Let’s talk snakes for a minute...

bgebrent

etherdome said:

GATraveller said:

Accidentally ran over this guy leaving for work last week. Can't decide if it's a copper head or brown snake. We do have a lot of copper heads around which I don't like.....the rest I'm indifferent to. 

I can eliminate copperhead for you. Not a copperhead

That’s a brown snake.  Non poisonous.  And your friend.

SSQUAL612

@GATraveller   Looks like this one I found while golfing.

jabam

I’m sorry, but me and snakes don’t get along!
A very long time ago, when I lived in Idaho, in a trailer home, watching football in a Sunday afternoon, in my big ole recliner, I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. It was a 5 foot long snake, slithering across my living room floor, have no idea what species, but it scared the sh...t out of me, and I have never been the same since!

Botch

Interesting how different things freak us out differently.  I've eaten rattlesnake, otherwise wouldn't kill one, eaten RM Oysters, soft-shelled crab, lengua but I'm still freaking out about that damn NC tarantula burger.  

GaBGE

Saw this big black snake(4-5ft) this week while cutting grass, about 20 ft from my house. I put him in the woods beside my house and it climbed up in a tree. 

GaBGE

bgebrent

Glad you spared your friend.

Cashfan

Threads like this remind me why I stay here, in this miserable, cold snowy state where it only really nice 3-4 months out of the year. I couldn't deal with snakes, large spiders and rodents. I'd rather deal with the 1/4in of ice and a few inches snow we are getting right now than any snake. Even a "friendly" snake.

DoubleEgger

Time to put out some snake away. Thanks for the reminder 

bgebrent

Snake pansies.  Always baffles me.

DoubleEgger

Cashfan said:

Threads like this remind me why I stay here, in this miserable, cold snowy state where it only really nice 3-4 months out of the year. I couldn't deal with snakes, large spiders and rodents. I'd rather deal with the 1/4in of ice and a few inches snow we are getting right now than any snake. Even a "friendly" snake.

I saw a snake swimming across a lake up near Leech Lake two years ago. The locals couldn’t believe it. Glad I had a witness. 

bgebrent

Of course they swim, especially the moccasins which reside here.  Most however are non poisonous friendlies.  Including the snakes that swim.

DoubleEgger

bgebrent said:

Of course they swim, especially the moccasins which reside here.  Most however are non poisonous friendlies.  Including the snakes that swim.

A snake in Minnesota is what we’re talking about Doc...

bgebrent

DoubleEgger said:

bgebrent said:

Of course they swim, especially the moccasins which reside here.  Most however are non poisonous friendlies.  Including the snakes that swim.

A snake in Minnesota is what we’re talking about Doc...

I’d fear no snake in the north that didn’t rattle.  Almost uniformly friendlies up there.

Cashfan

DoubleEgger said:

Cashfan said:

Threads like this remind me why I stay here, in this miserable, cold snowy state where it only really nice 3-4 months out of the year. I couldn't deal with snakes, large spiders and rodents. I'd rather deal with the 1/4in of ice and a few inches snow we are getting right now than any snake. Even a "friendly" snake.

I saw a snake swimming across a lake up near Leech Lake two years ago. The locals couldn’t believe it. Glad I had a witness. 

There are a few snakes up here, garter snakes in the tall grass, rattlers and some others in the bluffs by the rivers and lakes. I used to see them regularly when I fished the Mississippi. 

We have garters around town, but i haven't seen one since i was a kid.

One time at the Mississippi, I went to walk out on fallen tree try to get a better angle to catch some crappie. I heard a strange noise beneath my feet, and it looked like ground was overtaking my feet and the water started swarming. I realized I disturbed a snake nest and there were hundreds and hundreds of 3-4 in snakes everywhere. I completely freaked and ran for the truck. My friends picked up my gear when we left and I've never been back. Nightmares... I can't deal with snakes.... 

jabam

milesvdustin

We have rattlers, copperheads, and water moccasins around here. I give them wide berth as long as they stay away from the house. 

nolaegghead

We had a facility that bordered a swamp.  Copperheads would get in the building, found a few shed skins in the ceiling.  One lady was working at her desk and she kicked one under it.  Ended up in the hospital for a week.

I don't hate snakes but I hate copperheads getting in the building.  I probably shot 200 of them while we were there.  We moved about a mile away, 300 yards from the swamp.  No more snakes or gators.  Gators were never a problem.

g8golfer

Friend of mine was in NO doing hurricane clean up. Cottonmouth came through the AC duct and was in his hotel room. Ended up striking the bottom of his big toe. Doctors saved his foot but lost his toe. Got extremely lucky and a lot of insurance money from the hotel from what i gather. 

Foghorn

g8golfer said:

Friend of mine was in NO doing hurricane clean up. Cottonmouth came through the AC duct and was in his hotel room. Ended up striking the bottom of his big toe. Doctors saved his foot but lost his toe. Got extremely lucky and a lot of insurance money from the hotel from what i gather. 

Actually losing tissue from a cottonmouth bite is extremely unusual.  

It's interesting how people perceive things.  More people die from bee stings than snake bites.

Doc_Eggerton

Sounds like a brown banded water snake.  Leave him alone unless you like bad karma and more rats.  OTOH they bite like a son of a gun if you try to pick them up.  So does a green ribbon snake, except it makes really stinky poop on you while it is latched onto your hand.

JohnInCarolina

I like the Black Mamba snake.  I think the saying in Africa is that if one bites you, you have seven seconds to say goodbye.  That’s probably an exaggeration but I’m glad it’s on another continent nonetheless.

Foghorn

JohnInCarolina said:

I like the Black Mamba snake.  I think the saying in Africa is that if one bites you, you have seven seconds to say goodbye.  That’s probably an exaggeration but I’m glad it’s on another continent nonetheless.

Yeah.  If you can get to a hospital within a couple of hours you'll probably make it.

SSQUAL612

Foghorn said:

JohnInCarolina said:

I like the Black Mamba snake.  I think the saying in Africa is that if one bites you, you have seven seconds to say goodbye.  That’s probably an exaggeration but I’m glad it’s on another continent nonetheless.

Yeah.  If you can get to a hospital within a couple of hours you'll probably make it.

I wouldn't want to chance it...with my luck UBER would get lost.

6.  Black mamba

The fastest snake in the world is also one of the deadliest. The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) can move at speeds of up to 12.5 miles per hour (5.5 meters per second), and its bite can kill a human being in less than 30 minutes. This snake is known for using its lethal fangs to repeatedly stab those unfortunate enough to get in its way, with each bite injecting a deadly amount of neurotoxic venom.

Foghorn

SSQUAL612 said:

Foghorn said:

JohnInCarolina said:

I like the Black Mamba snake.  I think the saying in Africa is that if one bites you, you have seven seconds to say goodbye.  That’s probably an exaggeration but I’m glad it’s on another continent nonetheless.

Yeah.  If you can get to a hospital within a couple of hours you'll probably make it.

I wouldn't want to chance it...with my luck UBER would get lost.

6.  Black mamba

The fastest snake in the world is also one of the deadliest. The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) can move at speeds of up to 12.5 miles per hour (5.5 meters per second), and its bite can kill a human being in less than 30 minutes. This snake is known for using its lethal fangs to repeatedly stab those unfortunate enough to get in its way, with each bite injecting a deadly amount of neurotoxic venom.

There's no doubt that avoiding the bite is definitely the way to go.  If not, get somewhere with IV fluids and a ventilator.  It won't be a fun few days, but it'll beat the alternative.

Some zoos have the antivenom which can shorten the ICU stay - or make the ventilator completely unnecessary.

Markarm4119

I have a 5 1/2-6' kingsnake  burrowed under curiosities in the flowered furthest from the house, dont have the copperhead problems most of my neighbors do.

bucky925

Debated posting this account it's a bit OT and a little long, but it's amazing what will jog your memory.

In the early 80's A bunch of the railroad guys would get together each year and have a "safety" cookout in the NC mountains.  Well things were flowing and everyone was having fun.  One of the engineers (that could not swim) was in one of those floatie chairs in the pond when a little snake started swimming his way.  He was freeking out and splashing all around and of course this made the snake head straight for him.  Well it bit him on the leg.   He got to the bank and was in full fit.  We asked him what the snake looked like...The conclusion was it was a harmless water snake.  He didn't buy it and wanted to go somewhere to get checked out.  

We headed down the mountain trying to find a phone.  I'm not entirely sure why we were looking for a phone instead of a ER but for some reason it made since at the time.  In any case we came upon a house and knocked on the door.  A fellow answerd wearing overhauls and had tobacco juice running down his mouth.  We asked to use his phone and he told us Ain't got no phone, what's the matter?  We explained and he asked what the snake looked like?  We described it and he told us it was just a hamless water snake.  That was good enough for us, but the guy who was bitten said and I quote as I will remember it all my life.   I DON'T WANT SOME REDNECK IN OVERHAULS THAT DOESN'T HAVE A PHONE WITH TOBACCO SPIT RUNNING DOWN HIS CHIN TO TELL ME IT'S ALRIGHT!  I WANT A DOCTOR IN A WHITE COAT TO TELL ME IT'S ALL RIGHT!

Long story a bit shorter he was fine and retired with over 40 years of service.  I'm so glad my grey matter coughed this memory up. 

NPHuskerFL

Too many species to name here in FL. I've dispatched (in my yard) E. Diamondbacks, Corals, Cottonmouths, Pygmys & Water Moccasins.  To be fair we see far more Black Racers than venomous.  Racers are welcome and they do occasional terminate venomous intruders along with other pests. 

bgebrent

NPHuskerFL said:

Too many species to name here in FL. I've dispatched (in my yard) E. Diamondbacks, Corals, Cottonmouths, Pygmys & Water Moccasins.  To be fair we see far more Black Racers than venomous.  Racers are welcome and they do occasional terminate venomous intruders along with other pests. 

The corals are scary.  Fortunately they also stand out.

Botch

NPHuskerFL said:

Too many species to name here in FL. I've dispatched (in my yard) E. Diamondbacks, Corals, Cottonmouths, Pygmys & Water Moccasins.  To be fair we see far more Black Racers than venomous.  Racers are welcome and they do occasional terminate venomous intruders along with other pests. 

Wow, so you have all four N. American venomous varieties in your locale.  I didn't realize rattlers extended to FL.