Welcome to the country! Snakes edition part deux
 

Holy Guacamole!!!!

I just walked out to the garage to get something out of the freezer. It's about 100-150'. I've been trying to keep the grass mowed short. When I walk around the property, I stare at the ground where I'm walking. Even with all of that, I just stepped on this.

He's just sitting in the middle of the yard in the grass not near anything.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1621456641.jpg

I realized that I was about to step on "something" a split second before my foot hit the ground. I guess I'm happy (and VERY lucky) that 1 The ground is soft from a ton of rain in the last 24 hours, 2 the soles of the shoes that I was wearing are relatively soft and spongy and 3 it's unseasonably cool (68º) outside.

I saw that I stepped on him, and I felt that I stepped on him. I took about another 4, 5 or 6 steps. My heart stopped. I pooped a little, and then I went back to take pictures.

I came inside. About 5 or more mins later, I went back out and he was still there. I have heard that spraying them lightly with water will often usher them along. It didn't do anything.

About 15-20 mins later, I fed the dog and took him outside. The snake was still there, hadn't moved since I sprayed him with water. Then I noticed that there were two big frogs where the wife's car had been parked. I carried one over and dropped it right in front of the snake. No movement. Then I moved some grass with a long twig so I could see his head (was obscured by grass after the spray with the hose, playing by a copperheads head with a twig, probably not the brightest thing). Then I went and got the other frog and dropped it right on the snakes head. I got a tiny movement of the head that time, but that's it. The snake and frogs aren't moving much. I guess the low temps and heavy rains have them cooled off so they aren't feeling perky.

I wish I had one of those hooks. I'd move him to the field next door. I'd rather he wasn't hanging out in the middle of the yard.

Yes, I'm still feeling the effects of the adrenaline.

In '69 I was on a search for a lost kid in Sequoia Natl. Park and came upon a nice sized rattle snake early in the morning while it was still cool. It was coiled up and no matter how much I poked it, it would only move very slowly. I left it there.
We see snakes here once in a while (only maybe six rattlers in eleven years), & I leave them alone or carry them over into the weeds/grass and let them go. This is the last one I saw two years ago in the shade of my tractor parked in the driveway. It rattled at first, but after I tried to pick it up with the mop handle, it just wanted to leave after a while. I finally got it onto the handle and put it up in the grass on the slope above the house.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1621460399.jpg

I want to get a
https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/...10/38_Hook.jpg

About any old stick will do. Usually they just hang off each side and stay there for a while if you pick them up in the middle.

I just went out. I think it's been 2 hours or more and the snake's still sitting there. When I walked up the frog was resting its chin on the snake, but as I approached the frog moved a little.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1621461000.jpg

I have a few of these:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1621461415.jpg

38" reach, keeps me from stooping to pick **** up. Two at the barn, two at the house:cool:

Snakes not included:D

Shovel, split head from bode, split head length wise. Bury.

If it's not a venomous snake, let it live.

He probably would have fit into the palm of my hand with my fingers outstretched with room to spare.

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I thought I had something in the garage that the old owner left that would work. I didn't see what I remembered, but then I saw what is probably a 4' piece of rebar. I bent it similar-ish to a snake hook. I need a grinder to smooth and shape the hook a bit but it worked.

Sorry for the vertical video. I was trying to watch the snake that I was carrying, watch the ground for other snakes, and keep the phone/camera pointed at the snake.

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That’s called a “nope rope”.

Pretty sure if my mother was still with us, she’d chop it up like onions with a garden hoe.

I’d prob relocate it further away.

It’ll prob go right back out in the sun to try and warm up. :confused:

I prefer "danger noodle."

My wife got bit by a copperhead. Took a LONG time to mostly get over. She ended up getting RSD, which sucked more than somewhat. Took years to wear a regular shoe.

That is one lethargic snake.

Yikes. I joined a facebook group called "National Snakebite Support" after my first run in with a (non-venomous) snake. I've got the protocol for dealing with snake bites down, mostly in my head but also links and screenshots on my phone. What I need to do is figure out what the nearest hospital is that's got antivenom. No point in going anywhere else.
Yep, we had lots of cold rain yesterday, last night and this morning. I'm guessing that's what had him so lethargic. I'm not complaining!

I told the wife about the snake. SHe was concerned. THen I told her that I dropped a frog on the snake and she was angry that I'd put the frog in harms way.

Snakes gotta eat, same as worms...

Yep, Dangle Noodle. Copper gots the hurt juice.

This is the one I have. If you do it right, you cannot get hurt using one of these.

https://www.amazon.com/Ouronehome-Professional-All-Aluminum-Handling-Comfortable/dp/B07T6SR1GW/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=snake+stick&qid=16214 81292&sr=8-5

I think that is a toad, not a frog.

Meanwhile, in Florida...

https://i.imgur.com/AXHKtbo.mp4


(I don't know how to make an Imgur file live or embedded.)

Yes you are correct, but...
https://www.reconnectwithnature.org/news-events/the-buzz/what-s-the-difference-frog-vs-toad

That is way "more better" than what I posted.

Just ordered two!

I'm glad we don't have snakes in Hawaii.

Just the 2 legged kind...

I did some checking this morning. Closest hospital that has anti-venom to you is Columbus Community Hospital. 110 Shult Dr, Columbus, TX 78934. The ER said to expect at least a 6 hour stay, worst case, they fly you out to either Austin or Houston, most often Houston.

Long ago I went to a reptile exhibit near Luray Caverns in VA. IIRC, Steve Irwin (Crocodile Hunter) funded some of it. They had every one of the most exotic, venomous snakes you ever heard of - Taipan, Green Mamba, Gaboon Viper, King Cobra, you name it. I got talking with the owner and asked him what he could do if he ever got tagged while cleaning the cages or moving the snakes around. He replied that he'd have to get med-evac'ed to Johns Hopkins. Yeah, I'm sure that would take no time at all and they'd have whatever antivenin he needed.

Wow, thanks! And that's great, that Columbus has it. They are close. I was hoping it would be something like that.

They use Crofab in Columbus, if I remember correctly. They said a copperhead might knock you down for several days, but should heal after a bite with good treatment.

My understanding is that until fairly recently the only approved antivenom in the US was CroFab. Recently, something that I think is called AnaVip was approved and comes from Mexico and is MUCH cheaper than CroFab.

It's interesting the CroFab is a UK company. The raw snake venom comes from the US and is then sent to the UK to be tested. The venom is then sent to New Zealand to be injected into sheep. The anti-venom is then removed from the sheep and shipped back to the UK for testing and processing. Then for the US it is shipped back here.

This is an image from crofab (if it works correctly) showing the geography of the process.

https://crofab.com/CroFab/media/CroF...uction-map.svg

are we NOT going to discuss the half-shirt Marv is rocking in that picture?! :)

lol
:d

When my brother moved to his new location I took it upon myself to check and see if the local Urgent care place had antivenom for rattlesnakes as that would have been the first place I'd taken him if we'd run into a snake with a bad result. Turns out, they don't have any there. Glad I checked that out as we were told the nearest hospital which is 12 miles away would be our best bet as to who would have some on hand. I haven't checked to see if they do, but I can't imagine a hospital in such a snake friendly environment wouldn't have it. Guess I need to have him check.

Right, it seems like the time to do it is not after you've been bitten, but before. It would suck to have to sit down and make a bunch of phone calls or assume and drive to several different places after getting bitten. It seems like the time when you'd want to know exactly where to go.

My concern was what locations in the area would be big enough to have the $$$$ antivenom. Fortunately, it seems living relatively close to the city that's the county seat has perks.

Just to follow up.
I called the local hospital that the Urgent care facility reco'd to me and they do indeed have antivenom. I let my brother know too.

I can relax now.

Interesting, never knew that. Next time I'm there, I'll drop off a few mating pairs of Pythons.

Exactly. It seems important to know if you're in an area with plenty and likely to run into them like I am or your brother.

Next time I see a copperhead, I'll stick him in the post. I'm guessing I can put him in a cooler, get him into brumation and he'll be fine.

I did a project recently that had rattlesnakes. some contractor guy blurted out that snake venom is not covered by insurance. total hooey. but he did get in my head and I called my insurance provider and hospital. they had the antivenom on hands and yes, it was covered by insurance. workmans comp if it happened at work. my own insurance if it happens while I am mtn biking.

no big deal.

It's still a huge deal. I've been watching the "National Snakebite Support" group on Facebook for a couple of weeks now. You'd be surprised at how many hospitals don't give anti-venom or follow the correct, modern protocol of snakebite treatment.

The facebook group is monitored by Doctors (MDs and toxicologists) and Vets. If you get a snakebite, you post and they advise you.

Things that I've taken away from it (this is not medical advice and I'm not qualified to give medical advice, if you get bit, go to a Dr/ER). elevate the extremity with the bite (ie, if it's your leg, get it up in the air at least at a 45º angle and keep the leg straight). Don't bother with benedryl. Don't take NSAIDs (they can make it worse). Don't ice the swelling (can cause tissue damage). And if the symptoms fit, give anti-venom. My understanding is that recovery from a snake bite can take a looooong time, and there can be permanent damage as a result.

I think I've read that most folks will require 4-12 vials of anti-venom. It's NOT based on the size of the person. It's based on the volume of venom injected by the snake, and I assume that's estimated based on the severity of the symptoms.

https://bmcemergmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-227X-11-2

https://media.springernature.com/ful..._Fig1_HTML.jpg

I've seen folks talking back and forth on facebook that are in hospitals with photos of swollen feet, legs, hands, etc.... that are sent home without anti-venom or given tylenol and don't have the bite elevated.



https://khn.org/news/april-medical-bill-of-month-143k-snakebite-antivenin/
excerpts from the article
If you even get bit, don't assume the medical folks know what they are doing. I'm not saying that they don't, I'm just saying don't assume that they do.

I figured it would have been Fayette County, La Grange. That's who I called first, they said Columbus, as they do not have it. Colorado County is on top. I would have never guessed. Makes sense though. They need the best being on I10 in the middle of nowhere.

Guadalupe Regional has it, only blocks away from me. I know copperhead snakes are in my back yard, I just hadn't seen one yet. Only a matter of time.

Wow, yeah, I would have expected La Grange to have it too. I'm shocked!

Lucky me! Hopefully, I never need it.

Our local Nextdoor.com has posts just about weekly asking about a snake on someone's property. PD and FD won't deal with them here. So I volunteered and said I'd be happy to safely remove any snake and relocate it to the desert. Last week I got the first call, but I was on my way to work and wouldn't be back for several hours. From the lady's description, it sounded like a big Bull Snake, so no danger at all. By the time I got home and texted her, the snake had moved on. But I really look forward to relocating a Rattler for someone.