Cottonmouth bite

[Wineoceros]

They not only eat live animala but also dead and decaying things...

Yes, I just recently read that, and was quite surprised by it. I grew up "learning" that snakes would not eat dead prey. Clearly that was an over-generalization.

 

[electric wombat]

Also some one said you can smell them and boy that is the truth.

That's one of their defensive mechanisms. It's a musk they spray & it smells rotten to the core. Even worse is when your disecting one & you cut that gland open.

& yeah, anyone who has pet snakes will tell you that they eat dead stuff. I feed my ratsnake thatwed mice. He has no problem eating em. It's kinda cute actually, he opens his mouth & waits for me to put the mouse in it LOL.

 

[Caimlas]

I've never been bitten by anything other than a garter snake, but by god I've come intentionally close to being bitten by both cottonmouths and copperheads when I was a kid.

My brother and I would hunt snakes (and pretty much everything else we could) when we were kids. I shot a couple of each with a bow and arrow (it took a while), we'd find and collect the young garters (to play with) and we'd occasionally get bitten by the adult ones (while playing with, or trying to kill, them). Garters would sting a bit when they'd sting, but not even as bad as a wasp or a bad scrape, so it was mostly just fun and games for us.

My uncle has had a cottonmouth swim up his pants while he was swimming in the lake as a kid. My grandfather nailed a copperhead with a pistol, mid-strike, when he was walking with my mother (who was then a small child) in the woods.

I stopped hunting snakes when I was in 3rd grade. I saw what I thought (at the time) to be a garter snake making it's way for a large drainage pipe at the end of a culvert. I went after it with a flashlight and a heavy stick. When I was about half way into the pipe, the light shone on the snake (a cottonmouth), coiled about two feet from me, looking agitated and ready to strike. I very, very slowly backed out.

I later looked them up after finding out one of the kids in the neighborhood had died a couple years previously to a snake bite in the very same area as where we'd been hunting. That cured me quickly.

I've since stumbled upon a handful of rattlesnakes; I hate snakes, and if there is a hell, there are certainly snakes there.

 

[Wineoceros]

I hate snakes, and if there is a hell, there are certainly snakes there.

That's an odd attitude. From your description of your own activities your encounters with snakes have largely consisted of you intentionally harassing and needlessly killing animals (like garter snakes) that are not only harmless, but quite beneficial predators.

They're simply creatures doing what they're designed to do by their genetics. They're not out to get you and, barring the occasional chance accidental encounter, if you'll just leave them alone they'll be more than happy to return the favor.

 

[Bailey Boat]

As has been stated, the Sawyer does not involve cutting and it may not the the cure all for a bite, but it beats the hell out of doing NOTHING for yourself....... To imobilize the bite site is wonderful, assuming that you don't have to walk out to your transportation... (most bites are on the legs since that's where the snake can reach and is closest to him) Speed of application would be the key here, having it "in the truck" a mile away isn't doing you much good as Mr. Mocosain or Ms. Copperhead is munching on yo' leg..... I keep mine within arms reach when I'm out and about and in snake land. I have used mine on a couple of wasp stings and mosquito bites and it does what it advertises.......

And before anyone slams me, I also take the pre-emptive measures also. I do a fair amount of vacant land inspections and have the snake proof boots AND chaps AND I wear them AND I carry an Extractor in my back pocket......

 

[springmom]

Coral snake venom is the worst, I've always read. Fortunately, you almost have to volunteer to be bitten to actually have a problem with them. They're not aggressive; kids have been known to pick one up, put it in a pocket and carry it to school and not get bitten.

Proof that God looks after fools and little children.

Not only is venom an issue with Cottonmouths but so is infection. Cottonmouths are of course armed with venom but they also have a bacterria in their mouths and around their teeth, not just the fangs. They tearwhen they come out of a bite, this bacterria is much like the type found in Monitor lizards teeth and mouth

As I understand it, ALL snakes, poisonous and non-poisonous, have extremely dirty mouths. They lack saliva, which functions in part to kill bacteria in the mouth. My middle son has a ball python (which I'm currently foster parenting...long story) who struck at me one time when he was very young and not yet tame, and I took great pains to clean the wound and keep it disinfected until it healed.

If you get bitten, even by a garter snake, make the effort to clean the bite and keep it clean.

Springmom

 

[MCgunner]

I don't kill snakes, will side step them, unless they present a danger somehow, like I have to return on that trail or it's in my back yard or something. I killed a rattler with 9 buttons nearly as long as I am tall (6 feet) out of my back yard once. When I was a kid, we used to go out after a heavy rain after snakes, but I grew up. I don't normally shoot what is not a threat or I can't eat. When you mature, you gain some sort of ethics.....hopefully. To be frightened of snakes is not logical just as arachnophobia is not logical, but I know people are. Usually, it's just ignorance of the subject, though. When I was a kid, I had a fear of crawfish, of all things. LOL Now, I boil and eat 'em or bait hooks with 'em. Heck, my wife pratically tore the bedroom up one day because of a little lizard on the wall, LOL! I just grabbed the little bugger by the tail, waved him at the wife for grins, before putting him on the back porch to hunt mosquitoes. What harm can a lizard do, well, not including the Gila monster?

I've eaten rattlers. They're quite good chicken fried and a large rattler makes a good meal. Wife won't touch it, just don't know what she's missing. She won't eat squirrel either, unless I tell her it's rabbit. Then she thinks it's quite yummy. Go figure.

 

[ronwill]

Springmom, it's not entirely true that snakes have no saliva. Remember they swallow their pray whole and some lubrication is necessary. As for bites, you should clean the bite no matter what kind of animal it was. I have kept many different kinds of animals over the years, have been bitten by non-venomous snakes with no ill effects and twice by venomous species (rattlesnake and water moccasin/ cotton mouth). Fortunately the venomous bites were glancing with little or no venom injected.

 

[ColeK]

I have never been bitten by a snake but being from the Deep South I have had numerous close encounters. I would rather have an encounter with a rattle snake than a cottonmouth.

A rattle snake will try to get away from you if you will back up. But a cottonmouth will attack.

In the spring cottonmouths are at their worst.

While fishing with a friend one fine spring day we heard a loud hissing. My friend asked me what that sound was and why was I looking up at the trees we were under? I told him there was a large mad cottonmouth close by and that I was checking the trees to be sure that he was not above us on a limb.

I then looked behind us and there was a cottonmouth coming toward us with its head a foot or more out of the water. The snake was about 25 yards away when I showed it to my friend. He went nuts and started throwing things at the snake. When the cottonmouth got with in three feet of the boat I shot its head off.

The moral of this story is that cottonmouths are very aggressive and dangerous and if you are close to water you need to be careful and be prepared.

 

[btg3]

Pulled my folks' pontoon boat out for the winter last October and found a small cotton mouth up in the motor mount. Poked at it until it stuck its head out and whacked it dead with a broom stick. That boat was tied to a floating dock that kids played around all summer. Wonder whether that dock might be a haven for them???

 

[MCgunner]

I have never been bitten by a snake but being from the Deep South I have had numerous close encounters. I would rather have an encounter with a rattle snake than a cottonmouth.

A rattle snake will try to get away from you if you will back up. But a cottonmouth will attack.

In the spring cottonmouths are at their worst.

While fishing with a friend one fine spring day we heard a loud hissing. My friend asked me what that sound was and why was I looking up at the trees we were under? I told him there was a large mad cottonmouth close by and that I was checking the trees to be sure that he was not above us on a limb.

I then looked behind us and there was a cottonmouth coming toward us with its head a foot or more out of the water. The snake was about 25 yards away when I showed it to my friend. He went nuts and started throwing things at the snake. When the cottonmouth got with in three feet of the boat I shot its head off.

The moral of this story is that cottonmouths are very aggressive and dangerous and if you are close to water you need to be careful and be prepared.

I'd bet that was a non-venomous water snake. They will often faux attack, even strike, if threatened. I've had 'em do it to me. It's part of their defense mechanism. Never had a cottonmouth act aggressive. Not sayin' it can't happen, just figurin' highest probability was a non-venomous water snake of some kind.

 

[skynyrd1911]

I used to bass fish out of a float tube when I lived in central OK. Ponds and small lakes....even coves of large lakes. I was always watching for them, but Iall I ever saw was water snakes. That being said I DO NOT fish out of a tube here in NE Arkansas. Only out of my boat.

 

[41magsnub]

I was chased out of a lake by what I thought at the time was a water moccasin near Olethe (spelling) KS years and years ago. I'm not so sure now, but it was on top of the water and everything. I was in the Army so any sort of firearm was a lot more trouble than it would seem to be worth with the whole Armory restriction. I just ran for it since the closest thing to a weapon I had was a Kmart special spinning rod.

 

[xring44]

I think cottonmouths are like all species, some more easily riled. As a kid, I used to help my grandfather seine bait for trot lines. He commerical fished and we worked hard to keep bait. We would seine pot holes along the Arkansas river after high water receded for bait. He would cut a pole and thrash the water with it to run the snakes off, most would leave, but many times a cottonmouth wouldn't. Not only would he not leave, he'd come to the ruckus They can be aggressive!

If your in snake country and have observed them swimming, its no problem distinguishing the water snake from the cottonmouth, the cottonmouth rides high in the water whereas the water snake rides low in the water.

 

[MCgunner]

I've been attacked by water snakes that had half their body out of the water. They'll ride high if they want to. LOL! But, yeah, normally, you'll see the head out. Sometimes you won't know right away if it's a water snake or a turtle getting air.

 

[krimmie]

Never been bitten, but came close with this one. I was busy looking for game, my son grabbed my shoulder and said; "Did you plan on stepping on that?"...well, no I didn't! Anyway, had the camera and snapped this shot.

 

[ronwill]

There are many myths about snakes, some passed down from generation to generation. If your going to hunt or camp you should do a little research on the wild life you may come into contact with. One of the most often repeated is that a water moccasin will chase you. It's more likely your in the path it wants to go and your in the way. I have seen many and never been chased by any. Here are some sites that may be of interest:

http://www.umass.edu/nrec/snake_pit/pages/myth.html

http://www.texassnakes.net/myths.html

 

[rcmodel]

I was chased out of a lake by what I thought at the time was a water moccasin near Olethe (spelling) KS years and years ago.

Yep! Nasty little buggers ain't they.
They will chase you, but they ain't cottonmouth water-moccasins.

Most likely the Northern Water Snake or Diamondback Water Snake so common in Kansas.

Fugenugly black things with faint brown patterns that will often come after you!

Non-Poisonous, but I still hate them because they are so aggressive!

rcmodel

 

[MCgunner]

It's just their defense mechanism. They don't have any sting to a bite, but they act like it and scare off the predator by doing so.

 

[rcmodel]

Works for me!

I grew up with rattlesnakes, and they all scare the stuffing out of me when I come on one unexpected.

Then if they decide to chase me, that's even worse!

rcmodel

 

[MCgunner]

Well, I went to my place today to take a hog trap down there and set it. I wore my snake boots and toted my Contender/.410 barrel in a shoulder holster. This IS the time of year. I didn't see one today, though. it's really wet down there, makes ya nervous. LOL

 

[G17Steve]

My yellow lab got bit while in the water\swamp right below the neck in the meat of his chest,almost lost him due to the fact it was late and no vets were open,got him to 24 hour vet several ours later and he made it.

 

[cottonmouth]

Cottonmouth

My bark is more dangerous that my bite!

J.B.

 

[Leanwolf]

PATRICK HENRY - " The Sawyer extractor seems to be up for debate. Some say go for it others say do not use it. Makes me think maybe I should test mine on a bee sting and just see."

I can guarantee you the Sawyer Extractor works very, very well on bee and wasp stings.

I've used mine on both, plus on a couple of yellowjacket stings on my wife. She is very allergic to stings, but the Sawyer did its work and she had no problem.

Last Sept., I was in the mountains scouting for elk, when a yellowjacket hit me on the neck. I used my Sawyers, and within a few mintues, I was unable to tell I'd been hit.

Fortunately I have never had to use it on a snake bite, but I assure you if I were hit, I'd definitely use the Sawyers kit on the bite.

FWIW.

L.W.

 

[MCgunner]

I guess I need one of those Sawyer kits. I've read about 'em. They aren't real compact, though. I could keep it on my vehicle while down at my place, would only be 1/2 mile from it at any given time, or if I'm wearing my cargo pants, I'd have room for it if I could remember to put it there. I've never been real good about that sort of thing and the older I get, the more forgetful I get.

For me, though, number ONE is wearing snake boots or leggings whenever I'm down there. Best to prevent the bite than treat it.