Copperhead Snake Found

originally posted by: GuitaristRob
I updated my post. If it is in molt you will be rewarded with a snakeskin shed that you can varnish and use as a conversation piece. It would be a reminder of the good deeds you are trying to do for this creature.
Too cool huh?

Thank you GR! Very cool indeed

It is a lot more active since I brought it in. Seems to like the shoe box a lot too

a reply to: JBurns

Living out in the sticks you come to terms with them pretty quick, and snakes are just a part of it.

Yup. Venomous snakes go, all others remain.

They really do good keeping the rodent population under control

Why I keep nonvenomous snakes, particularly king/rat, around.

a reply to: JBurns

People are ridiculous about snakes an other less lovable critters. It's admirable you are trying to do the right things for it!

This is a youtube guy I've been watching for about a year now. He does reptile rescues and is quite knowledgeable.
Some of the reptiles he's rescued you'd think were hopeless cases, but he's pretty good about bringing them back to health. Linking you to the most appropriate video, but I'd suggest contacting him.

Don't mind his openings, after awhile you get used to them. Hope this helps? You may find what you need just by watching a few.

BTW I don't know the guy & seldom pimp youtube channels!

originally posted by: SirHardHarry
a reply to: JBurns

Living out in the sticks you come to terms with them pretty quick, and snakes are just a part of it.

Yup. Venomous snakes go, all others remain.

They really do good keeping the rodent population under control

Why I keep nonvenomous snakes, particularly king/rat, around.

Q: What size rat snakes/Kings you have around by you? Just curious.

originally posted by: GuitaristRob

originally posted by: SirHardHarry
a reply to: JBurns

Living out in the sticks you come to terms with them pretty quick, and snakes are just a part of it.

Yup. Venomous snakes go, all others remain.

They really do good keeping the rodent population under control

Why I keep nonvenomous snakes, particularly king/rat, around.

Q: What size rat snakes/Kings you have around by you? Just curious.

5-6' average

a reply to: JBurns

I think I would probably kill a copper head because of their venom if I found one in the yard. I am not afraid of our local snakes, but even if their venom isn't poisonous, it can cause a lot of pain and suffering if they bite you. When berry picking I try to avoid or watch out for snakes, the grass snakes here have some venom, but usually don't bite so just stay clear of them.

originally posted by: Mandroid7
Nice..they are all over at my house.
Their bite is about as bad as a wasp.
Not too venomous.
Sounds like it's shedding it's skin.
Cool
Added..they absolutely reek though. Weird musky smell.

Thanks Mandroid, They are pretty interesting looking critters. Heard their venom is about the least of all the snakes, or at least the ones that live up this way

They seem very hesitant to bite unlike the garters around here. I started wearing gloves to clean up in the yard after taking a bite to the hand. Saw one laying under my rake and went to pick it up and set him aside, and it bit without a second thought

a reply to: JBurns

I love snakes and have kept an amazon tree boa myself...but there are 2 types of snakes that are kill on sight for me. The Green Mojave rattlers which can actually kill a healthy adult easily not like those regular old timber and diamond backs...and copperheads. Copperheads are one of the most aggressive snakes in North America if not the most aggressive. They will charge at you instead of coil up and hiss...screw those guys. I suggest a lot of caution around it and more than just gloves for protection...also hope that shoebox is sealed up tight lol!

a reply to: Caver78

Very helpful channel, I really appreciate the help Caver78

Its got some very good information. Some good news, I reached out to a Pet Co and their snake guy just so happens to work with venomous snakes, so I am going to make the drive in to meet him

For anyone wondering, he is convinced the snake is in a pre-shed state and may have been thrown off by the bad storms. Something like shock, which seems to have worn off at least a bit. He is much more active now

Very happy he agreed to release him back into the wild once he feels he is healthy enough, probably at least through the shed and a few healthy meals

In retrospect the odd look in his eyes was the eye "skin" coming loose. Never knew they had that, how fascinating

a reply to: RickyD

Ricky I remember in the desert encountering a handful of Western Diamondbacks, those things are very large snakes and their heads are not much smaller than a human fist. Very intimidating! Didn't kill any though, felt it was best to give them a wide berth and let them go about their business

Never felt particularly threatened by them, just the sheer size of one is intimidating

Don't think I would have it in me to kill one unless it was threatening somehow

Copperheads are one of the most aggressive snakes in North America if not the most aggressive

Is that so? Heck I have seen my fair share out here and they seem very hesitant to do much of anything. Only problem I could think of is when they freeze up if you didn't see one and happened to step on it, ouch

Ive seen at least one and possibly two bonafide Timbers here, but I was flipping tins just to see what was under them

Ended up buying some kind of "venom defender "gloves for cleaning up, not just for snakes but raccoons and all sorts of critters we have around here. Actually had a baby racoon running around these parts for a bit, ended up becoming fairly friendly with it, petted it a couple of times, pretty unique experience

I love the country

a reply to: JBurns

Have you tried CPR?

originally posted by: ridgerunner
Find a hungry king snake and introduce them.A happy king and a good copperhead,what could be more natural?

If the reason the one snake is doing poorly is because it's been poisoned, then feeding it to another is a bad idea.

a reply to: JBurns

Just an observation from the woods of deep east Texas. Copperheads often go bat-# crazy when they feel threatened. They get spastic, thrash about like a they’re having a seizure and act like a spoiled 2 year-old in the midst of a full-blown tantrum.

In defense mode, a rattler generally coils up and gets all serious acting. Copperheads are completely unpredictable.

originally posted by: whyamIhere
You don’t need animal rescue.

You need crazy snake dude.

Call a pet store that sells snakes.

Your looking for someone who handles “hot” snakes.

This was great advice

Ended up finding a venomous snake handler at the Pet Co about 50 miles from here. Making the trip in the AM to meet up with him

Probably Covid19, the new variant where the virus magically jumped from bats to snakes just like that. Jk



Good on you for taking care of it, they truly are beautiful patterned creatures.

a reply to: JBurns

Glad it was useful!

If snake is in pre-shed what I do know, is they get cranky. Most reptiles do. They just go off there game for a couple of weeks. Another thing is you can take a piece of pipe an run some thin rubber coated steel cable thru it to make a
a snake handler thingy to prevent biting. Loop at one end, cut ends for you to snug up.

Personally I liked Animal-1-guys channel cause there is so much more to taking proper care of reptiles. People just buy whatever "flavor of the week" but usually the store help has no real clue/time/knowledge to tell you all the ins & outs.
Plus it's just too neat to follow the recovery process his critters go thru.

One thing he said in one of his video's was that you can take bad care of a reptile for a long time before it finally dies.
So people are fooling themselves that what they're doing is fine, when in reality it's not.
That really stuck with me.

As far as copperheads being the meanest snakes, I'd disagree. Here we have plenty of Rat Snakes an they're vicious.
The smaller they are the meaner. They'll strike at anything. You, the lawn mower whatever. They aren't poisonous
but they definitely aren't fun. If I'm doing yardwork I'll stomp cause most snakes will move for you.
I had been sweeping the walkway an sure enough found a 2fter. That sucker struck repeatedly at the broom an it probably would have all day had I not tossed my drinking water on it.
Which did the trick.
Altho I'm not sure which one of us was more surprised .

originally posted by: Gothmog

originally posted by: Mandroid7
Nice..they are all over at my house.
Their bite is about as bad as a wasp.
Not too venomous.
Sounds like it's shedding it's skin.
Cool
Added..they absolutely reek though. Weird musky smell.

The reason that a bite from a copperhead doesn't kill one , and isn't "bad" ? They are born with all the venom they will have for life .
They don't want to waste it when not hunting.
Upset one though ?
Game over man .....

That is absolutely NOT TRUE. Venomous snakes have glands which generate the venom needed, as needed. They are not bladder sacks, they are GLANDS.

Whatever in the world gave you this idea?

Have you ever heard of "milking" venomous snakes for their venom? Those venomous snakes are kept for as long as they can and treated well so that the person doing the milking will have a constantly renewable supply of venom during the lives of those animals. Bill Haast (now deceased) was probably the most famous for his snake venom production lab at the Miami Serpentarium.

originally posted by: RickyD
a reply to: JBurns

I love snakes and have kept an amazon tree boa myself...but there are 2 types of snakes that are kill on sight for me. The Green Mojave rattlers which can actually kill a healthy adult easily not like those regular old timber and diamond backs...and copperheads. Copperheads are one of the most aggressive snakes in North America if not the most aggressive. They will charge at you instead of coil up and hiss...screw those guys. I suggest a lot of caution around it and more than just gloves for protection...also hope that shoebox is sealed up tight lol!

I believe you may be thinking of the cottonmouth, not the copperhead. And even then, I have NEVER had a cottonmouth (and certainly not a copperhead) "charge" me. Copperheads tend to ignore you unless you step on one. Cottonmouths will often stand their ground, just coiling up and opening up their mouth wide, showing the white cotton looking inside as a warning for you to back off. Black racers, though, yep, they will do that. Fortunately black racers aren't venomous of they would be a real handful.

a reply to: Rich Z

I was actually thinking he meant water moccasins. Those bastages will come straight after you from 100 feet away! And if you run, they will give chase!

We get rattlers all the time here, in addition to the numerous bullsnakes which I love, but none of them are anywhere near as aggressive as the water moccasins I used to run into in Florida! Those bastages are just flat-out MEAN!!! I had one chase me in a boat one time, and I could barely row fast enough to get away from it!!! I actually didn't get away from it, my buddy had to hack it on the side rail with a spare oar! Don't like those snakes one tiny bit!!!