agent-maroon said:

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Quote:

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We cannot categorically rule out the possibility of a fatal attack. In suburban areas and parks in Florida that contain ponds, canals or other bodies of water where large snakes could feel at home, the situation is likely similar to that experienced with alligators: attacks are improbable but possible in any locality where the animals are present and people are also present.

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Burmese Pythons in Florida

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I really don't understand why the National Park Service or whatever the governing body might be won't just turn loose all those Florida crackers to hunt down those invasive snakes. They're a serious, serious problem and they only let people hunt them. From what I understand they're very regimented and only occasionally let people hunt them in Everglades NP- they need to have regular hunts and as often as possible. Hell, put a bounty on those snakes if there isn't one already. And they need to have serious penalties on the jerk-offs who release their snakes into the wild.

DatTallArchitect said:

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Florida does have bounties put on the snakes. For some reason they seem to have to bring them in alive. That's what I don't understand.

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Yeah, but from what I recall there's a big difference between FWC and the Feds. The state of Florida has pretty much made it open season while the Feds are more restrictive and the Feds control the Everglades.

I don't believe FWC requires them to be brought in alive. In fact, I think I just saw that they can't be removed alive. However, FWC prohibits the use of firearms in many instances. I'd think they need to be out there with shotguns and 00 buck blasting every damn python they see. If they're worried about lead in the wetlands then maybe there's a market for non-toxic buckshot and market it as a Python load.

We need the story and pictures.

Really straight forward; took some pruning shears after 5-10 little bushes growing at the base on a large oak tree and the little sucker was curled up at the base. Thought I had poked my finger with a splinter or sticker vine and looked down and saw the grey pattern of the little efer. As you can see it's not like there was some massive growth going on around that tree; just enough that my weedeater wouldn't get it.

guess I could add context regarding time; first one of my hand is on the way to the ER; other hand pic is roughly 24 hrs later

[img][url=https://imgur.com/eO0IWh5][/url][/img][img][/img][img][/img]

Dang! Hope that didn't cost you too much.

It better not; a tetanus shot and a bag of fluid is all they gave me though they made me stay for 10 hrs of observation. Still no bill yet but it'll be the ER enhanced version I'm sure. Swelling never made it past my elbow so nothing else was needed.

I lied, I got a small splash of morphine too before they sent me home to dull the pain caused by the swelling.

KaneIsAble said:

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It better not; a tetanus shot and a bag of fluid is all they gave me though they made me stay for 10 hrs of observation. Still no bill yet but it'll be the ER enhanced version I'm sure. Swelling never made it past my elbow so nothing else was needed.

I lied, I got a small splash of morphine too before they sent me home to dull the pain caused by the swelling.

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"What did you expect after you attacked the little fella with gardening shears!"

{Texags Snake Forum}

About 18" long. Rat?

KaneIsAble said:

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No; but minnow traps showed up yesterday with snake tongs and I intend to rectify that soon; or at least take out some siblings. Honestly just freaked out and hauled ass but knowing what I know now I'd absolutely take the time to repay the deed.

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You going to bite it back?

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.

Badace,

Not intending for you to comment with your professional opinion, but I believe it has been awhile since we have had a "what to do if you're bitten by a venomous snake" conversation. Not trying to put you on the spot but if you wanted to share some pointers (e.g., keep your heart rate down, stay calm), I'm sure several on this board would greatly appreciate it.

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 kill 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.