Shedding myths about rattlesnakes. ‘Rattlesnakes are not the Jason Bournes of the desert’

Warm spring weather is bringing rattlesnakes and people closer together, and not necessarily in a good way.

There’s a lot of advice out there about staying safe around rattlesnakes, but not all of it is accurate.

Some advice might be outdated, while other advice stems from common misunderstandings.

And a few are only true in the movies.

Here’s what to know about rattlesnake myths:

Myth: Baby rattlesnake venom is more potent

A Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center found that baby rattlesnake bites are actually less dangerous than adults.

“This is an easily defanged myth that has generated dread, panic, and real-life consequences,” said William Hayes, professor of biology at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and the study’s lead researcher. “Ample evidence demonstrates that baby rattlers, like adults, can control their venom expulsion.”

In fact, the larger the rattlesnake, the more venom it delivers with its bite, California Fish and Wildlife said.

But bites from baby rattlesnakes are still dangerous and require immediate medical treatment.

Myth: Rattlesnakes always rattle before striking

Don’t count on a warning rattle, experts said.

“If they feel threatened, they may coil, strike, retreat or do nothing at all,” the Desert Museum said. “Each snake is a unique individual and responds accordingly.”

Myth: You can suck the venom out of a snakebite

This isn’t a Western, and you’re not John Wayne.

“Doing this will only introduce infection and cause more damage,” Johns Hopkins Medicine warns.

Instead, wash the bite with soap and water, keep the extremity that was bitten lower than the heart, cover the bite with a cool compress to reduce swelling, and call 911 or go to the closest emergency room.

Myth: Cut a snakebite crosswise

Don’t cut the snakebite, either, the Mayo Clinic warned.

Along with the risk of infection, cutting the snakebite causes pain, which will increase the patient’s heart rate — the exact opposite of what you want to do, experts said.

Myth: Rattlesnakes are aggressive and will chase you

“Rattlesnakes are not the Jason Bournes of the desert,” the New Mexico Travel Guy blog advised. “They don’t chase people—they see us as threats and want nothing to do with us.”

If a rattlesnake is coming toward you, it’s probably looking for the fastest escape route.