SNAKE BITES

M

marshmellow

New member
It seem its going to be a bad year in TN. The news just reported a 6 moth old was bitten and died on 5/25/09 in Smyrna TN. a 9 yr old boy was bitten and died on 5/25/09 and an 8yr old girl bitten on 5/25/09 and is intensive care. all bites with in 60 miles total. folks lets watch our little ones out there. This is the most I can remember her in TN.
 
Thats a sad deal.
Three people have been bit around where I live in the past two years.That I know of anyways.Luckily all of them survived and are doing just fine.
 
Gosh you'll be careful! The rattlers are out and about real bad here. I have seen a very large # of them compared to what I usally see & They seem to be very aggresive this yr.
 
I can't speak for Tennesse but here in Arkansas we have had so much rain it has forced a lot of our snakes up to higher, dry ground which tends to concentrate them. We have rattlers, copper heads, and cotton mouths to tend with. The snakes don't go back to lower ground as fast as the water drops either.
 
I hate to hear things like this, as it usually only lends to the "Only good snake is a dead snake" mentality. Just remember guys, snakes play a vital role in the balance of nature. Kill them if you have to as the safety of our loved ones is paramount, but if the option of moving them SAFELY is available to you please give it some consideration.

Be safe

Chupa
 
Everything plays a role in nature. They aren't on any endangered lists. We have rattle snake hunts here...not that I've ever joined that but we do.. bit deal every yr. I still say the only snake I want to see is a dead snake.
 
When it comes to encounters with rattlesnakes on the prairie ...I safely move them. Starting with their heads. They may provide some eco balance in their own little individual areas. I'm fine with that as long as its not shared by my own little areas.
 
Quote:
Everything plays a role in nature. They aren't on any endangered lists. We have rattle snake hunts here...not that I've ever joined that but we do.. bit deal every yr. I still say the only snake I want to see is a dead snake.



Brother, your preachin to the choir on this one. I used to catch Rattler's and sell them for the production of anti-venom. I've caught more crot's than you've probably seen in nightmares. All of that being said, snakes have been a hobby of mine for a very long time and I hate to see them killed just because..... they are a snake and snakes are bad. The list of snakes that I have not owned is much much shorter than the ones I have, you name it...foriegn or domestic and i've probably owned it at one time.

Chupa
 
I've had many, many close encounters with rattlers here in AZ. I certainly have a healthy respect for them,but am not scared or nervous around them.I find them absolutely fascinating.I spend as much time observing them when I run across one,as they will allow.I have observed that they want to be away from us more than we want to be away from them.Many of the snakebites annually are from people taunting the snake.Many are accidental from an unseen snake.I posted the other day about being next to one on a dove hunt and due to ear muffs, not hearing it's buzz.I spent some time observing it from 2-3 feet away from my campstool after I managed to get my shotgun between me and it.I actually had no intention of shooting it unless absolutely necessary.Unfortunately,after a few minutes it started to strike and left me no choice.I actually felt bad,after all,it had been that close to me for quite some time before it registered what I was hearing.It could have hit me at any time and it didn't.They are beautiful, fascinating creatures who do not seek to do us harm if we give them an escape route.
 
I just heard about 10 year old boy got bit the other day...twice.I kinda know his dad but I dont think I've ever met him before.From the sound of things he aint doing very well.
I've never had a fear of snakes but like azmastablasta I have always had a healthy respect for them.I never kill a bullsnake or any harmless snake for that matter because they eat alot of mice.I rarely even kill a rattlesnake unless its close to a house where it could bite someone.I hate hearing about little kids that get bit because more than likely they just were'nt payin attention.When I hear about someone my age or older gettin bit I dont feel as bad because I know they were probably tryin to kill the snake or messin around with it when it happened.If your aware that they are there you could just as easily walk the other direction.But I guess I cant preach about that too much.I've been catchin snakes since I was 8 years old.The only difference between me and those people that get bit is that I know what Im doing.
 
Chupa,
In my younger days I had the "kill every snake" mentality. Now I don't really follow that line of thought. If they are in my back yard and dangerous, I'll probably kill it. However, if I am in their back yard and they are not an immediate threat, I'll probably move on or motivate the snake to do it.

I tried in vain to keep my buddies from killing a small rattler a few years back while camping. I usually try to identify the snake first just because people often get all hopped up over a snake that couldn't harm them much if it wanted to.
 


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