I’ve never seen a rattlesnake in the wild, but living in California it’s probably inevitable that I will someday. Here’s some good information on rattlesnakes and what to do if you get bit.

http://www.calpoison.org/public/rattler.html

My favorite advice:

Don’t keep rattlesnakes as pets. Many bites occur when people, usually intoxicated males in your 20’s, tease their “pet” rattlers.