Excellent! Thanks for sharing!
Snake Thread: 2021
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Last: 1 yr ago by mrsbeer05
Might want to post again on the next page so it doesn't get missed. Great stuff.
Badace52 said:
So with snakebites there are really more don'ts than dos.
Don't try to suck out the venom. It doesn't work at all. The venom courses through your body within seconds of the bite and you cannot remove enough from tissues near the bite to have a positive effect. In fact the trauma caused by many of the commercially available venom suction devices often actually causes more tissue damage and allows venom to spread further through tissue near the bite area. Also, if someone else tries to suck the venom out for you they may envenomate themselves.
Don't cut the bite site and try to express venom and blood from the area. This also doesn't work and you are causing undue damage to yourself.
If possible, immobilize the area of the bite site to slow spread of venom and local tissue destruction.
Don't apply a tourniquet. With crotalid envenomation (copperheads, rattlesnakes, and cottonmouths) this will cause massive tissue destruction and can result in the need for limb amputation or tissue debridement. The exception to this is with coral snake bites as their venom is nearly purely neurotoxic and will not cause much local tissue destruction. Still a tourniquet is generally not recommend, but a very tight pressure dressing is probably a good idea.
Don't freak out. Keeping calm and lowering your heart rate will slow venom spread (a little) and you are less likely to injure yourself rushing around.
Get to a hospital so you can be monitored for need to start antivenom. As stated above we monitor several blood markers for worsening of envenomation and development of a process called DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation) which is a deadly cascade of both coagulation and bleeding that can turn deadly very quickly. This process can occur after snakebite as a direct result of the snake venom.
If you have Benadryl readily available after you are bitten it is ok to take some, but don't waste time going to get Benadryl before heading to the ER, because we have plenty of it here.
It is possible to have an anaphylactic allergic reaction to a snakebite. Anaphylaxis occurs very quickly and can lead to rapid respiratory failure. It is also possible to have the same reaction to antivenom which is why we monitor people so closely after bites and try to avoid giving antivenom if it isn't absolutely necessary.
So it's been 12 days now and my palm and top of hand are still sore but the swelling is basically gone minus my ring finger where I got bit. It feels like my skin is going to snap when I make a fist but is better than yesterday; which was better than the day before.
Badace is spot on too not that anyone needed my acknowledgment. The last step to releasing me from the ER was through a blood draw to check on my blood coagulation.
Badace is spot on too not that anyone needed my acknowledgment. The last step to releasing me from the ER was through a blood draw to check on my blood coagulation.
I had a friend ask me what this is. I don't think, "a snake", was what he was looking for. Poor quality picture, but it's all that I have.
brown snake
12f Mane said:
brown snake
Thanks! I knew it wasn't venomous but other than that, I was useless.
First catch of the year.
Didn't even have to see the name to know who posted this pic!
That's great!
I never thought of using the empty Tidy Cat litter boxes as a snake depot. I might as well warm it up, as I had an armadillo and a skunk on the dog walk at 6 this morning. So the rest of the slithery kingdom will likely be along any day.
I never thought of using the empty Tidy Cat litter boxes as a snake depot. I might as well warm it up, as I had an armadillo and a skunk on the dog walk at 6 this morning. So the rest of the slithery kingdom will likely be along any day.
Yeah, has a handle and the pop-down lid in case the snake is bigger or an ambitious climber. Saw a nice 4' water snake in my driveway a couple days back near my neighbor's pond.
Given the recent spate of venomous snakes around the field where my 10-year old has baseball practice I've gotten a little jumpy about shagging foul balls that go over the fence into the brush. Especially since it's usually pretty dark and can be hard to see- last night one kid hit a foul ball that rolled into the mouth of a hole of some kind. I left it there.
If I can see the snakes I really have no issue whatsoever but combining the very low light conditions and the brush, pine needles, and fallen branches/leaves makes it real snaky and hard to see. It's the unknown that bothers me a bit.
If I can see the snakes I really have no issue whatsoever but combining the very low light conditions and the brush, pine needles, and fallen branches/leaves makes it real snaky and hard to see. It's the unknown that bothers me a bit.
If you make a lot of noise and stomp around, snakes will usually get out of your way. They don't like being stepped on any more than you like stepping on them.
Hunting ambush predator snakes are somewhat of an exception to this rule and unfortunately most of our venomous species are predominantly ambush predators.
Hunting ambush predator snakes are somewhat of an exception to this rule and unfortunately most of our venomous species are predominantly ambush predators.
CM
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
Badace52 said:
If you make a lot of noise and stomp around, snakes will usually get out of your way. They don't like being stepped on any more than you like stepping on them.
Hunting ambush predator snakes are somewhat of an exception to this rule and unfortunately most of our venomous species are predominantly ambush predators.
I definitely make noise and try to use a stick or baseball bat to shake any brush near a ball I'm picking up. I'm not worried about the rat or hognose we see, it's the copperhead that's sitting still and hiding. And both of the coral snakes I've seen were hauling ass to get away. Only reason I got a pic of the first one was because I was able to gently pin his tail with a bat before I chased him off the field.
I see lots of small copperheads at my house, but I ain't got any time for a copperhead that size!
spray some purple paint or something on them this year, so we can track if you have 1000 resident coppers or just 5 who like to come back every few daysMouthBQ98 said:
First catch of the year.
I think it would be better if he used those little decorative beaded collar things that ladies like to put around the stem of their wine glasses so they can tell which glass is theirs. I can just imagine the neighbors starting to see copperheads hanging around wearing jewelry...JSKolache said:spray some purple paint or something on them this year, so we can track if you have 1000 resident coppers or just 5 who like to come back every few daysMouthBQ98 said:
First catch of the year.
Came across two water snakes fighting over the same catfish. We watched them battle for 30 minutes before the one on the tail end finally gave it up.
It's like a creepy Lady & the Tramp
Found this pbws in the creek behind my house yesterday after the water had receded from the rain
Horrible pics from my wife. Two separate snakes, What are the odds? Two snakes on her morning walk. Sugar Land (Greatwood)
In my father in laws yard east of Kennard.
Might want to take that pic down and advise your FIL it's illegal to kill timber rattlers in Texas.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/timberrattlesnake/
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/timberrattlesnake/
TarponChaser said:
Might want to take that pic down and advise your FIL it's illegal to kill timber rattlers in Texas.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/timberrattlesnake/
Not anymore
chickencoupe16 said:TarponChaser said:
Might want to take that pic down and advise your FIL it's illegal to kill timber rattlers in Texas.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/timberrattlesnake/
Not anymore
When did this change? I was watching Lone Star Law on Friday and a guy got in trouble killing a timber. Must have been an old episode?
"If you are reading this, I have passed on from this world — not as big a deal for you as it was for me."
T. Boone Pickens
T. Boone Pickens
It's been at least 1 year but not much over that. I want to say March 2020 is when it ended.
vander54 said:
It's been at least 1 year but not much over that. I want to say March 2020 is when it ended.
Got a link to that? Because the TxPW page I linked above still says it's prohibited.
According to this, September is when it changed.
https://www.news-journal.com/features/answer_line/answer-line-timber-rattlers-off-threatened-list/article_3ce999e0-f47e-11ea-8b5a-03be0f3bdb2b.html
https://www.news-journal.com/features/answer_line/answer-line-timber-rattlers-off-threatened-list/article_3ce999e0-f47e-11ea-8b5a-03be0f3bdb2b.html
TarponChaser said:vander54 said:
It's been at least 1 year but not much over that. I want to say March 2020 is when it ended.
Got a link to that? Because the TxPW page I linked above still says it's prohibited.
Effective March 30, 2020. Timbers are no longer on the list.
https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/fids/202001043-1.pdf
January 23, 2020 the request was made to remove them
https://tpwd.texas.gov/business/feedback/meetings/2020/0123/agenda/item_02/index.phtml
Well I'll be dipped. I stand corrected. Carry on.
Badace52 said:
You should always go to the hospital if bitten by a rattlesnake or cottonmouth. We monitor several markers present in your blood in addition to the progression of swelling and redness to decide whether or not to give antivenom.
With a Texas Coral Snake bite or copperhead bite it is less clear cut whether or not going to the hospital for monitoring is absolutely necessary. It is still recommended by all the medical experts, but it is pretty rare for a copperhead bite to require antivenom in an adult (there have been a few recent case fatalities from copperhead bites). Coral snake antivenom is not readily available at most hospitals and there has never been a documented fatality from a Texas Coral Snake bite. Eastern and Arizona Coral snakes have both caused fatalities but not Texas Corals.
What is the risk of Texas corals to children? My kiddos are 10 and 7, probably 75 and 50 lbs. We regularly have corals on our property. I'm a live and let live guy thanks to a lot of y'all on these threads, but the Corals make me nervous.
I have heard the tales of their small mouths and difficult envenomation in humans but what's the risk for small humans?
My kids know not to handle them and come get dad, they would not actively pick up a coral, just thought I'd get your opinion. Tree removal crew killed another one this week while I was at work. We encounter a couple a year.
There have been texas coral Snake bites to children and as of yet none have resulted in death. I have seen the neurotoxin cause some moderate paraesthesia in adults with some associated shortness of breath, but never to the point of respiratory failure. Children are definitely more at risk of severe neurotoxicity. I too would be concerned for a small child with a coral snake bite. Even more concerned if they were less than 50 lbs .
CM
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
Many thanks. Appreciate your time and expertise.
anyone able to ascertain what these are from the bad pics?Tabasco said:
Horrible pics from my wife. Two separate snakes, What are the odds? Two snakes on her morning walk. Sugar Land (Greatwood)