Summer Snake Safety
by Julie Sculley
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Copperhead snakes are easily
recognizable by their triangular head and a
distinctive large pit midway between the eye
and the nostril. |
Summer is the time of year that snakes are most
often encountered. Over 50 percent of the population
suffers from ophidiophobia (fear of snakes) to some
degree. As a result, an all too common reaction to
an encounter with a snake is to kill it, no matter
what the species may be. This is a bad idea because
many species of snake provide us an invaluable
service: rodent control. As rodents are potential
disease vectors, responsible for the communication
of such serious diseases as hantavirus and Lyme
disease, it is important to control their numbers.
Also, certain small species, such as the Texas brown
snake, help to control serious garden pests such as
snails and slugs.
Of the 68 species of snake found in Texas, over
30 are found in our area, and of those 30, only 3
are venomous. Chances are, most sightings are of one
of the nonvenomous species. It is beneficial, to
both human and snake, to learn to identify the
venomous species.
The most commonly encountered venomous snake is
the southern copperhead. Although not aggressive,
this ubiquitous snake is responsible for most
envenomations occurring in our area. Due to the
composition and relatively small quantity of its
venom, copperhead bites rarely cause death, there
being only a few such recorded instances. Unlike
other snake species, the copperhead does very well
in urban areas, and is often found around homes and
other structures. Though encountered less often,
western cottonmouths do occasionally turn up around
dwellings, particularly if there is a body of water
nearby. Like the copperhead, this venomous snake is
not particularly aggressive, representing about 7%
of venomous snakebites occurring in Texas. It is
estimated that perhaps one fatality per year
nationwide results from cottonmouth envenomation.
This snake’s venom, although not necessarily lethal,
does tend to result in a large amount of tissue
death in the area of the bite. In fact, many bite
wounds become gangrenous and result in the loss of
the affected digit or limb. This snake is semi
aquatic, although it may also live quite well in a
relatively dry, terrestrial environment.
The third venomous snake found in our area is the
coral snake. This secretive snake is a member of the
same family as cobra and mamba species, and like
those snakes, possesses lethal neurotoxic venom.
They are not aggressive, however, and are armed with
small fangs that are incapable of penetrating shoes
and clothing. Virtually all coral snake
envenomations are the direct result of handling or
harassing the animal. This snake is fairly long and
skinny, measuring 2 to 2.5 feet in length. They are
strikingly colored, sporting bright red, yellow, and
black bands. There are a couple of other similarly
colored, but harmless species in our area that may
be distinguished from the coral snake by the order
in which the bands occur. In coral snakes, yellow
bands border each red band. An easy method of
remembering this identification feature is the
rhyme: “Red against yellow will kill a fellow. Red
against black, venom lack.” Also, the coral snake is
active during the day, whereas the other two species
are not. Chances are if you come across a snake with
this type of coloration during the day, it is a
coral snake.
If the worst should happen and a venomous snake
bites you, the most important thing to do is to get
to a hospital as soon as possible. It is also a good
idea to immobilize the bitten extremity, and remove
any jewelry such as rings or bracelets before
swelling occurs. Attempting to treat snakebite by
applying a tourniquet, making cuts across the
punctures and trying to remove the venom by suction,
or some other method will likely exacerbate the
situation. Hospitals treat an envenomation with a
combination of antivenin and antihistamines.
Antivenin is a type of medication that inhibits the
venom from binding to the tissues, thus limiting the
complications to the circulatory or nervous system.
Antihistamines are administered to control any
allergic reaction to the venom. Simply disinfecting
and lightly bandaging the wound is usually a
sufficient treatment for nonvenomous snakebites.
How do you keep snakes out of your yard? It’s
impossible to keep all of them out, but there are
steps you can take. The most important thing to do
is to eliminate possible hiding places for them. If
you have a lot of dense vegetation or debris in your
yard such as trash or brush piles, logs, scrap wood,
and the like, you are creating possible habitat for
both snakes and rodents. Where there are rodents,
there will be snakes. Birdseed spilled on the ground
from bird feeders will also attract rodents to your
yard. If you find a snake in your yard and you
determine it to be one of the aforementioned
venomous species, it is best if you leave it alone.
Often a person becomes a snakebite victim as a
result of trying to kill a snake. Another option is
to stand at a safe distance and spray it with a
garden hose. This will encourage the snake to leave.
Do not attempt to kill or drive away a snake with
gasoline or other dangerous chemicals. Pouring
gasoline out on the ground is illegal, and will
pollute the underlying ground water. If you feel you
must have a venomous snake removed, there are
individuals in our area knowledgeable in snake
removal.
It is important to remember that snakes are
important members of our ecology. As such, their
wanton elimination disrupts the delicate balance
between species, which can bring about some
unexpected and unwanted results. Snakes bite as a
last resort. They are far more afraid of you than
you are of them, and will always flee if given the
chance. Far more people suffer serious complications
or die each year from bee, wasp, and ant stings than
from snakebite. Learning more about snakes and their
behavior can help to alleviate the unwarranted fear
experienced by many due to lack of knowledge, and
may even foster a sense of appreciation for these
fascinating and beneficial animals.
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