Snake encounter poll....

[MotorSeven]

The thread about the office snake got me curious. Honestly, how many of you have been bit, or struck at by a poisonous snake? Also, how many people do you personally know that was hit? If you or they were messing with the snake in any way it does not count. As much outdoor time as us TBNers get i am interested in how common or frequent bites & strikes are. BTW, i am going camping for 3 weeks, so i will check back in then(hope i didn't jinx myself ).

Put me down for none......... in 48 years.

RD

 

[shvl73]

None in 41 years.
Not much for poisonous snakes in New England. I think just Timber Rattlers and they're rare. It's ok with me if it stays that way.

 

[JerryG]

Woke up one morning with shortness of breath and my heart was racing. The wife quickly took me to the clinic. When the doctor saw my vitals and a small puncture on my hand, I was rushed to the ER. Stayed in the hospital for three days. I had gotten the puncture while picking tomatoes the evening before and thought that it was from a stab that had jabbed me when I reached under a vine to get a tomato. The doctors decided that a baby copperhead had got me with only one fang.

 

[JoeR]

Okay, I live in Florida, so reptiles are very common here.

1. Neighbor bitten by pygmy rattler. He was wearing flip flops and stepped on its tail. He didn't know it was there. Hospitalized no complications.
2. Another neighbor bitten on the finger by pygmy rattler while pulling weeds. She lost her finger.
3. Contractor pulled off the road on my street to check his trailer. Bitten by 5' Eastern Diamondback in the grass. This surprised me since I know they usually rattle when you get close. I got close to one in some palmettos and got all kinds of warnings. The contractor was Hospitalized, no complications.

This is over the past 3 years.

My personal encounters and never bitten. Almost though!:

1. Pygmy rattler at my front door. Almost stepped on him barefoot.
2. Pygmy rattler in my lawn. 4 different occassions. Almost stepped on them wearing sneakers.
3. Cottonmouth in my front planter. His bite would have went through my shoe!
4. Easter Diamonback in my garage. Captured him and gave him to serpentarium. I didn't want him coming back.
5. Eastern Hognose in my garage. He made me almost wet my pants. I thought it was some sort of exotic cobra.
6. Black racer in my garage. Numerous times. I leave these alone.
7. Black racer in my back porch.
8. Yellow rate snake in my gutters. Going after frogs.
9. 3 Yellow rate snakes in my tack room. (I love these snake! They keep mice out of my feed)
10. Two encounters with a cottonmouth while walking in the wetlands. They like to stand their ground. I leave them alone if they are not near the house.
11. Beautiful Coral Snake in my burn pile. I removed him and let him free. I don't consider them a real threat.


For me the worst snake is the pygmy rattler. They make no sound, are less than 18 inches long and can put you in the hospital. They are hard to see too!
When these snakes are confronted they rarely retreat!

Joe

 

[Seon]

I've lived here for over 7 years and I usually catch, kill and skin three rattle snakes a year here on my property. The last one from last year measured over 49" long and was coiled in the corner of my shop. But just last Friday after letting the two Pomeranian out to potty, I noticed the male that weighs 9lbs, right eye appeared swollen. After examining him closely, I noticed two-punctured mark on his muzzle. We rushed him to the Vet who immediately gave him anti-venom and said that they'll keep him for 48 hours. Well my wife decided that it's time to move from this hot (107 degree yesterday), rocky, snake infested property.

 

[Jimbrown]

In the last two years one cat bitten on nose and one dog bitten on nose both of them trying to harrass rattlers. Don't have the source but the average person bitten in Arizona is under 25, using alcohol, and trying to handle the snake in someway. We have lots of rattlers here but my experience is that they are not aggressive and will leave you alone if you just go around them. There is the danger of accidently stteping on one. One of my neighbors makes his living from selling hadicraafts made from rattle snakes.

 

[turnkey4099]

Just have garter snakes, at least that is all I have seen, here but rattlers abound just down the draw about a mile from me. Garter snakes don't bother me except for the first startlement and they are good to have around, I just pick em up from around the house and move them over into the garden, etc. Last summer there was a little one on the patio so I reach down, grab and promptly got bit on the finger. You better believe I made a very quick examination of the opposite end. Nope, no rattles, just another garter.

The oddest place I ever found a rattler was coiled up on a big block of ice left from a winter storm. He was so stiff he couldn't even rattle.

Harry K

 

[EddieWalker]

No snake bites yet, hopefuly it never happens.

Plenty of spider bites, but none fatal. LOL

Had a cat when I lived in Tyler on half an acre. The cat was bringing leaves in through the doggy door one at a time and putting them in front of the TV. I was too lazy to stop her and kept watching TV. She came in limping real bad, so I got up and took a look. Her foot was swelling as I looked at it.

My ex took the cat to the pet emergancy room, where they said it had been bit by a cottonmouth snake. There were two other dogs in there that had been bit that night already. They said they get several pets just about every night from snake bites.

The cat healed completely, but had a bald spot on her foot from the bit. A few months later she disapeared for good. We guesed she got bit again and didn't make it back, but it could have been anything.

Eddie

 

[NewToy]

While living in Florida a few years ago I opened the door to the screened in pool to let my dogs out. When they came back I forgot to close the door and went on to work. Upon returning home I decided to take a dip in the pool and out of the corner of my eye spotted this huge (6'+) snake trying to get out of the screened in area. He had apparently wandered in during the day and couldn't find his way out. I tried to cajole him out with a broom and he turned at me and stood his ground. I went and got the pool skimmer net and got him in it and turned him loose into the woods behind the house. We lived on the St. Johns river in Orange Park so we were accustomed to seeing various snakes and assorted reptilia but never anything this big and fat. I was amazed how heavy he was. Before removing him I decided to capture the moment with a snapshot thinking everyone would think I was fibbing about his size. The screen panels making up the pool enclosure are 6' and he handily spanned this. Anyway, I forgot all about it until the wife had the film developed some weeks later. I showed the pic around at work and all the local folk immediatley identified him as a water moccasin and a good sized one at that. You can be sure I never left that screen door open again.

John

 

[BB_TX]

Growing up I spent ever chance I got walking the woods or creek banks. Never bitten and never struck at that I know of. 60 years worth. Within the last couple years, stepped about a foot from a copperhead laying in the sun. He never moved until I warped him with a large stick. Then not very long. Another time I was picking up some fire wood I had cut and had left laying a while and there was another copperhead under the last log I picked up. He never moved either, especially after I hit him with the log.