Venomous Snakes

By John Petersen

We hear this saying all the time, “The only good snake is a dead snake.” This couldn’t be further from the truth, and recently Alabama has ramped up their protections of certain snakes making the killing of these critters punishable by several thousands of dollars and jail time. To avoid any confusion and to help educate the general public about southeastern snake populations, I have helped compile this guide of some helpful tips and tricks. Please keep in mind that this guide is for native snake species to the southeastern United States. Other regions of the country and the world have different species. I highly recommend checking out your state’s or country’s department of conservation’s website for more details into the specifics of your local area. That being said, here are some sure fire tips to keep you safe no matter the snake. 

If you are unsure if the snake is venomous or not, take three steps backwards!

Many people get panicked when they see a snake and their first instinct is to kill it. Not all snakes are venomous and not all of them are aggressive. For instance, the Scarlet Kingsnake actively preys on other snakes, especially venomous ones. The coloration of this beautiful snake however often gets it confused with the venomous coral snake, and people try to kill it. If you are unsure, the first and best piece of advice is to take a step back…literally. 

Do not rely on one single identifying mark or pattern!

Many people learn a distinct coloration, pattern, or identifying feature. While this is not bad when used in conjunction with other identifying features, it can be deceiving on its own. Snakes are living creatures, so there is genetic variation in their populations. There have been recordings of snakes not having pigmentation that would otherwise readily identify the creature. 

Also, the environment can change a snake. For instance Water Mocosains, also known as Cottonmouths that have lived in very murky or muddy water have had their distinctive parenthesis pattern washed away from their body. This creates a problem for people who only learned one identifying pattern for snakes. Instead try to learn as many features as possible, such as coloration, habitat ranges, head structure (loreal pits), behavior, physicology, etc. 

Don’t always rely on the rhymes! 

This one was hard for me to unlearn. The rhymes were meant to help distinguish from Scarlet Kingsnakes (which are very helpful) and Coral snakes (which are very venomous) in the southeastern United States. The only issue is this does not hold up throughout the rest of the world. Different regions have different snakes that will not hold up to this rhyme you may or may not have learned as a child. Ditch the rhyme, use your brain and remember your training (The one I am helping to teach you!) 

Do not underestimate the size of a snake! 

Just because a snake is small, doesn’t mean it can’t defend itself, especially if it is venomous. Try to avoid handling these creatures without the proper equipment such as a snake stick, 5-gallon buckets, gloves, closed toed boots, etc. 

If you get bit, don’t suck the venom! 

We have seen it all in cowboy movies. Someone is bit and the hero bravely helps to suck out the rattlesnake venom so the victim can live. The only thing that would do in real life is create two rattlesnake bite victims. Please, please, please whatever you do don’t suck the venom. 

If you do get bit, do not grab the snake and try to identify it. Hospitals don’t need you to bring the snake with you to treat your snake bite. In my state, there are only six venomous snakes out of over 40 species of snakes so statistically it is unlikely it was a venomous one, but it is better to be safe than sorry. 

Your next step is to take off any restrictive jewelry or clothing such as watches, rings, boots, etc. This will create a problem as the body swells. Do not use a tourniquet to treat either, as this will prevent the blood flow with the venom and potentially lead to necrosis or tissue death. 

Next, keep the bite at heart level or as close to it as possible. This helps to prevent the venom from pooling in an extremity and causing tissue necrosis. In addition, it prevents the venom from accelerating through the entire body. 

Call 9-1-1 and get this person to the hospital or nearest medical professional as soon as possible. Time is of the essence. Speed can save lives.