The pain is unbearable. He does not much feel like talking, but Darian Baehler knows he is lucky to have his left foot. A rattlesnake bit his leg not once, but twice. He has had two surgeries, so far, to relieve pressure from the swelling. He was moved from intensive care to intermediate care at University Medical Center Brackenridge Tuesday afternoon.

Darian’s father, Todd Baehler, said, “It’s just unbelievable. I could not believe a snake bite could do this much damage. He’s going to be in the hospital another week or so. He’s going to have physical therapy, he’s going to have plastic surgery, he’s going to have a lot of problems.”

It happened Friday, when Baehler and a group of kids were headed home down a wooded path near Southwest Regional Park in Williamson County. His sister Nicole says it got dark all of the sudden. One of their friends unknowingly stepped over a rattlesnake. Soon they all knew.

“It was really loud,” Nicole Baehler said. “Like, you know, like moraccas or whatever, that’s what it sounded like.

Game warden Turk Jones says dusk and dark in the summer are prime time for snakes.

“They’re gonna be out in the evening, 9 o’clock, 10 o’clock, the time those kids were walking through here,” Jones said.

Six-year-old Carson Perreault was also in the group. “I wouldn’t have survived it,” Perrault said

Doctors agree, which strikes a chord with Todd Baehler.

“That was scary to me because people walk their dogs back there. People ride their bikes back there,” Baehler said.

Doctors at UMC Brackenridge say they see 40-50 snake bites a year, mostly during the summer months. They say rattlesnake anti-venom runs about $2,000 a vial. Baehler had to have 33 vials. Doctors say that the anti-venom can mean the difference between keeping and losing a limb, and in some cases, life and death. That is why they say anyone who is the victim of a snake bite, no matter how minor, should seek emergency medical treatment.

via Teenager fighting to keep his foot after rattlesnake bites | kvue.com | KVUE News | Austin, TX | Breaking News.

Although a Trafford man was bit by a snake in Fayette County early Thursday morning, a local herpetologist said close encounters with reptiles are rare.

Chad Heasley, 39, was riding an all-terrain vehicle through the woods with friends when his vehicle got stuck in mud. State police said he went to get some rocks to help elevate his tires and a snake bit him. He was flown to Highlands Hospital and Health Center in Connellsville. A report on his condition was not immediately available.

Ken Stairs of Somerset, a field biologist, said trails go through scenic areas of high mountains where snakes live. Police had not confirmed what kind of snake bit Heasley, but there are copperheads and rattlesnakes in the woods near Connellsville, Stairs said.

“They are secretive and they like to go undetected and unmolested,” he said. “If you step on one or try to pick it up, you will get bit. The snake feels threatened.”

Snakes are often found around rocks or beside logs.

“Never be afraid to hike, but wear boots or sturdy shoes, not flip-flops,” he said. “Look carefully before sitting on the ground and don’t put your fingers on ledges without looking carefully. Step up on logs and look around the side before stepping over it. A snake may be lying on the ground near the log waiting for a chipmunk. Stay on the trail.”

It isn’t true that snakes travel in pairs. Adults that are hunting will be alone. Gestating females will be in groups — he once saw 46 together at a boulder. It isn’t true that snakes can strike a great distance. They can only strike about half of their body length or a little longer if they are on a rock. Their body length isn’t as long as people think, either.

“Snakes aren’t going to chase anybody,” he said. “They are looking for an escape route. Noise wakes them. If you hear a rattle, stop, look for the snake and sidestep around him.”

Ninety-five percent of snakes are nonpoisonous, Stairs said. Those bites are similar to scratches. Someone who is bitten by a poisonous snake can be treated in most hospitals and should be fine if he doesn’t have any underlying medical problems. It isn’t true that physicians need to know what type of snake bit you before starting treatment, he said. The medication is the same.

“Don’t take the snake to the hospital with you — it causes trauma in the ER,” Stairs said. “Thirty percent of bites are dry bites. Out in the southwest you may be further away from medical facilities and the snakes are bigger and have a higher toxicity. There a snake bite is more dangerous.”

Stairs was bitten by a snake once. He had wild-caught a western diamondback rattlesnake in Texas and brought it back with him. He was measuring the snake and it bit him on the thumb.

“It didn’t like being handled,” he said. “I spent seven days in the hospital.”

Venomous snake bites can cause tissue and nerve death. If you are bitten by a rattlesnake or copperhead snake, immobilize the limb at or above the heart if possible. If you are bit on the hand or arm, put your arm across your stomach and hold it there. If you have a cell phone with you, call 911.

“Remain calm — I know it’s hard, but keep your heart rate from going up,” Stairs said. “Get to the nearest medical facility as soon as you can, but don’t run. That raises the heart rate. If you are bit on the hand, remove any rings you’re wearing because your hand will swell. If you have a constricting band — not a tourniquet — put it above the bite. Don’t drink alcohol or take medications.”

The new antivenin serum is sheep blood based and has fewer side effects than the older one that was horse blood based.

About five years ago, he asked the state Health Department how many people in Pennsylvania died of bites from indigenous snakes. There were no deaths for 10 years prior to that.

Stairs and three other men are catching large male rattlesnakes and copperheads on a mountain in Bedford County where wind turbines are to be placed. Two-inch-long transmitters will be implanted in the snakes to track them to dens. The dens will be mapped so the wind turbines don’t break up the dens. The snakes will be caught again in the spring to remove the implants.

Dave Fox, Somerset County 911 coordinator, said people who hike on the trails or through woods need to be aware of where they are. They’ve had problems before with people having a medical emergency on the trail and because they are calling on an older cell phone or the tree canopy was interfering with reception, the 911 center couldn’t pinpoint their location.

“We asked one person where he parked his car so we’d have a starting point, and he replied ‘In a lot with a sign with a big P on it,’” he said. “You need to be aware of which trail you are on and where you went in. Try to know what direction you walked and about how far you walked. If you have a GPS that can be used while walking and a cell phone, take them along. Some people leave the main trail and are on footpaths. That causes problems. Never go alone. It’s like hunting season: You’re safer if you go in numbers. If you do go alone, tell somebody where you are going. People should also wear proper clothing in case they are stranded outside at night. Carry matches to start a fire. Take any survival gear you have.”

via Man bitten by snake in Fayette County woods – Johnstown’s Community Newspaper.

“Hey Dad, I’m riding a turtle.”

My 13-year-old daughter, Abby, was helping clear some of the weeds from our pond and was calling out to me while standing neck deep in weedy water.

I glanced over at her smiling face from where I was lifting out clumps of weeds. The claim didn’t make much sense to me and I figured this was going to be some kind of joke: “Nah, you’re not riding a turtle.”

“Well I’m standing on its back and it’s moving.”

“It’s probably a rock.”

“How much will you give me if it’s a turtle?” she persisted.

“I’ll give you five bucks.” I was starting to think maybe she was really riding a turtle.

“If you’re really on a snapping turtle you’d probably better just swim away, those things have a bite.”

“I really want to catch him. Bring over a bucket so I can throw him in it when I get him.”

I waded over with a medium-sized bucket.

“That’s not big enough.”

I waded back with five gallon bucket. Abby paused. “What are you doing, Abby?”

“Praying.”

The next moment Abby went down under water while I stood with the bucket at the ready.

She came up with a huge snapping monster which she quickly pitched into the bucket.

We took this beast onto shore and surveyed him as he easily snapped off finger-thick sticks with lightning strikes from his powerful jaws.

I was picturing my daughter’s fingers.

“Abby, next time you’re riding a turtle just swim away. But, I have to say, I believe that’s a $10 turtle.”

Snapping turtles are just one of the dangerous creatures folks encounter in east Tennessee. However snappers almost never bother you unless you’re actively bothering them.

Let’s take a brief look at the other potentially dangerous creatures you might encounter around the woods, streams, ponds and backyards of our area.

Let’s start with snakes. There are four kinds of venomous snakes in Tennessee: northern and southern copperhead, timber rattlesnake, western cottonmouth and the western pigmy rattlesnake.

The copperhead is a relatively shy snake, but they account for the most reported bites each year in Tennessee.

Roughly 50 percent of their bites are dry bites; meaning that when they bite, no venom is injected.

Fatal bites are exceedingly rare in Tennessee. Although there are 50,000 deaths worldwide from venomous snakebites reported each year, only 12-15 are in the United States.

Within Tennessee, only four deaths from venomous snakebites have been reported since 1960.

If bitten, the best approach is to try to remain calm and get to a local emergency room. Remove all jewelry around or above the bite area, since there will probably be swelling. But do not apply a tourniquet, nor make cuts around the bite, nor try to suck out the venom. These are outdated approaches that can cause delay, tissue damage, and infection. Don’t try to capture the snake since anti venom is the same for all Tennessee snakes and trying to capture the snake only increases the chances of a second snakebite victim. On average, bites from copperheads result in a week of pain, eleven days of extremity swelling, and two weeks of missed work.

Moving to the smaller culprits, there are two spiders of concern: the black widow and the brown recluse. The black widow is black with a telltale yellow or red hourglass marking on its underside. They are often found in basements, woodpiles and rock walls. Symptoms of a bite may include profuse sweating, nausea, vomiting, headache, and muscle spasms.

The brown recluse hides out in unused shoes, attics, closets and boxes. Its venom destroys tissue. Pain may occur at the bite site six to eight hours afterwards. At 48 hours, there may be itching, redness, blisters, and then a dark crust may form at the bite site followed by sloughing off of some tissue. A visit to the doctor would be wise after a bite from either of these two venomous spiders.

Tennessee is also home to two species of scorpion, the southern unstriped scorpion and the introduced striped Scorpion. Rocky hillsides, rock or brick walls, crawl spaces, and log piles are favorite scorpion habitats. The sting of these scorpions is considered mild. The sensation is a sharp pain that usually lasts for 15 to 20 minutes.

What about fish? The dorsal and pectoral fins of many species of catfish, particularly the small mad toms, have venomous spines that can inflict painful wounds, though generally not life threatening.

Then, of course, there are the red and the black fire ants, bees, wasps, and hornets.

If you should get bitten or stung by any of these creatures, be sure to get immediate medical attention if any of the following occur: Difficulty breathing, swelling of the lips or throat, slurred speech, chest pain, faintness, rapid heart rate, nausea, cramping, vomiting, or a known venomous snakebite.

In spite of all these worrisome critters, the outdoors is still hard to beat here in east Tennessee. So enjoy it! But keep your eyes open.

via Dangerous creatures could ruin a summer.

It is really hard to tell which animal is the most poisonous in the world. The one that has the most toxic chemicals? The one that kills the biggest amount of people a year? Or maybe the one with the biggest amount of poison?

First of all, I have to admit that the title is a bit incorrect, because there is a difference between poisonous and venomous animals. A poisonous animal carries harmful chemicals called toxins primarily used for self defense. Therefore venomous animals deliver their toxins by stinging, stabbing, or biting. So poisonous animals are passive killers, while venomous animals are active killers.

Nevertheless, theory aside, they are all really dangerous. So look really closely at each photo, cause next time you meet them can be the last thing you ever see.

1. Box Jellyfish

The top prize for “The World Most Venomous Animal,” would go to the Box Jellyfish. It has caused at least 5,567 recorded deaths since 1954. Their venom is among the most deadly in the world. It’s toxins attack the heart, nervous system, and skin cells. And the worst part of it is that jelly box venom is so overpoweringly painful, that human victims go in shock, drown or die of heart failure before even reaching shore. Survivors experience pain weeks after the contact with box jellies.

You have virtually no chance to survive the venomous sting, unless treated immediately. After a sting, vinegar should be applied for a minimum of 30 seconds. Vinegar has acetic acid, which disables the box jelly’s nematocysts that have not yet discharged into the bloodstream (though it will not alleviate the pain). Wearing panty hose while swimming is also a good prevention measure since it can prevent jellies from being able to harm your legs.

Jelly box can be found in the waters around Asia and Australia.

2. King Cobra

The King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the world’s longest venomous snake – growing up to 5.6 m (18.5 ft) in length. Ophiophagus, literally means “snake-eater” as it eats other snakes. One single bite of this deadly snake can easily kill a human. This snake is even capable of killing a full-grown Asian Elephant within 3 hours if the larger animal is bitten in a vulnerable area such as the trunk.

It’s venom is not as toxic as other venomous snakes, but King Cobra is capable of injecting 5 times more venom than black mamba and can result in mortality up to 5 times faster than that of the black mamba. It is quite widespread, ranging across South and South-east Asia, living in dense highland forests.

3. Marbled Cone Snail

This little beautiful looking Marbled Cone snail can be as deadly as any other animal on this list. One drop of its venom is so powerful that it can kill more than 20 humans. If you ever happen to be in warm salt water environment (where these snails are often found) and see it, don’t even think of picking it up. Of course, the true purpose of its venom is to catch its prey.

Symptoms of a cone snail sting can start immediately or can be delayed in onset for days. It results in intense pain, swelling, numbness and tingling. Severe cases involve muscle paralysis, vision changes and breathing failure. There is no antivenom. However, only about 30 human deaths have been recorded from cone snail envenomation.

4. Blue-Ringed Octopus

The Blue-Ringed Octopus is very small, only the size of a golf ball, but its venom is so powerful that can kill a human. Actually it carries enough poison to kill 26 adult humans within minutes, and there is no antidote. They are currently recognized as one of the world’s most venomous animals.

Its painless bite may seem harmless, but the deadly neurotoxins begin working immediately resulting in muscular weakness, numbness, followed by a cessation and breathing and ultimately death.

They can be found in tide pools in the Pacific Ocean, from Japan to Australia.

5. Death Stalker Scorpion

Contrarily to the popular belief most of the scorpions are relatively harmless to humans as stings produce only local effects (pain, numbness or swelling). However, the Death Starker Scorpion is highly dangerous species because its venom is a powerful cocktail of neurotoxins which causes an intense and unbearable pain, then fever, followed by coma, convulsions, paralysis and death. Fortunately, while a sting from this scorpion is extremely painful, it would be unlikely to kill a healthy, adult human. Young children, the old, or infirm (with a heart condition) are at the biggest risk.

Death stalker scorpions are spread in North Africa and Middle East.

6. Stonefish

Maybe Stonefish would never win a beauty contest, but it would definitely win the top prize for being “The World Most Venomous Fish”. Its venom causes such a severe pain that the victims of its sting want the affected limb to be amputated. It is described as the worst pain known to man. It is accompanied with possible shock, paralysis, and tissue death. If not given medical attention within a couple of hours It can be fatal to humans.

Stonefish stores its toxins in gruesome-looking spines that are designed to hurt would-be predators.

Stonefish mostly live above the tropic of Capricorn, often found in the shallow tropical marine waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans, ranging from the Red Sea to the Queensland Great Barrier Reef.

7. The Brazilian wandering spider

The Brazilian Wandering Spider (Phoneutria) or banana spider appears in the Guinness Book of World Records 2007 for the most venomous spider and is the spider responsible for most human deaths.

This spider is believed to have the most potent neurotoxic venom of any living spider. Only 0.006mg (0.00000021oz) is sufficient to kill a mouse. They are also so dangerous because of their wandering nature. They often hide during daytime in highly populated areas inside houses, clothes, boots, and cars.

Its venomous bite causes not only intense pain, the venom of the spider can also cause priapism – uncomfortable erections lasting for many hours that lead to impotence.

8. Inland Taipan

The prize for “The World’s Most Venomous Snake” goes to the Inland Taipan of Australia. Just a single bite from this snake contains enough venom to kill 100 human adults or an army of 250,000 mice. Its venom is at least 200 – 400 times more toxic than a common cobra. The Inland Taiwan’s extremely neurotoxic venom can kill an adult human in as little as 45 minutes. Fortunately this snake is very shy and there have been no documented human fatalities (all known bites were treated with antivenin).

9. Poison Dart Frog

If you ever happen to be running through the rain forests somewhere in Central or South America, do not ever pick up beautiful and colorful frogs – it can be the Poison Dart Frog. This frog is probably the most poisonous animal on earth.The 2 inch long (5cm) golden poison dart frog has enough venom to kill 10 adult humans or 20,000 mice. Only 2 micrograms of this lethal toxin (the amount that fits on the head of a pin) is capable of killing a human or other large mammal. They are called “dart frogs” because indigenous Amerindians’ use of their toxic secretions to poison the tips of their blow-darts. Poison dart frogs keep their poison in their skins and will sicken or kill anybody who touches or eats it.

10. Puffer Fish

Puffer Fish are the second most poisonous vertebrate on earth (the first one is golden dart Frog). The meat of some species is a delicacy in both Japan (as fugu) and Korea (as bok-uh) but the problem is that the skin and certain organs of many puffer fish are very poisonous to humans.

This puffy fish produce rapid and violent death..Puffer’s poisoning causes deadening of the tongue and lips, dizziness, vomiting, rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing, and muscle paralysis. Victims die from suffocation as diaphragm muscles are paralyzed. Most of the victims die after four to 24 hours. There is no known antidote, Most deaths from fugu happen when untrained people catch and prepare the fish.

Statistics show that there were 20 to 44 incidents of fugu poisoning per year between 1996 and 2006 in all of Japan and up to six incidents per year led to death. Since Fugu’s poison can cause near instantaneous death, only licensed chefs are allowed to prepare it.

via The World`s Biggests: 10 Most Poisonous Animals in the World.

TAMPA – Growing up in Tampa, Mike Hendershot thought he knew snakes. He's even been bitten by non-poisonous ones a couple of times.

So Sunday night when he and his friends saw a foot and a half long snake under their car, Mike thought it was harmless.

“I've messed with snakes before. I saw this one, it looked like a garden snake to me. I just tried to, I was messing around. I tried to grab it,” he said.

But the snake turned its head, striking him. Its fangs pierced Mike's middle finger on his right hand.'

“It was as if someone hit me with a hammer on the finger. And then a needle. It was just a stinging, numbing pain,” he recalled, from his hospital room at University Community Hospital, in Tampa.

The 22-year-old recent FSU grad said he and his friends went on the internet and saw a picture of the snake. It turned out it was a water moccasin, a highly venomous snake.

Mike's friends rushed him to UCH, where he received 12 vials of anti-venin.

Hospital staff have had a lot of experience in venomous snake bites.

Last year, UCH treated the most poisonous snake bites than any other hospital in the country, with 15.

Jim Maister, a clinical pharmacist with UCH, said this is the season for snakes.

“Yes, it is the season. Summertime. They are cold-blooded animals, so they do need to warm themselves in the sun. It's one of those things, we have to be careful and we have to respect their environment too,” Maister said.

He's particularly worried right now too.

“Because this week, next week, all the kids get out of school. And there are lots of areas that are under construction. Areas that are plowed out or mowed over. These animals need some place to go, so they are going to end up in your garage, under your car,” Maister said.

Maister also says we all need to respect these animal's environment, and Mike Hendershot agrees. He admits it wasn't as easy as he thought to detect the differences between the poisonous snakes and the harmless ones.

“Don't grab them, that's for sure. Just don't even get around them,” Hendershot warned.

via Poisonous snakebite sends man to ER.

Link

Be careful and don’t ever try to handle a rattlesnake – even the pros get bitten.

It’s Snake Season: Clarkdale snake catcher bitten by rattlesnake

CLARKDALE — Mother’s Day had been a really good day for Kevin and Katie Keller’s family of Clarkdale. Kevin wasn’t thinking about rattlesnakes. Sometimes he does because Kevin has a sideline business of catching them for other people. But Sunday afternoon he was simply adjusting a drip-head on an irrigation line next to a rose bush.

He didn’t feel anything. But he did notice a little blood on his ring finger. Then he noticed a couple of bite marks. He’d been struck! Without knowing the snake was there.

Within 10 minutes Katie had Kevin at Verde Valley Medical Center’s emergency room. In about an hour, the medical personnel had the anti-venom powder mixed with saline solution and flowing into Kevin.

With rattlesnake bites, Kevin has been told, “time is tissue.” He was being treated about as quickly as any rattlesnake bite victim could be. 

Even so …. “It was gut-wrenchingly painful,” Kevin said. “I was in the ER and got seven shots of morphine.”

Kevin said the excruciating pain lasted for about 12 hours. He said the medical staff at VVMC was awesome. “I started out in the ER, and they moved me to ICU for two days.” He said the pain was the worst part of the ordeal. “I had no sweats, no nausea, no hives, no nightmares.”

“One thing they were watching for was edema,” Katie said. If the swelling gets bad, it’s likely VVMC would fly Kevin to Phoenix. Katie said swelling could cause a snakebite victim to lose an arm or leg.

Wednesday morning Kevin was home. But he isn’t entirely out of the snakebite woods yet.

“For the next three weeks, he has to get his blood checked every 48 hours,” Katie said. 

She explained that Kevin is being watched for either a reaction to the anti-venom or — once the anti-venom leaves his system – for a reaction to the original snake venom. “He could have to go in for more anti-venom,” Katie said.

Robert Barth, director of Emergency Services for VVMC, said snakebite victims are sometimes transferred to Banner Poison Control Center in Phoenix if symptoms are serious. Initial treatment takes place at VVMC. In Kevin’s case, he was able to stay at VVMC.

The Kellers have lived in the Clarkdale foothills for three years. Rattlesnakes are common in the area. “The first year we were here, we had 17 rattlesnakes on this property,” Kevin said. The second year wasn’t as bad, but the Kellers saw the first rattlesnake this year in February. 

“All of our neighbors are getting them in their yards right now,” Kevin said. “Lately, I’ve been seeing 48- and 50-inch snakes.”

The one that got Kevin was small, only about 12-inches long. And contrary to popular belief, that little, hard-to-see snake didn’t rattle until after it bit Kevin.

Kevin catches snakes for his neighbors and for other local people. He has all of the safety equipment, a snake pole, boots and gloves. When he’s called to catch a snake, he doesn’t worry so much about being bitten. 

“I believe that at least 50 percent of the risk factor is just knowing they’re there,” he said. 

“I’ve got to be more careful,” Kevin said, “that’s what I learned.” But he doesn’t intend to quit catching snakes for a fee. That isn’t where the danger is. “If you go to remove a snake, nine times out of 10 you know where the snake is.”

Kevin warns that snakes are more aggressive in the spring and in the fall. He recommends keeping brush and junk cleared from property near a home. He and Katie are taking out all of their rose bushes and non-native landscaping. Kevin said the snakes love water, and irrigation systems tend to attract them.

He also warns that it is a myth that rattlesnakes always rattle before striking. His didn’t rattle until after Kevin was bitten. “Out of all the snakes I’ve seen and removed,” Kevin said, “only one of them rattled.”

Kevin’s “Snake Catcher” service can be reached at (949) 636-1841.

What to do after snakebite

Robert Barth, RN, MSN, and director of Emergency Services at Verde Valley Medical Center refers snakebite victims to a website at Banner Poison Control Center for information about what to do after being bitten by a poisonous snake. The control center is part of Banner Health in Phoenix. The site can be reached at www.bannerhealth.com. Go to Rattlesnake Bite Treatment. A few guidelines to help if you are bit: • Don’t panic: Stay as calm as possible. If bitten on the hand, remove all jewelry immediately before swelling begins. • Don’t apply ice to the bite site or immerse the bite in a bucket of ice. • Don’t use a constricting band/ cloth/ belt or tourniquet. Do not restrict blood flow in any manner. • Don’t cut the bite site or try to suck out the venom. Leave the bite site alone. • Don’t use electric shock or stun guns of any kind. • Don’t try to capture the snake to bring to the hospital. Time spent capturing a snake delays arrival at the emergency department, and may result in additional bites. Identification of the snake is not necessary for treatment. The physicians treat the symptoms as they occur and modify the anti-venom and treatment as needed. Treatment is not snake specific. Each year, more than 150 rattlesnake bites are reported to the Banner Poison Control Center.

Link

Admittedly, not a lethal situation by any stretch, but still a story worth telling. And, at the very least, more proof that snakes and other animals can show up in the most unusual places – not just in the “wild.”

Snake Bites Man Sitting
on Toilet

Updated: Tuesday, 12 May 2009, 1:49 PM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 12 May 2009, 1:43 PM EDT

• By ANTHONY BARTKEWICZ

(MYFOX NATIONAL) – “Toilet snake” has one meaningfor plumbers and a very different meaning for a Taiwanese man who was bitten on the genitals by a snake as he sat on his toilet. The Taipei Times reportsthat the man now suffers from a phobia of toilets.

According to the Daily Telegraph , the 51-year-old man, who has only been identified by the last name Lin, “suddenly felt a knife-like pain and reacted instinctively by standing up” as soon as he sat down. When he looked down, he saw a snake sitting in his toilet. The yellow and black snake is believed to be a species of rat snake, which is not poisonous. “If it were a poisonous snake, Lin would be lucky to be alive,” his doctor was quoted as saying in the Taipei Times.

It is believed that the snake entered Lin’s toilet through a crack in the lid of his septic tank. Considering the nature of his injury, Lin is being surprisingly gracious to the snake, which was released into the wild. “It was the snake’s signal for help when it bit me,” he said. “If it hadn’t, maybe it would have been stuck in the septic tank and either suffocated or starved to death. It looked like an accident but it was actually fate.” 

Link

Snake season approaches
Posted: May 6, 2009 04:03 PM

Updated: May 6, 2009 04:52 PM

 

By Adam Hooper - bio | email

LAKE CHARLES, LA (KPLC) – It is beginning to feel more and more like summer every day. But with the warmer weather comes the start of snake season. More often than not people try and avoid those slithering serpents, but it is important to note snakes are a vital part of our ecosystem. They feed off of rodents and insects.

But it is never a bad idea to be safe by steering clear of venomous snakes. In Louisiana there are six, the Diamond Back Rattle snake, found in eastern Louisiana, the Coral snake, the Canebreak snake, the Cotton Mouth snake, the Pigmy Rattler, and the Copper Head.

“All poisonous snakes have slits for eyes, cat eyes. They also have vents in the front of their head, where the venom is stored,” said John Robinette, with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

An old tire is a perfect example of where you might find a snake looking for food, like rodents and bugs, but snakes are not limited to these areas. You can find them anywhere, from your front yard, to the inside of your home.

“They like dense areas. Pretty much where you think a snake would be. High grass, firewood, trashy areas,” said Robinette.

But, if one does find its way into your home, Calcasieu Parish Animal Services says not to remove it yourself.

“If a snake does get into your home or on your porch just call us. We will come out and remove the snake,” said Rita Cavenaugh, with Calcasieu Parish Animal Services.

But snakes are not mean like you may think. They are just as scared of us as many of us are of them.

“Snakes do not want to bite. They would rather get away. They will not usually bite unless you put them in a position to bite,” said Robinette.

 

Link

Staying safe: Valley hospitals see spike in snake bites

Patrick Hotchkiss spent his second night in the hospital Monday night.  He was flown by helicopter to Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center after being bitten by a rattlesnake on Sunday afternoon.  “It was like a couple pieces of glass stabbed into you and snapped off. It was very clean and sharp,” said Hotchkiss.  Doctors at the hospital said they’ve seen eight snakebites in the past week. Four happened over the weekend.  “Number wise, Arizona is probably has the most poisonous snakes compared to any other states,” said Dr. Michael Levine. Bites can be deadly but it’s rare.  Symptoms often include significant swelling, immediate pain that intensifies over time, and venom from a bite can lead to other complications.  “It affects your blood and makes you bleed a lot more and really makes your blood a little too think and effects the ability to form blood clots,” said Levine.  Levine said a lot of snakebites happen when someone teases or tries to pickup a snake.  He encourages people to avoid snakes or walking around them.  Levine said anyone bitten by a snake should avoid wrapping or putting a bandage on the bite.  He also discourages anyone from sucking or trying to cut out the venom.  Instead, Levine said anyone bitten should leave the bite alone and call for help immediately.

Link

Copperhead Snake Bites Student On School Camping Trip

According to one of the commenters, who appears to be an aunt of the victim, “He cannot bear any weight on his leg without a great deal of pain still, so if any of you folks out there could find it in your heart to perhaps say a little prayer for him, Jacob and our entire family would be so grateful!” Good thing he’ll be all right eventually!

Greensboro, NC– Nine year old Jacob has a ‘snake’ of a tale to share with classmates when he returns to his school next week.

Jacob was bit by a Copperhead snake while on an overnight camping trip. He was with other students and staff from Elon Elementary schoolwhen the incident happened.

The group spent the night in Harp’s Park Thursday and Jacob was bitten Friday morning when he was walking. “My foot sunk into a hole and I was trying to get away but the snake jumped up and bit me,” said Jacob.

His mom and twin brother Joseph are with him at a local hospital while he recovers. The twins will turn 10 on Monday.

Jacob admits the bite is a lesson he’ll never forget, and a warning he wants to share with his brother and friends: “Watch the ground for holes,” he says. Because there could be snakes in there.

North Carolina is home to 37 different species of snakes, but only six are venomous.

While it’s unlikely a dangerous snake will bite you, because of the numbers the Copperhead is the greatest potential danger.

Here’s advice from the North Carolina Cooperative Extension:

Venomous snakes have a large triangular head, and vertically elliptical pupils, like cat eyes. They also have long fangs.

If you are bitten by a venomous snake, the bite will look like two puncture marks. You should seek medical attention immediately.

A non-venomous snake bite will look like a horseshoe of tiny scratches. You should wash it with soap and water.