Rattlesnake Bites California Toddler on Her Own Driveway

A California toddler was rushed to hospital after a rattlesnake bit her on her own driveway.

Three-year-old Alice Germar had been barefoot in the driveway in Butte Creek Canyon as she helped her father take out the trash on June 30, SFGate reported.

The rattlesnake then lunged at the toddler and bit her on her foot.

Germar was immediately rushed to the Enloe Medical Center to receive treatment, where she was given antivenom.

The toddler was then flown to the UC Davis Medical Center to receive further specialized treatment as a precaution.

Tia Germar, the toddler's mother, told SFGATE the toddler is doing well and "has already gone through four popsicles in the hospital."

Newsweek has contacted Tia Germar for further information.

Rattlesnakes have extremely potent venom. Bites can be fatal if they are left untreated, however deaths are very rare.

The snakes will only bite when they feel threatened or provoked in some way. Many bites occur when people are barefoot, or wearing open-toed shoes, and accidentally step on or near one. This will cause the startled snake to lash out.

In April, a California surfer had just emerged from the water, and placed his bare feet on the ground when he suddenly felt like someone had "dropped a knife" on his foot, 12 News reported at the time.

The man looked down to see a rattlesnake "attached to [his] foot," which had bitten him five times. He was successfully treated with antivenom, however bite incidents such as this can sometimes cause severe complications.

Between 7,000 and 8,000 people suffer from venomous snake bites in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Rattlesnake species found in California include the northern Pacific rattlesnake, the Western Diamondback and the Mojave rattlesnake. They are abundant across the state and can be found anywhere, from desserts to coastal beach areas.

Bites are particularly common during the hot summer months, when the snakes become more active. In particularly hot weather, they will often slither close to properties in search of shelter from the heat.

However in March, experts noted that the California population had emerged much earlier this year than is usual.

The snake season in California usually begins in the second half of April and the beginning of May, as the weather warms up. However, Californians noticed rattlesnakes emerging as early as mid-March this year, which was potentially down to the increase in temperatures.