Carolann, thank goodness y'all didn't get bit.

OMG, That is toooooo scary. Thank god y'all are ok.
Guess if I seen one of those in my garden that would be the end of my gardening.

MOST of the time a rattlesnake will rattle - but those guys with NO rattles give me the heebie-geebies. That snake would NEVER have bitten me though - he would have drowned when I pooped down both legs. ; - )

Glad ya'll are ok. Great reminder to REALLY look before sticking our hands into those "hidden" areas.

J.D.

That is too scarey...i might had dies from a heart attack rather than a snake bite

I am so glad you didn't get bit! PJ

LOL at J.D.'s "Code Brown"! Your .22 pistol w/ rat shot would work just about right here!

Carol, YIKES!!! That's VERY alarming--thanks for the reminder!

I've never seen a live copperhead, or a dead one for that matter and I don't ever want to see one.
You were sure lucky. Have you seen them in your yard before?
Aren't they supposed to be somewhat aggressive?

Dang girl, it gives me the willies just seeing your foot by it. I have never seen one. Good to know what they look like.

WOW, Carol Ann - how scary!!! Please wear gloves in the future, and you might also get some sulphur to sprinkle in the really dense places of your garden. Believe me snakes DO NOT like sulphur (or moth balls).

Carol Ann,

That just freaks me out. As a lot of you already know, I HATE SNAKES. I don't care what kind they are! I hate them. If they stay out of my yard they will live, but if they come over here, well, that's another story.

I'm glad that he didn't bite you. I know lots of people that have been bitten by poisonous snakes. One friend ended up in the hospital for a week after a rattlesnake bite her on her arm as she was picking green beans.

Keep your eyes open and be careful.

Hey...That's my Hubbies shoe.

We've only seen this copperhead and one other since we moved here 7 years ago. I've seen a few small snakes that have the coloring but I didn't know for sure if they were one because when they look a little different when they're young. I kill any young snake that has even the slightest copper look to it. I wouldn't want to let one get away and maybe bite my grandkids. The other copperhead was several years ago and right before we had to go to my DHs wedding rehersal the snake bit our little Silky Terrier. He lived but I sure was worried.

I think this may be a bad year for snakes. My son was in the Ozarks staying in a cabin we sometimes rent to go 4 wheeling and a copperhead bit him on his shoe. The teeth got stuck in the shoe. That was such a close call. And to think that I would go all through the woods digging up native plants to bring back.

Oooh, that is so scary. My neighbor just killed a rattlesnake in her garden! We live on a greenbelt, so I keep my eyes open!

I suppose this is not the time to suggest a "C*T"???

; - )

J.D.

(I'm sorry, I just COULDN'T resist)

Whooo-E Carolann, that's one wicked lookin' snake! Somebody was looking out for you and kicked in those big time allergies.

I'm so glad your DH didn't get bitten! How'd your DH spot that devil before it bit him? Tell, tell! (I can never spot the dratted things I'm upon them.)

Suzi

The only good thing about the copperhead is that they are not aggtressive like a cotton mouth moccasin. They just lay there and hide until they bite you. I know a lady who got bit on the ankle and almost died.

I am skeered of them. My possum would have been skeered too.

How big was this snake, Carol Ann?

Janie, who agrees 110% with ltcollins.

The snake was hiding between 2 railroad ties and my DH saw him crawl into our neighbors yard. He ran over there and told them. Then he looked for him but he had crawled back to our yard. He ran over and saw him and attacked him with a spade.

I guess he's about two size 9 1/2 shoes long.

I hate cats. My neighbors cats come over all the time and kill my birds plus I'm allergic to them.

I never look on the ground when I walk. My DH tells me I need to but I look straight ahead to the flowers. Bad habit.

OH, NO! Everybody, listen up!

Watch what is going on around you!

Watch where you step!

DON'T garden in open toe shoes, and DO wear gloves!

NEVER EVER put your hands where you can't see!

Keep a shovel close and handy to dispatch a snake easily. You wouldn't believe how many shovels I own, just so I can leave them all over the property. I am bad about not carrying one with me.

We have found 2 large snake skins in the vegetable garden, and we have had at least one snake in the pond, maybe more. They are here, just avoiding us, I think.

Works for me!

Janie, who is still trying to calculate how long two 9 1/2 shoes are. Maybe 22"? Two feet? Big copperhead! WAIT! is that a ladies shoe? or a man's shoe? heheehe

Janie, I know I need to do all the things you tell me. Thanks for the help. I went out to put on my gardening gloves and there was the scariest looking spider walking around in the glove drawer so I was afraid the spider may have babies or a mate or maybe an entire family in any gloves I pick to wear.

I think I'm buying new gloves and taking them out of the potting shed and into the house.

Those are mens shoes. Copperheads don't get very big but they can do just as much damage no matter what size.

I kill them in my yard.with whaterevers handy...shovel....gun...I've pitch forked one before just so could get the gun(He was a huge 9 ft timber rattler that had 15 rattlers.his thickest section was 8 inches around) I skinned a timber rattler rattler last year& cured his skin.I shooed one out of flowerbed....so could spade him(copperhead)I found one in firepile 4 years ago....on my shovel as was getting ready to toss in truck.I about peed myself then(and was a bad year that year...I killed 15 in the month of may alone.)And yet for 2 years I let A blue striped weatern ribbon snake live around my pond...I even named him slick.He'd sunbathe every morning on the waterfall section.I think he ate my frogs(Reminds me...I chopped a snakes head off that had his mouth full of frog...I felt safe...His mouth was occupied.Pruneing shears did him in.He was a good snake...I learned what a rat snake looked like(they can climb trees)I've killed one coral snake.He was in my fishing area.He needed to go.

Gotta say the best snake is a DEAD snake.

Yup. That is one critter that isn't at all shy. They will come and get you, if you invade their territory.

YIKES!!!! I guess it is that time of yr.. I have found they can't out run the weedeater either...LOL
Sure glad ya'll find him before he found you...
Chena

Snakes aren't bad at all. Copperheads are so docile that you just about have to step ON them to get bit. The easiest way to avoid snakebites are to pay attention and, like another poster said - wear closed-toed shoes, gloves and don't put your body parts where you can't see.

I work summers at a girl scout camp in West Texas, and copperheads are the least of our worries of the poisonous snakes we've got out there. I know people think a rattler is better because of the warning, but diamondbacks are so much more aggressive than copperheads.

Plus, snakes keep down the rodents. We hate to see snakes carry off baby birds, but mice, squirrels, skunks and rabbits would be way overpopulated if it wasn't for those guys. I would have done the same, though, and killed one in my yard. They are territorial and unless you've got barn cats around to keep them away from the house, they'll just come back. In general, though, we just leave them alone as long as they are in our wooded area. They don't like people and will generally avoid areas you frequent.

And all those other non-poisonous snakes, well - they do the good things without being a threat. Let the poor guys do their job!

I kill them with laughter as they watch me scoot my chunky monkey rear end into the house, all in a zigzag shrieking bugs bunny cartoon kind of way. His colors coordinate nicely with those shoes Carolann, make him into a belt for your DH.

We have an inborn natural reaction to snakes, but like some of the posters said above it is a good idea to let the non poisonous snakes live. I know the big chicken/rat snakes look especially scary, but they will repay you for letting them live by keeping the mice and rats under control. Rats are everywhere -- even in the 'nicest' neighborhoods and we could use a little help from the 'real experts' at catching them.

From what I've read on the internet copperheads are non aggressive. I knew a family with kids that lived with them out in the woods (lots of them) and were never bothered. However, I'm not saying I wouldn't kill one if it was in my yard if for no other reason then to keep my dog from being bit. We had a dog bitten on the nose. He was uncomfortable, but he recovered in a few days.

The coral snakes are especially non agressive and couldn't bite you if they tried. Their little tiny fangs are way back in their mouth and the only bite I could find ever recorded was of a lab technician that stuck his little finger down ones throat. Why he did that I don't know, but even then so little venon was released his finger became swollen and that was it.

I stepped on a coral snake barefoot in my back yard and he didn't even try to bite. That's when I did the research. They are so docile children have been known to carry them around and play with them with no harm. I see them occasionally, but just let them live. Too bad that little 'red and yellow kill a fellow' rhyme got started, because they don't.

It's good to be aware -- of both the hazards AND THE HELPS that snakes present.

Happy gardening everyone!

Ya'll can send any snakes my way. I ain't afraid of 'em and they eat rats and mice. QUIT killing them!! Copperheads cause a lot of swelling, pain but that's about it. You don't even get antivenom (crofab) when one bites you. And they will run if given a bit of a chance, didn't he have to chase this one around to kill it? Most people are discharged within 24-48 hours of copperhead bites. Cottonmouth and rattlesnakes are another story. Coral snake bites are so rare that when it does happen the poison control staff get all excited & the phones start lighting up as we call each other. As a matter of fact the anti-venom isn't even produced anymore! And in 3 years at pcc I never heard of a single bite that had envenomation. They have to get their back teeth chomped into you, and by then most people have run clear to Arkansas!!
As kids we used to catch snakes, tie them in a pillow case and then put that on our handlebars. We would then ride to SeaArama and sell the snakes to the guy there. He had been bitten several dozen times by various snakes over the years, probably immune.
OH, and btw, snakes are NOT repelled by moth balls, nor are possums, raccoons or any other critters. You just end up with a stinky yard! Cats don't like them but will just poop right next to them. And if you dump them in your attic you'll make yourself and the family sick. Then ya gotta climb around and pick them all up. And if you pour them into the wall cavities.....
Tally HO!

Funny thing...I have seen more snakes this year than in any past. None nasty as far as I can tell. Just yesterday I was looking very close at some passion flowers on my fence...my face was about 6 inches from a 4ft. long bright green snake! I am not scared of snakes but I near made lemonaid in my jeans.

One thing I DID learn a few years ago...you DO NOT wear flip flops outside at night. I went to get in my car and just happened to look down, and, illuminated by a shaft of light from my yard lamp, I saw a huge copperhead right where I was about to step. No, I did not kill it (I never kill any snakes, lizzards or whatever) and it went away and I never saw it again. But I sure did learn a lesson I will never forget! Gives me the willies thinking about it even now.

OK, snakes are always an item of varying opinions. I know all the stuff, the good, the bad, the ugly, but snakes still scare me to death. I have a terrible case of Snakephobia- Fear of snakes. (Ophidiophobia) I try hard, but I don't always succeed. Just this past week I had a yellow belly racer in the garage. I don't know who was more scared, me or the snake. Then the next day, I saw a ribbon snake. Well I could have easily killed the little snake, but I am trying a new approach, i.e. if you stay away from me I'll let you live. Just go somewhere else. Gosh, if I wasn't so afraid of snakes my life would be a lot easier.

BTW, some years back there was a little boy in central Texas who picked up what he thought was a harmless snake, but was actually a coral snake. To make a long story short, he ended up in the hospital a very sick little boy. So shy or not, if I see coral snakes in my yard, I do kill them.

Well, while the coffee is making, I'll weigh in (got a BIG scale? LOL).

I've lived in heavily snake populated areas. The non-venomous ones get caught and turned loose in the barn or under the house - they're probably the BEST rodent control. They can go everywhere the rodents can.

The venomous ones get 'dismembered'. I've caught'em and sold'em, but to me, its just not worth the risk to allow them near your family.

Just my opinion - no more or less important than anyone else's.
J.D.

I'd have to kill a copperhead. If one of my kids got bite by one I'd never forgive myself.

Those bright green snakes are pretty. One year we had a huge veggie garden and my MIL came over to help me pick green beans or maybe it was sugar peas. Anyway, I saw this pretty green snake on the vine with the beans and he was the very same color as the beans. I told MIL to pick this row and I'd pick the next. I couldn't hardly keep from laughing when I sent her straight to the vine with the snake mixed in.
She almost grabbed him. I laughed really hard then I had to run!!!!