they would much rather save their precious venom for getting a meal.  Be cautious in rattlesnake habitat, give them a respectful distance, and appreciate their role in the ecosystem of helping keep rodent populations under control.  And one extra “thank you” for giving us plenty of warning of their presence. 

Arguably one of the best movies of all time, The Princess Bride has it all: star-crossed lovers, pirates, sword fights, Billy Crystal, revenge.  In one of its most iconic scenes, the mysterious man in black enters into a battle of wits with a mastermind criminal.  The deadly game: figure out which goblet of wine is poisoned and which is not.  The twist?  Both goblets are poisoned, and the man in black has built up an immunity to the poison by microdosing it over the years. 

This story of poison resistance has roots tracing as far back as 300 BC with Maurya Emperor Chandragupta and to the “Poison King” Mithridates VI of Pontus in 120 BC.  For people in power who were at risk of being poisoned, building immunity by regularly ingesting non-lethal doses came in handy.  The practice coined “mithridatism” after the Poison King holds some weight.  If the poison in question can be metabolized by liver enzymes, a metabolic tolerance can develop.  But even this isn’t fail-safe, with other bodily harm occurring over time.  May I direct your attention to the poison known as alcohol, a heavy drinker’s tolerance to alcohol’s effects, and finally, alcoholic fatty liver disease! 

Overall, though, mithridatism is not effective against most types of poisons.  And for those of us living all along western North America who enjoy an occasional wander through the woods, grasslands, and coastal scrub, this is going to apply to Pacific poison oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum.   

It is thought that ~10% of us are inherently immune to poison oak.  For the rest of us, our first brush with it may not lead to much – the toxic chemical the plant produces, urushiol, is foreign to our immune system.  However, after that initial exposure, repeat encounters will be met with an immune system response and painful, itchy contact dermatitis. 

There are anecdotes of this reaction getting both more and less intense with increased exposure and as we age, depending on who we are.  It could be that our immune system weakens as we get older, and the responsive rash declines.  It could also be that with each additional exposure, our immune system has more and more of a response.  The 10/90 split on immune/not immune may likely be more of a spectrum of reaction, with those less likely to react also more likely perhaps to have an underlying genetic advantage towards acquired desensitization.  Some research conducted with guinea pigs and children show that creating desensitization to urushiol is possible but difficult to establish reliably.  Outside of these lab conditions and knowing the many variables at play in why an individual’s body would react one way or the other to poison oak, I can confidently say DO NOT attempt to build such an immunity.  Skip snacking on a poison oak berry, be leery of even the littlest leaves, and keep away from a cup of diluted poison oak tea. 

For our regular readers (who I’m assuming are neither guinea pigs nor children), may I offer the best defense against poison oak: Know what it looks like in all seasons, avoid it when possible, and know what precautions to take after contact. 

I chose to talk about these organisms because they rise to the top when it comes to concern when exploring open spaces like Sycamore Grove Park.  Often, it is things we are most fearful of that have myths crop up about them, feeding into more fear and misinformation.  If you’ve visited Sycamore Grove in recent months, you may have seen our new “Be Mindful” signage highlighting how best to share our open spaces with these other living things.  While there is still reason to be cautious, these native species are integral parts of the environment (yes, even the ticks) and deserve our respect as we recreate in their homes.  You can learn more about these animals and plants and how to best keep yourself safe by visiting this page on our website.   

In the meantime, what are some nature myths you know of?  Or are there things about nature you’ve believed to be true but now aren’t so sure?  Please feel free to humor my love of questions and learning by sharing with me at ccardosi@larpd.org. 

Here’s to another April Fools’ Day – and may we all grow a little less foolish this year!