Snakes

[mcb]

I've been reading through the threads and come across a few comments about snakes while detecting. My hubby also warns me. Anyway, I hate snakes! I've seen a few rattlers while hiking in a large park near us over the years. We were also climbing away from the trail and down near the creek, maybe that's why. Aside from reading about the snakes in our area and their habits id like any advice on how to avoid them. Also if I am to come in contact with one, what would you suggest? When I say come in contact I mean a situation where its right up on me.

I feel a little ridiculous with this post but I can't shake my fear.

 

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[MinnesotaStateUniversity]

I'm still creepy about them . I tried really hard to get over it. Cuddling him in heating pad and all.. Lol. Least I proved to myself I'll do what I got to do to help any animal . That matters to me

Who's in the pic?

 

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[Jimmi]

Who's in the pic?

With the snake? Me... Lol .., petting him and intrigued ... Yet still Creeped out . I tried to get over it

 

[MinnesotaStateUniversity]

With the snake? Me... Lol .., petting him and intrigued ... Yet still Creeped out . I tried to get over it

hehe

 

[WVPapaw]

The funniest part is that there was another guy in our platoon who was even more scared of snakes than me. I could hear him yelling and screaming the whole way. It is a good thing we weren't in real combat because the sound of stampeding horses in a swamp sure gave away our location, even though we weren't in one place long enough to be a target and were traveling as fast as speeding bullets. Hahaha

I promised yesterday not to tell anymore snake stories but I have one more that is pretty creepy. When I was a teenager, I went groundhog hunting every afternoon during the summer months. One day a friend went with me and we walked further than I normally did while hunting the fields along this back road. This day it got dark and we were still nearly 2 miles from home. Suddenly, something rolled under my foot on the road. I had some wooden matches and lit one to see what it was. It was a baby copperhead. Then I stepped on another one. Soon a car came down the road toward us, and we could see that the road was covered with these little snakes. When the car passed we lit another match and held it out to see. We stepped in bare spots between the snakes. There were so many we panicked. I would hold a match against the box and flip it with my finger so that it would fly out in the air and light up the road so we could see where to step without contacting a snake. We did this for about 50 yards but ran out of matches and then started running as hard as we could. We just knew that any minute a big momma snake was going to nail one of us. The road was covered with snakes for at least 100 yards. The next day I drove my dad's car to the area to check it out. There were hundreds of little copperheads (at least thats what they looked like to me) smashed on the road by car tires for a distance of 100 or so yards. There is no way one momma snake gave birth to all those babies. There must have been a big hatch by a bunch of mommas. Anybody else ever see anything like this?

 

[dholland02]

I promised yesterday not to tell anymore snake stories but I have one more that is pretty creepy. When I was a teenager, I went groundhog hunting every afternoon during the summer months. One day a friend went with me and we walked further than I normally did while hunting the fields along this back road. This day it got dark and we were still nearly 2 miles from home. Suddenly, something rolled under my foot on the road. I had some wooden matches and lit one to see what it was. It was a baby copperhead. Then I stepped on another one. Soon a car came down the road toward us, and we could see that the road was covered with these little snakes. When the car passed we lit another match and held it out to see. We stepped in bare spots between the snakes. There were so many we panicked. I would hold a match against the box and flip it with my finger so that it would fly out in the air and light up the road so we could see where to step without contacting a snake. We did this for about 50 yards but ran out of matches and then started running as hard as we could. We just knew that any minute a big momma snake was going to nail one of us. The road was covered with snakes for at least 100 yards. The next day I drove my dad's car to the area to check it out. There were hundreds of little copperheads (at least thats what they looked like to me) smashed on the road by car tires for a distance of 100 or so yards. There is no way one momma snake gave birth to all those babies. There must have been a big hatch by a bunch of mommas. Anybody else ever see anything like this?

I think I woulda go in the car and just keep driving back and forth on the road to kill as many as possible.

 

[Talon]

mcb if you come across a snake while detecting, just back up a few steps and walk around the snake. Give it a good 6 ft of clearance and you will have no problem. Despite what people claim about snakes chasing you I've never seen this behavior. I am a zookeeper specializing in reptiles and have spent years looking for snakes since I was a kid. If you "walk up on one" you're carrying a metal detector which is a nice long stick with a platform at the end for moving a snake away from you or you can interpose the coil between you and the snake and back away.

 

[mercury1]

I promised yesterday not to tell anymore snake stories but I have one more that is pretty creepy. When I was a teenager, I went groundhog hunting every afternoon during the summer months. One day a friend went with me and we walked further than I normally did while hunting the fields along this back road. This day it got dark and we were still nearly 2 miles from home. Suddenly, something rolled under my foot on the road. I had some wooden matches and lit one to see what it was. It was a baby copperhead. Then I stepped on another one. Soon a car came down the road toward us, and we could see that the road was covered with these little snakes. When the car passed we lit another match and held it out to see. We stepped in bare spots between the snakes. There were so many we panicked. I would hold a match against the box and flip it with my finger so that it would fly out in the air and light up the road so we could see where to step without contacting a snake. We did this for about 50 yards but ran out of matches and then started running as hard as we could. We just knew that any minute a big momma snake was going to nail one of us. The road was covered with snakes for at least 100 yards. The next day I drove my dad's car to the area to check it out. There were hundreds of little copperheads (at least thats what they looked like to me) smashed on the road by car tires for a distance of 100 or so yards. There is no way one momma snake gave birth to all those babies. There must have been a big hatch by a bunch of mommas. Anybody else ever see anything like this?

When you come across an impossibly large number of snakes in one concentrated location, it's sometimes because you are near a snake winter den. I don't know what latitude you are at but in northern areas that get cold enough that snakes need to hibernate, you can run across these large numbers of snakes in the spring and fall. I know rattler's and garter snakes do this. Not sure about copperheads or why there would be a lot of babies but no adults. Copperheads have a very distinctive dumbbell pattern on their skin and a broad triangular head although non poisonous water snakes can look very similar. How big where the snakes you saw? A new born copperhead would be under a foot long.

 

[mercury1]

mcb if you come across a snake while detecting, just back up a few steps and walk around the snake. Give it a good 6 ft of clearance and you will have no problem. Despite what people claim about snakes chasing you I've never seen this behavior. I am a zookeeper specializing in reptiles and have spent years looking for snakes since I was a kid. If you "walk up on one" you're carrying a metal detector which is a nice long stick with a platform at the end for moving a snake away from you or you can interpose the coil between you and the snake and back away.

This is good advice for here in North America. However in other parts of the world like central and South America, Africa, Asia and Australia, some poison snakes are very aggressive and will chase you. One that comes to mind is the deadly African mambas. Mr 12 gauge is your best friend in these areas.

 

[Jimmi]

My mom an d grandmom saw that when my mom was a kid . But they were just garters. Not babies though. They said the hill was just covered with them. They were rolling down the hill in a ball and plopping into the creek . Sounds quite freaky . That summer they said , they didn't see a snake after that.
I was coming home from work one night and saw toads on the road . Using my headlights , tossing them to the other side of the road in the direction they were headed in. Like a horror movie they kept coming and coming till there were Hundreds , probably thousands , more . Now they section off that part if the road at a certain time each year , apparently it's a huge migration every year

 

[mercury1]

My mom an d grandmom saw that when my mom was a kid . But they were just garters. Not babies though. They said the hill was just covered with them. They were rolling down the hill in a ball and plopping into the creek . Sounds quite freaky . That summer they said , they didn't see a snake after that.
I was coming home from work one night and saw toads on the road . Using my headlights , tossing them to the other side of the road in the direction they were headed in. Like a horror movie they kept coming and coming till there were Hundreds , probably thousands , more . Now they section off that part if the road at a certain time each year , apparently it's a huge migration every year

I've heard in some areas of the country they put tunnels under the roads in key spots for the migrating critters to use instead of the road.

 

[WVPapaw]

I think I woulda go in the car and just keep driving back and forth on the road to kill as many as possible.

I agree

 

[WVPapaw]

mcb if you come across a snake while detecting, just back up a few steps and walk around the snake. Give it a good 6 ft of clearance and you will have no problem. Despite what people claim about snakes chasing you I've never seen this behavior. I am a zookeeper specializing in reptiles and have spent years looking for snakes since I was a kid. If you "walk up on one" you're carrying a metal detector which is a nice long stick with a platform at the end for moving a snake away from you or you can interpose the coil between you and the snake and back away.

Well cottonmouths will come after you.

 

[WVPapaw]

When you come across an impossibly large number of snakes in one concentrated location, it's sometimes because you are near a snake winter den. I don't know what latitude you are at but in northern areas that get cold enough that snakes need to hibernate, you can run across these large numbers of snakes in the spring and fall. I know rattler's and garter snakes do this. Not sure about copperheads or why there would be a lot of babies but no adults. Copperheads have a very distinctive dumbbell pattern on their skin and a broad triangular head although non poisonous water snakes can look very similar. How big where the snakes you saw? A new born copperhead would be under a foot long.

They were under a foot long more like 7 or 8 inches.

 

[smokeythecat]

Poisonous snake story #1 - was walking out the door, down the sidewalk, a very very small copperhead which I didn't see struck the back of my shoe. It did not live happily ever after.
Poisonous snake story #2 - Went out to Las Vegas and went to the Valley of Fire, it's a very nice park. Where I was it was very flat, and few rocks, no brush and snow white sand. I was walking rather quickly and my mind said STOP! Two feet in front of me was a mostly buried sidewinder coiled and buried in the sand. I backed up 3 feet. (Snake was about 18' long", best guess.) Then I got out my camera and got some great pics, moved way around it, leaned back in and got some more pics of squiggly then walked very SLOWLY back to the car.
Poisonous snake story #3 - You know you have copperheads when you go out to the garden and smell fresh cucumbers, but you didn't plant any.
Poisonous snake story #4 - You know you have copperheads at the local quarry when you smell cucumbers. Watch where you are!
Poisonous snake story #5 - in Griffith Park in Los Angeles, there is a trail to the "bat cave" and Hollywood sign. On the trail is a sign "Beware of Rattlesnakes" . Gotta love LA.

Snake Tragedy: Once upon a time I had a garden. There was this garter snake that liked the garden. I am not afraid of garter snakes. I knew it was there, but the little bugger would climb up the plants and jump out when I got close. After about the 10th time, I dispatched it. I still do not like the resolution, but heart attacks are no fun either. And the problem is we also have copperheads, so no chances with unknowns.

Snake insanity: Saw a gorgeous house snake in the road a couple years ago, pulled the car up along side, rolled down the window and told the snake it was very pretty and should get out of the road.

Snake rescue: A baby snake of some sort got in the basement 10 years ago. I found out when my 12 year old daughter (near midnight), says to the cat - "Comet, what have you got?". Well then I hear "Comet's got a SNAKE.!) nothing will get you out of bed quicker. Had two state troopers help find and get the bugger back outside (safely).

Snake rescue: Another small house snake got trapped near the basement door. Caught it in a box, took it on a car ride to the local wildlife people, they played with it awhile and we let it go. Another house snake

Rescued from snake: When I was 16 my friend and I went mineral collecting, nature viewing, etc. just below the Conowingo Dam. Jack looks down and screams "A hognose snake", and lunges under this huge bolder. He planted his feet and pulled and pulled, but the snake got away. Thank God.

Killer snake from hell: Actually, was in Virginia near Saylor's creek metal detecting, not hell. I look down and about 6 feet away is a gorgeous hognose snake. I told my 12 year old to "watch this". We got closer and he coiled and shook his little tail. Oh, was he fearsome. I took a very small stick and gently touched the snake. He did this great performance playing "dead snake". Of course, we left him alone. Found some nice CW bullets that day.

Snake attitude problem: I decided one day to take down the 15' above ground swimming pool. There was a pretty large garder snake. I yelled "get out of the way or die". It left.

Snake attitude problem #2: My two daughters were outside and saw a humongous garter snake. It unfortunately (for the toad) caught the toad who lived under out steps. So the kids wanted to catch the snake. What the heck, what's the worse can happen, peroxide So I said ok. (Mom is just a little nuts.) So I rigged up a pole with a loop on the other end made of speaker wire and told them to go ahead and catch the snake. They really tried. This snake was HUGE. I was watching from the door. The two cats were helping them. So they poke at the snake. The snake does not like it, so it dropped the toad and turned on the kids. So up the stairs into the house comes the cats first, then the oldest, then the youngest, then this stupid snake is chasing them within 5 feet of the DOOR after climbing the steps! Jeez! But then it saw ME and I was not running. So the snake turns and heads back down the steps with 1) both cats and then in order 2) both kids after it. It got away, but Jennie Toad died.

Death to snakie #1 - My daughter was sent home from the flea market we were doing to get some potted water plants out of our small manmade pond to sell. So she gets back in about an hour and is frankly madder 'n hell. She had 3 plants, not the 10 I asked for. i had told her not to put her hand in the pond, but to use a rake and pull them to the side, then get them out. She did this. However a very aggressive northern water snake had problems with this and attacked her. it missed. My 22 did not miss the next day.

Death to snakie #2 - I was IN the garden pond harvesting water plants to sell. I was on one side of the pond. I was wearing knee high rubber boots but using bare hands to pull up the plants. I hear a "sploosh" from the other side of the pond about 10 feet away. BTW- frogs "plop" Snakes ""sploosh". A few seconds later I feel a "bump bump" on the rear of the boot. I look around and there's squiggly running (swimming) away. This is when I found out it's not really all that hard to walk on water. The 22 took care of this one too.

And the piece de la resistance - Once upon a time ago, almost, no actually in another life, almost, I was squirrel hunting at my mother in law's. I was down in the "glade" as we call it. There were some old mine shafts nearby so had to walk carefully. I sensed something wasn't quite right. I look down and there is this here snake running between my legs from the rear to the front. I waited until it got about 8 feet away and shot it with a 12 gauge. BTW= that's too close, as some of the pellets zoomed back past my head as they hit some rocks. I couldn't find the snake. So I backed up 10 more feet and put two more #2 12 gauge loads into the area where the snake had been. Not being totally satisifed I reloaded and put two more rounds into the general area. That's not overkill, is it? I never found even a PIECE of that snake.

All stories are real and not embellished.

 

[rickn1]

Just go's to show ya Their just plain sneaky.

 

[WVPapaw]

My mom an d grandmom saw that when my mom was a kid . But they were just garters. Not babies though. They said the hill was just covered with them. They were rolling down the hill in a ball and plopping into the creek . Sounds quite freaky . That summer they said , they didn't see a snake after that.
I was coming home from work one night and saw toads on the road . Using my headlights , tossing them to the other side of the road in the direction they were headed in. Like a horror movie they kept coming and coming till there were Hundreds , probably thousands , more . Now they section off that part if the road at a certain time each year , apparently it's a huge migration every year

I have seen frogs do that too. Snakes love frogs and probably toads too. Most of the snakes I see dead on the road behind our house got run over at night during spring and fall. I suspect they like the warm blacktop roads on cool nights.

 

[WVPapaw]

When you come across an impossibly large number of snakes in one concentrated location, it's sometimes because you are near a snake winter den. I don't know what latitude you are at but in northern areas that get cold enough that snakes need to hibernate, you can run across these large numbers of snakes in the spring and fall. I know rattler's and garter snakes do this. Not sure about copperheads or why there would be a lot of babies but no adults. Copperheads have a very distinctive dumbbell pattern on their skin and a broad triangular head although non poisonous water snakes can look very similar. How big where the snakes you saw? A new born copperhead would be under a foot long.

I am sure there were adults somewhere on the road. We just couldn't see them. Matches don't give off much light and only burn a brief time. Once we realized the road was covered with them we didn't hang around long.. We tried to avoid stepping on the babies because we didn't know if they could strike us. Not sure they were long enough to do much striking.

 

[mercury1]

I am sure there were adults somewhere on the road. We just couldn't see them. Matches don't give off much light and only burn a brief time. Once we realized the road was covered with them we didn't hang around long.. We tried to avoid stepping on the babies because we didn't know if they could strike us. Not sure they were long enough to do much striking.

It's very unlikely a small copperhead could put the bite on you while sprinting down the road at high speed.

 

[claygold]

It's very unlikely a small copperhead could put the bite on you while sprinting down the road at high speed.

My friends son got bit by a baby copperhead in n.c he said it felt like his foot was on fire he was wearing flipfloops at the time but they did not give him anti venom just keep him in hostipal couple of days him foot got so big his mom told me she thought his skin would split i saw one this past nov. that was in the creek i was panning in it was about 45 an cloudy that day an the water was to cold to pan without gloves i let him go with a warning not to let anybody else in my spot but never saw him again ha ha

 

[Jimmi]

I've heard in some areas of the country they put tunnels under the roads in key spots for the migrating critters to use instead of the road.

I've heard that too, I like that.