Posted by Alex, forum owner on January 8, 2005, 1:35 pm, in reply to "Snake Identity" --Previous Message--
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: Hi, I came across a snake near to where
: our house is being built in the
: southern MS area. It was really red. It
: had brownish hour glass shapes on it's
: back. I know it may have been venomous,
: but the color really threw me. Reddish
: with pink is more like it. It was small
: too, maybe 15 inches in length. Thanks
: for any help. My guess-a copperhead of
: some type?
:
Hi. It sounds like a Southern Copperhead, and the Southern form can be quite colorful in some localities.
Copperheads are not harmless, but neither are they deadly; I have known at least two people who were bitten by Copperheads and did not get treatment (in both cases the human's fault), and they were fine after a couple of days. Copperhead venom is not powerful, as their prey is small mammals and frogs, and most hospitals do not routinely give antivenom, but put the victim under observation for 24 hours (for allergic reactions mainly).
Copperheads only bite in self defence, as is the case with all North American venomous snakes, and if left alone will go about their business with a curious look at this large and potentially dangerous animal. This has been my experience with several in the field, and I have had to move more than one off a trail (for its own safety), and none of them offered to bite; I used a long straight stick and scooped them off by sliding it under the center of the body and carrying them to an area of deep cover. Do not ever try the methods shown on TV, grabbing the tail, or pinning the head and grabbing the neck. You will have a nice hospital stay and a swollen hand. I have had years of experience with snakes, and I won't even try these tricks. These activities make the snake think that a predator has got them, and they react with fear.
I get so angry with these people on TV, one from the US, one from Southern Africa and one from Australia, and they all say "he's mad" or "he's angry". No, he is not! He is terrified, and is fighting (he thinks) for his life. If a Grizzly had me by the foot or head, I would be far from angry. I would be terrified!
The wisest course when encountering any dangerous snake in the field is to note where it is and leave it alone. If in your yard, it needs to be moved. I use a large cooler with a locking lid, and the same technique with the stick as I do in the field; lever the snake into the cooler, tap the rim of the cooler (to get it to keep its head down), and lock the lid down. When I get it to where I am moving it, I unlock the cooler, push it on its side, push off the top, and allow the snake to move off.
I have done this several times, both with Copperheads and Rattlers, and the thing is to m-o-v-e s-l-o-w-l-y so as not to frighten the snake into thinking it is being eaten.
Hope all this helps.
Alex, forum owner
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