How venomous are western diamondbacks?

[chase556]

I live up in eastern washington state and from time to time I run into rattlesnakes which I assume to be WDB's. Earlier this summer a baby rattler bit my mother through her gloves while she was working outside. Judging from the rattles it was maybe a year and a half old. No significant damage from the bite, just severe pain from what I heard.


I figured since I'm here how venomous are WDB's? Does it vary area by area? I've been told by a lot of people in the area the ones here are not too big of a deal if you get bit, which strikes me as odd.


I am appalled at anyone who kills the precious reptiles, and my mom's pretty much the same way, for the record she let the little rattler' go. I'm not looking into getting one, just curious as to the toxicity of the bite.