Another copperhead in SOMD

[Ponytail]

WARNING: NSFRR (Not safe for RR)

The following link is for pics that I took of a Copperhead snake while I was moving a week old woodpile that was under my carport to it's permanent home. I moved a log, and there he was. Why this snake didn't bite me is beyond me. He spared me, so I spared him.

This is by far the biggest copperhead that I have ever seen though. The colors in him were perfect and in such sharp contrast. What a neat lookin snake!

http://photos.somd.com/showphoto.php/photo/3725/cat/500/ppuser/1651

 

[Pete]

Kill It!

 

[Ponytail]

This snake had a GREAT opportunity to possibly make the rest of my life miserable. It didn't. It stayed there for a photo op then went on his way probably to find another cool, damp and dark spot. No idea where. Prolly not far though. They are around. I live in the woods very close to a lake. If I kill this one, another one will move into it's place and probably a younger, smaller and more aggressive one. Nope, I'll keep this one around. Keeps the mice/rat/cat population down (I hope) and it doesn't bother me one bit that he's there. I like to see them around. I actually like to see the snakes around. I find that once the neighbors find out I have them, the neighbors don't come over asking for help or to borrow stuff anymore.

 

[Vince]

This snake had a GREAT opportunity to possibly make the rest of my life miserable. It didn't. It stayed there for a photo op then went on his way probably to find another cool, damp and dark spot. No idea where. Prolly not far though. They are around. I live in the woods very close to a lake. If I kill this one, another one will move into it's place and probably a younger, smaller and more aggressive one. Nope, I'll keep this one around. Keeps the mice/rat/cat population down (I hope) and it doesn't bother me one bit that he's there. I like to see them around. I actually like to see the snakes around. I find that once the neighbors find out I have them, the neighbors don't come over asking for help or to borrow stuff anymore.

I'll keep the black snakes around for the mice. Copperheads are dead. Never can tell when you might step into one by accident and he's going to bite you when you do. Surprised this one didn't chase you. Very aggressive snake.

 

[Pete]

This snake had a GREAT opportunity to possibly make the rest of my life miserable. It didn't. It stayed there for a photo op then went on his way probably to find another cool, damp and dark spot. No idea where. Prolly not far though. They are around. I live in the woods very close to a lake. If I kill this one, another one will move into it's place and probably a younger, smaller and more aggressive one. Nope, I'll keep this one around. Keeps the mice/rat/cat population down (I hope) and it doesn't bother me one bit that he's there. I like to see them around. I actually like to see the snakes around. I find that once the neighbors find out I have them, the neighbors don't come over asking for help or to borrow stuff anymore.

Kill it!

 

[virgovictoria]

<a href="http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZSYYYYYYYYUS" target="_blank"><img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_33_17.gif" alt="Snake" border="0"></a> <~~~The only snake I like looking at

 

[Pete]

See if you kill it THAT snake can never bite you. Now that you let it go it could come back and bite you right on the ass.

 

[Pete]

<a href="http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZSYYYYYYYYUS" target="_blank"><img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_33_17.gif" alt="Snake" border="0"></a> <~~~The only snake I like looking at

will be disappointed.

 

[greyhound]

I think it is also a good idea to have snakes around & a lot of people are unaware that it is illegal in Maryland to kill a native snake.

 

[Ponytail]

I'll keep the black snakes around for the mice. Copperheads are dead. Never can tell when you might step into one by accident and he's going to bite you when you do. Surprised this one didn't chase you. Very aggressive snake.

I've run into MANY copperheads in my life, and not one "chased" me. The only one that even tried striking me was the young one that I found last year in the road out front of my house one night. I had the headlights of my truck on it, and it was blinded, not that they have the greatest eyesight anyway. But he sensed that I was there, and just kept repeatedly striking. Once I backed away, he quit striking and immediately slithered into the woods.

Copperheads are the least venomous and least aggressive of the venomous snakes. If you leave them alone, they will leave you alone. They will use flight before fight if given the chance, when faced with a object that they don't intend on eating.

The ONLY snake that I have ever had "chase" me was a cottonmouth watersnake. And that was in Florida while laying sod next to a stream bed.


http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/copperhead.htm NC too far away for an experienced opinion?

IS PAX close enough?
http://www.dcmilitary.com/navy/tester/6_30/local_news/9012-1.html

 

[OrneryPest]

I'll keep the black snakes around for the mice. Copperheads are dead. Never can tell when you might step into one by accident and he's going to bite you when you do. Surprised this one didn't chase you. Very aggressive snake.

I've seen lotsa copperheads, but none of them were aggressive. They'll try to get away from you if they can. They apparently only attack if they're cornered, from all I've been able to tell.

 

[greyhound]

pony i have to disagree with you on the fact about copperheads being less aggressive. The copperhead is an aggressive snake it will strike as a first defense were a rattle snake will flee as a first defense. If cornered all snakes including non poisonous will strike.

 

[willie]

That is a BIG snake! I totally agree with Vince about keeping the Black Snake but death to the Copperhead even if it is illegal.

You think that fat snake is pregnant? Maybe it is a little early? I dunno.

 

[Otter]

I am all for letting most snakes go their merry way, but not copperheads. I have never seen a copperhead that wasn't aggressive, I think you dodged a bullet, PT.

 

[MysticalMom]

What a BEAUTIFUL snake. I'm glad you let her live.

B can come remove her for you and relocate her if she sticks around. They don't call him the snake man for nothing.

 

[Ponytail]

That is a BIG snake! I totally agree with Vince about keeping the Black Snake but death to the Copperhead even if it is illegal.

You think that fat snake is pregnant? Maybe it is a little early? I dunno.

A snake's first defense is to swell to nearly twice their normal diameter. I don't know of ANY snake that doesn't do that. If you look close at my pics, you can clearly see a space between each of it's scales. Normally, they overlap by 1/4 to 1/2 a scale. It's neat to see them do this. They blow up like a balloon in about a second. While like this, they can not scurry away, but they can strike.

As far as whether or not you think I'm wrong on whether or not a Copperhead is aggressive or not, find me a piece of scientific literature (not one of authors opinion) that says a copperhead is an aggressive snake. I'd really like to see it. I trust my sources so far though. I was in a reptile club as a kid, kept snakes as pets, and spent 8 summers in the Pocono Mountains, on a farm, where I'd take DAILY walks through the woods, stream side, ride my dirtbike through the mountains, hunt and fish, and have crossed the path of MANY snakes, timber rattlers included, and have never been bitten, and never killed one. To this day, I never felt it was necessary. I have lived up and down the east coast and whenever I move, I make it a point to find out and educate myself about the local snakes and other potential dangers of the area. Honestly, the daggum scorpions in Florida and Georgia freaked me out the most out of anything.

 

[snuzzy]

Cool! I spent my summers in the Pocono's as a kid as well, we were in the Hawley area. Best time of my life! Took my son to the Cypress Swamps Nature Center, Grey's Road, Calvert County. The "snake expert" there let us know that the copperhead is not an aggressive snake, but all snakes can bite, if stepped on or feels threatened...also the venom of the copperhead will make a grown-up sick, but not life threatening. We've had dogs in our neighborhood bitten and have survived as well...we use "walking sticks" when we walk in the woods, kind of "announce ourselves" by thumping the ground as we walk, if they know you're coming, they'll get out of your way. I've never come across a snake unawares, even in the Poconos!

 

[camily]

They don't call him the snake man for nothing.

 

[RoseRed]

WARNING: NSFRR (Not safe for RR)

I :heart: you!

Honest Abe... I did take a peek and freaked anyway!

 

[greyhound]

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/copperhead.htm

Paragraph 5 talks about research.