By Miriam Raftery

May 3, 2014 (Deerhorn Valley) – A 17-month-old child was bitten three times in the abdomen by a rattlesnake yesterday afternoon while playing in on a patio at a home near Barrett Lake in Deerhorn Valley.

NBC reported that the incident was reported at 4:20 in the 20000 block of Manzanita Way.   The Deerhorn Valley Antler indicated that Mercy Air flew out of the area at approximately 5 p.m. with the young patient on board.  The child was taken to Rady Children’s Hospital.

Fortunately, the toddler is recovering, according to his older sister , Jessica Taylor. She posted on the Deerhorn Valley Facebook page this morning that her brother is being treated with anti-venom and is expected to  be fine.  She added, “He’s a tough little guy!”

April 23, 2013 (Spring Valley)—A 5-year-old girl was bitten on the foot by a snake yesterday while playing in a grassy common area of a condo complex at 8700 Spring Canyon Road in the La Presa area of Spring Valley.  CAL FIRE/San Miguel Fire District firefighters responded to the call shortly before noon.  With help from residents, firefighters from Station 16 located and confirmed it to be a rattlesnake.

The child was transported to Sharp Grossmont where she is receiving anti-venom.  "She is doing well, according to the mother," Leonard Villareal with San Miguel Fire told ECM today.

San Diego County Animal Services indicated there was a huge jump in snake calls yesterday. As the weather warms up, the snakes become more active.

Animal Poison Control Center offers several tips to avoid chance encounters with snakes: