My friend got bitten by a rattlesnake

[ArthurC]

When I was young one of my relatives did the same thing except his dog picked up the head while the body was being carried of. The head bit the dog, he was a tiny breed, in the mouth and killed it.

 

[smokeythecat]

Killed the snake?

 

[Megalodon]

Killed the snake?

I'd expect the bite in the mouth could easily kill one of those tiny dogs.

 

[Megalodon]

When I was young one of my relatives did the same thing except his dog picked up the head while the body was being carried of. The head bit the dog, he was a tiny breed, in the mouth and killed it.

When my cat was bitten, driving to an emergency animal hospital was the fastest I'd ever driven my pickup truck. Normally I'm a responsible driver and never took full advantage of a v-8 engine.

 

[Megalodon]

I'm staying inside forever. At least the co-workers weren't mating! Can they bite through standard "muck" boots, the ones the farmers use? I have snake proof boots, that come up to my knees, but they weigh a ton.

The bite penetrated the chest waders - but they fit loosely and the bite didn't reach flesh. I've never been bitten in any footwear. I walk right through the area where she saw the mating copperheads wearing just my usual Teva sandals.

 

[smokeythecat]

Where I was, there are Missasaugua rattlers and copperheads, that's Licking County, Ohio. Where I actually was looking for artifacts (quite successfully I might add), no pics yet, they bulldoze the ground to expose the Flint Ridge flint. You can see at least 10' in any direction, and it's like walking on cement. So little danger. However, you can get off the beaten trail into underbrush. No need to go there however.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Interesting read - this thread. As I'm already paranoid, popped early on in my life, when I walk out my front door down to the bottom of my front steps, I'm a looking, period!!!

We've some plenty snakes up my holler!

Edit: It's time to mow the lawn again, I just have to get to my zero turn mower without reptile interference again, and get that grass clipped down again! = Tomorrow!

 

[smokeythecat]

I cut 99% of the bushes away from my house. The bobcat was using the one bush as a place to ambush birds and I could not see outside well. So the bushes are gone, few places to hide near the house now. Snakes can have the woods.

Now I'M getting PARANOID! Thanks me! You did it to yourself!

 

[Megalodon]

Smokey, I just remembered you have a standing invitation to hunt the fossil grounds with me - but they start a long walk on the beach from the house, about 1.7 miles. I wear Teva sandals until November - not much protection, and there is no road access for a rescue, so the walk out if bitten would seem longer. Really though, I think they are much more afraid of us.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Smokey, some weeks ago AGAIN here we had a Bobcat on our back porch. Mostly it's the coons who eat our left overs, was watching them this morning. Put our leftovers in the pot, and it was only minutes later that the coon came up. Our three cats were all at the back window watching the coon. That coon is pretty comfortable with us - we never chase him/her. So, that coon is pretty danged fat and healthy, and our cats have awesome entertainment!

I love critters, wouldn't hurt one for the world.

And of course I wouldn't wish for one of them to hurt me. Them bear get big up here! Size of a Volkswagon Bug here 3 or 4 years ago...

 

[smokeythecat]

Some years ago now a snake, a large tan one, visited the neighbor's. The kid there chased it with a stick under the car, where it learned it could climb up into the frame to hide.

It was a good 5' long. Probably a yellow phase rat snake. One day I saw it leisurely climb up under my car! Not what I wanted to see. It was a SMART thing! I saw it in the drive one day and gunned the car for it. I don't normally do that but didn't want it getting inside the car with me in it. It saw my car and hellowed for the woods! Smart thing. It eventually left on its own.

 

[Billieg]

In the mid 70's I was a foreman on a construction site in upstate NJ close to the NY border. We were building a club house and out back was a stone ledge filled with rattlers. The guys at lunch would go out and collect them and sell them to restaurants. My best friends dad (who I hired because I felt sorry for him) got bit and started running. He made it about 100 yards and collapsed. The nearest hospital was about 40 miles away and when we got him there he died. After my deal with a rattler and him I won't mess with any snake.... Ah, and don't get me started on brown recluse spiders...

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

First mistake picking a venomous snake up and putting it in the truck with head attached.
Is there any reasonable common sense reason to do this? Almost sounds like someone got what was coming to them.

 

[Megalodon]

I've never been bitten by any critter. Probably just pure luck. The most dangerous encounters I had with animals was probably when I was 3 years old and fearless. My mom was occupied with my younger brother and that allowed me to escape whenever she wasn't looking, to visit "my friends" in the pig farm next door. The farmer put up a strand of barb wire - not to keep the pigs in, but to keep me out. That barb wire caused my first injury and stitches when I snagged the skin of my left knee on it. Both parents took me to the hospital for stitches and I still remember how they were not amused at all when I wanted to stay and examine a perfect rhinocerus beetle on the hospital steps. In May, we buried my mom who lived to 90, just a short walk a few hundred yards from where I drove them crazy at that pig farm and rental house over 60 years ago.

 

[Megalodon]

In the mid 70's I was a foreman on a construction site in upstate NJ close to the NY border. We were building a club house and out back was a stone ledge filled with rattlers. The guys at lunch would go out and collect them and sell them to restaurants. My best friends dad (who I hired because I felt sorry for him) got bit and started running. He made it about 100 yards and collapsed. The nearest hospital was about 40 miles away and when we got him there he died. After my deal with a rattler and him I won't mess with any snake.... Ah, and don't get me started on brown recluse spiders...

Wow. That is awful. If bit, don't run - the increased heart rate will spread the venom.

 

[smokeythecat]

I ain't pickin' up no snake!

 

[Megalodon]

Some years ago now a snake, a large tan one, visited the neighbor's. The kid there chased it with a stick under the car, where it learned it could climb up into the frame to hide.

It was a good 5' long. Probably a yellow phase rat snake. One day I saw it leisurely climb up under my car! Not what I wanted to see. It was a SMART thing! I saw it in the drive one day and gunned the car for it. I don't normally do that but didn't want it getting inside the care with me in it. It saw my car and hellowed for the woods! Smart thing. It eventually left on its own.

Snakes IN cars! I was in the field one cooler day collecting samples and a car pulled in behind my state truck. One of two guys inside rolled down his window and asked me how to get snakes out of the car. For some crazy reason, they had taken some pet snakes out for a scenic drive with the heater on full blast. The snakes coiled around the heater core. I couldn't do much more for them except to tell them to turn off the darn car heater.

 

[smokeythecat]

"Excuse me sir, can you help me get the snake out of the car?" - priceless.

 

[Bodkin]

On a side note, the alcohol was not involved in washing out the bite. There are some places I'd like to go but won't due to the problems there. I watch some of these guys doing their adventures on youtube, alone, and one day, something really bad could happen as no one is with them. Don't take chances.

If I waited to go detecting with someone I would never go. Apparently, a lot of guys would rather watch other guys (sometimes gals too) play with balls on TV. And yeah, I'm always looking over my shoulder for what's coming to get me. A little spooky at times. Quite the conundrum..?

 

[smokeythecat]

Bodkin, I gotcha. Head on a swivel. I was with four other folks yesterday in Ohio looking for flint. After awhile I was by myself. My car was 20' away. No issues, I had enough for one trip (20 pounds) so left for the hotel, which was very nice, and free with my points! I have a nice place to go (alone), but the corn is 7' tall now. Best not to beat the brush and just wait for the fall to do its thing. Most times I go by myself, however, someone knows where I am.