Snake encounter poll....

[dieselsmoke1]

Yep. Copperhead bit me on the thumb when I was 12 yrs old, ran over his tail with my "bananna bike" (bet you have not heard that one in a while), thunb down on the handlebar was the target. Pedalled as fast as I could the mile back to the house (circulating the venom real good)

Stayed in the hospital for 2 days while the Docs debated whacking off the arm, which was swelled up black and blue and kept submerged in ice water.

Guess they saw some sign of improvement, gave me a stay of amputation.

Arm fully recovered, but thumbnail fell off and did not come back. Not a big thing, skin toughened up, didn't even miss it.

Fast forward 20 yrs, an ugly little splinter emerges from where a nail should be. Add 20 more years, I've got "most" of a thumbnail again.

 

[rdln]

have not seen a rattler or shed thereof here since about '78. See about 3-4 garters a year. Our weimaraner was bit by a rattler near the throat which swelled for a while, dont remember if he any other effects, this was around '77-'78.

been startled by the very infrequent water moccasin though.

 

[LMTC]

been startled by the very infrequent water moccasin though.

In Michigan?

 

[Soundguy]

Those are the tough 'wooly' water moccasin!

Soundguy

 

[firemanpat2910]

snakes, spiders, gators, ticks, skeeters big enough to carry off small children,
chiggers,fleas, fireants,wasps,bees, sharks,stingrays,jelly fish, ................

WELCOME TO FLORIDA

I've killed more snakes than I can remember, One that stays in my mind is a6'
rattler I killed in my front yard, 15 years ago. Middle of town no woods for several blocks. He was just wrapped around my mail box post. My (ex) wife wouldnt get the mail for at least a year after that.

 

[3RRL]

Western Diamond backs, Southern Pacifics, Mojave Greens and Sidewinders...run into my share of them here in So. California. Lucky to never have been bitten myself. But my grandaughter was bit by a Mojave Green when she was 4 yrs old (now 16). At one point we thought they were going to amputate her foot but she got better. Has no trouble at all from that bite.

At the rural property, I have killed at least one rattler every year. First year it was 5, last year 2 and only 1 so far this year. I kill those on the property to reduce the chances of my dog and kid (and us) getting bit, but I know it could happen anytime. When hiking off the property I don't bother them...they'll make their way to the property sooner or later anyway.

Newcomers to rural living who are aware of the snake bite dangers keep a good lookout for snakes. It's often the one's that have lived out here for some time that get bit. They get used to going out to the garden everyday, reach down to turn the hose on or something without incident for years, and then one day there's a rattler by the hose bib and they get hit.

Here's one from last year...a 5 footer. Notice the little .177 hole between his eyes.

 

[Seon]

I caught this one last year in my shop. I bent over to pick a tool up and heard the "sprinklers" come on but quickly realized that I don't have sprinklers...looked towards the sound and about 1-1/2 feet away was this snake. BTW his skin now hangs over my shop door.

Pic: http://pic10.picturetrail.com/VOL326/687113/4793634/100069708.jpg