Dangerous Animal Encounters – Section 3.4.1 Venomous Snakes
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There are four types of venomous snakes in North America: copperhead, cottonmouth, rattlesnake, and coral. And wouldn’t you know it, we have all of them where I live.
I come into contact with all four types relatively regularly and have learned a ton about their habits over the years. I personally think there is relatively little to fear from snakes – if we arm ourselves with a bit of knowledge and simply pay attention.
How fatal are snake bites?
Even though 7,000-8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes each year in the U.S., only five – on average – result in death.* The low fatality rate is due to the effectiveness of anti-venom and its widespread availability. But just because you probably won’t die from a venomous snakebite, doesn’t mean you won’t mind getting bit. Get bit in the USA and a snakebite might break the bank: hospitals charge around $25,000 per dose of anti-venom and the average snakebite victim need around four doses. Ouch!
It is very important that you understand that the vast majority of snake species in North America are pretty harmless and actually do a great deal to help us keep rodent populations in check. Plus, they are an important part of the ecosystem. It is prudent to learn to identify the types of venomous snakes in your area (if you have them) so you can accurately assess the threat of any random snake you chance encounter.
Good news: snake behavior is predictable
Snakes are pretty primitive creatures that are driven by some very simple needs, basically food and body temperature.
Since snakes are cold-blooded and must get all of their warmth from external sources like the sun or the earth, there are only certain ambient temperatures where they are very active. They don’t like temperatures that are too hot or too cold, and prefer to maintain a body temperature around 86 degrees. Therefore, snakes will be most active when the temperature outside is between 70 – 95 F (21-35 degrees C). Since snakes bodies take on the ambient temperature, if they are too hot they will move into a cooler area, like under a rock, into a brush pile, or underground. If they are too cold, they will move into a warmer area, which may involve moving into direct sunlight or sheltering themselves underground where the temperature is more moderate.
I tell you this because in my mind, the most important component of snake safety is knowing when and where snakes are most likely to be, so when you are in those areas you can exercise caution.
Where are snakes found?
When the temperature is not ideal, snakes will generally be sheltered; when the temperature is ideal they will be out and about working on obtaining food. After a cool night, snakes will likely emerge first thing in the morning to catch the morning sun to warm up. After a hot day, snakes will emerge at twilight when the weather begins to cool. During extreme hot or cold temperatures, they will be sheltered underground or under woodpiles, or perhaps under your house, in a basement or a garage. (Basically, anywhere where the temperature is more moderate.) When the weather is cold, snakes are often hibernate or become inactive.
All of the venomous snakes eat primarily small amphibians and/or small mammals and birds. Be most cautious when the weather is moderate and you are in an area where food sources are abundant; i.e. plenty of amphibians, rats, mice, rabbits etc.
Signs of a threatened snake
A snake can only strike a significant distance when it is coiled or has some point of leverage, like being held in the hand, or pinned down by a stick or foot. Since snakes don’t have legs, they have to turn their body into a spring of sorts in order to propel themselves forward. Even when a snake is coiled, its maximum strike distance is only 1/3 to 1/2 of its body length.
This means that even a relatively large, coiled four-foot snake is not immediately dangerous to someone who is three feet away. If you come across a snake that is not coiled, and is instead laid out, it is not able to strike but a very short distance.
So, the rule for snakebite prevention is pay attention, look before you step, and don’t go sticking your hands into places you can’t see into (holes, brush piles or debris).
It is also important to note that snakes have very poor eyesight and it is difficult for them to distinguish between animals when approached quickly.
The truth is that no wild snake in North America seeks to bite a human. They just want to be left alone so they can maintain a comfortable body temperature and eat small animals. A human is much too large to swallow, so what’s the point? Defence is the only reason a North American snake will strike at a human, and trust me, they would prefer to avoid a confrontation altogether. I have come into contact with hundreds of venomous snakes in my life and not one has ever pursued me. I have had large rat snakes try and come at me (though never unprovoked) but never a copperhead, cottonmouth, rattlesnake, or coral snake. That being said, every snake is different.
What to do if you encounter a venomous snake
An uncoiled snake (that is visible and not stepped on or touched) poses very little danger as it can’t strike far at all, and isn’t demonstrating body language that it is alarmed.
If you see a coiled snake that is close to you, you should immediately freeze and evaluate the situation. Do not make any quick sudden movements as it may cause the snake to strike. Assess the snake’s body language. If a snake is freaked out it will be coiled and will tense itself before striking. If the snake tenses up or coils and pulls its head back, it may be getting ready to strike.
The first step to deescalating a snake encounter is to stop moving and freeze. If the snake is more than ½ of it’s body length away from you, you are safe and can begin slowly moving back away from it. Make sure you remain aware of your surroundings though.
If you are closer than half of the snake’s body length away and you freeze before the snake has struck, you are still in a fairly okay position. The fact that the snake has not yet struck is a good sign that it isn’t being overly aggressive. Once you have evaluated the situation you can begin slowly moving the part of your body that is closest to the snake.
Using a walking stick
Another option is to use a walking stick to create a distraction for the snake before you move. I.e. poke the ground near the snake on the side that is away from your body. Alternately, you can also throw an object that you may be carrying onto the other side of the snake drawing its attention (and possibly a strike) to that spot right before you step away.
I often carry a sturdy stick with a forked branch on the bottom when I’m concerned about snakes. Not only is this tool useful for moving brush and briars out of your way, but you can also poke it into areas that may conceal a snake. Additionally, you can use the forked end to either distract a snake causing it to strike at the stick instead of your leg. If need be, you can also pin its body to the ground so you can move away, or kill it if you so choose.
How to treat a snake bite
If you or someone you know is ever bitten by a venomous snake, stay calm and seek medical attention immediately. The ONLY effective treatment for snakebites is anti-venom. There are a TON of myths regarding snakebite treatment and none of them are true. Some of them, like putting on a tourniquet, can actually make things worse.
Venomous Snake Identification
Copperhead
Copperheads account for more snakebites than any other North American species. They are the most likely of the venomous snakes to strike at you, but their venom is also the least toxic of the three pit-vipers and rarely leads to death. In my mind, the real danger with copperheads, is that they are so dang camouflaged that it is difficult to see them.
Should I be fearful of copperhead snakes?
My experience with copperheads is that they trust their camouflage and will remain very still and quiet, unless accosted or accidently disturbed at close range. If you are walking along and not paying attention, it is easy to step on them. They often like to hunt or wait for prey along trails and roads because it is easier for them to attack prey in the open, rather than among grass and other plants.
The best defence against copperheads is to pay attention. Wear sturdy shoes or boots, and pants if you are going into the woods and are going to be off trail. Be cautious around brush piles, in and amid leaf litter, and when flipping over logs, gathering wood from a woodpile, or picking up debris in your yard, like boards, sheet metal, old tires, etc. But maybe your yard doesn’t have as much stuff in it as mine…
Copperheads primarily eat small rodents, frogs, lizards, and sometimes small insects like cicadas. It has been reported that many copperheads eat only 10-12 meals a year and are a really important species responsible for keeping rodent populations in check. Not saying I wouldn’t kill one if it was hanging around in my back yard, but I also don’t really hate them like some folks. I see them fairly often while out in the woods and usually they mind their business and I mind mine.
Cottonmouth (water moccasin)
Cottonmouths have a much more narrow habitat than copperheads and like to primarily hang out near water. They eat frogs and fish but will also eat rodents, turtles, and crayfish. I usually see them quite close to the water, finding them at least a quarter mile or so from water sources.
Should I be fearful of cottonmouth snakes?
Cottonmouths are the only semi-aquatic pit-viper and their aggression has been way overstated in many ways. I have never had a cottonmouth attempt to bite me unless I provoked it with a stick.
In my experience, about 50 percent of the time they immediately flee when they see a human approaching, especially if they are on the water’s edge or next to a brush pile and have an easy escape. The other 50 percent of the time they seem to hold their ground, sometimes ignoring me altogether, other times coiling up in a defensive posture. Even when I have provoked them with a stick they usually reel back and try to avoid the stick on the first poke. The second poke often results in a half-hearted strike. The third is usually a full strike or another half-hearted strike, and then the snake attempts to quickly flee.
I have heard countless stories of cottonmouths coming after people. I don’t believe any of them. I am guessing most of these stories likely involve misidentified rat snakes or water snakes, which can both be aggressive, but are harmless. Avoid cottonmouths by paying attention when you are hiking, especially around the edges of slow moving rivers, streams, or ponds.
Rattlesnake
Gotta appreciate a snake that has a built in warning device – though every time one rattles, it scares the crap out of me.
My run-ins with rattlesnakes
I was once tracking out in the desert of eastern Washington with a friend of mine, chatting as we were walking, when I heard a distinctive rattle. I looked down mid-step and realized I was about to step on a rattlesnake. So I did what any big tough guy would do in that scenario: I let out the least manly scream you can imagine and somehow levitated myself up and over the snake. My buddy Brian definitely got some good laughs out of it. About an hour later I almost stepped on a pheasant hen sitting on her nest, and good god that scared me even worse. Imagine having a hen pheasant suddenly fly out from under your foot! It nearly gave me a heart attack.
Rattlesnakes are the most widespread of the venomous snakes in North America and can inhabit a huge range of habitats. Some rattlesnake species can grow to an enormous size. When I was a kid my dad told me stories of 6 or 7-foot long rattlesnakes in Texas. I believed him for a long time until I realized one day that not all of the stories he told me as a kid were true. But one day, four or so years ago, I was walking around some woods in central Texas near a bunch of prickly pear cacti and saw a snake so big my heart nearly lept out of my chest. My first thought was that it must be an escaped python until I saw the rattle on its tail. I swear to you, I couldn’t have even come close to wrapping my hands around its body if I tried (not that it would have been a smart move); it was at least 7-feet long. There was another much smaller snake nearby that was probably only 5-6 feet long. After that I figured maybe my dad wasn’t totally full of it after all.
Should I be fearful of rattlesnakes?
Rattlesnakes eat mostly small mammals and are not quick to strike at humans. Every time I have startled one it has rattled at me and held still. Like the other three snakes above, pay attention and you should be fine. It is important to note though, that rattlesnake venom is the least responsive of the pit vipers to the anti-venom.
Coral Snake
The species of coral snake we have in North America is docile and poses no real threat to humans unless they are handled. Although they have extremely toxic venom, they do not have large fangs like the pit-vipers. For this reason, they do not have a very good venom delivery system. Consequently, coral snakes need to bite and hold for several seconds before they can envenomate.
A coral snake can be distinguished from other similar species of snake by its brightly coloured rings of red, yellow, and black – in that order. Use the rhyme, “red on yellow kill a fellow, red on black friend to Jack”, to differentiate them from king snakes, which have a similar pattern but different colour order.
Should I be fearful of coral snakes?
I wouldn’t worry too much about coral snakes, except for the fact that you should teach your children to leave them alone. They are very calm snakes that will generally attempt to escape if they see a human, or ignore you altogether. Plus, with their bright colours, they are easily spotted in the wild.
