Copperheads

[frequentflier]

Today I received a text from the tenant in my in law apartment that she saw a pretty good sized copperhead that slithered behind her (concrete) steps. She mentioned snake holes being near by in the grass. When I arrived home, I grabbed a shovel, garbage pickers and the .357 with snake shot in it and poked around. Before anyone jumps my $hit about it being illegal to kill a copperhead, there are people and a dog and cats that go outside. If I could relocate any poisonous snake to another location far away, I would. But they scare the crap out of me (not snakes in general but copperheads) and I am not an experienced snake handler!
So, my question to those that are more knowledgeable than me, are "snake holes" real? I mean, how does something w/o legs make a hole? There are voles in the back yard but I see no evidence of a snake eating the little $hits. Do snakes take over their holes?
A friend told me today a trapper and catcher of "wild" things said products like snake away and moth balls are a waste of money. Is there anything I can do?
The tenant and her son are freaked out and I really need some advice. I did tell her to use the flash light when she takes the dog out at night and to watch where he goes. And to watch where she steps, etc.
Thanks for any useful advise!

 

[vraiblonde]

I did not know there was such a thing as "snake shot". So I learned something today.

 

[TheRadargod]

Snake holes? No. There are no snakes indigenous to southern Maryland, or anywhere that make holes or burrows. Copperhead? Could be but everyone sees a copperhead first before any real identification. Copperheads like moist areas like heavy mulch, love wood piles and leaf litter. Keep the leaves off the foundation and the debris out of the yard. Make sure drains work and keep things by the house as dry as possible.

 

[RoseRed]

 

[General Lee]

Those are vole holes

 

[DoWhat]

Those are vole holes

What GL said.

 

[littlelady]

We had some run ins with copperheads when we lived in Calvert. Some lived, and some went to snake heaven; depending on the situation. I never thought about if it was illegal to kill them.

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So far, no copperhead encounters in Olney; where we live, now. I don’t like to kill any creature, unless necessary. I let flies, crickets, spiders, and other boogies out of my house. But, sometimes, it is necessary to decide what creature dies. I will never be ok with that, but one has to do what is necessary.

 

[littlelady]

What GL said.

And, TheRadargod, too.

 

[frequentflier]

Snake holes? No. There are no snakes indigenous to southern Maryland, or anywhere that make holes or burrows. Copperhead? Could be but everyone sees a copperhead first before any real identification. Copperheads like moist areas like heavy mulch, love wood piles and leaf litter. Keep the leaves off the foundation and the debris out of the yard. Make sure drains work and keep things by the house as dry as possible.

Pretty sure it was a copperhead as we have seen them in the back yard. We were told by previous owners that a tenant got bit and was hospitalized years ago walking outside in the same area. There is an A/C unit and a crawlspace under the apartment (damp) We are on 2 acres heavily wooded and there are 250 acres of woods behind us. The leaf and debris removal could be a full time job! We also heat with wood and have a wood rick, outbuildings and covered wood piles through out the property.

But good advice and I thank you. I will get the blower out and try to clean up leaves around the house. I am glad to know there is no such thing as a snake hole, too, since people have referred to them since I moved here 14 years ago.

I also realize copperheads are considered venomous instead of poisonous.

 

[TPD]

A friend told me today a trapper and catcher of "wild" things said products like snake away and moth balls are a waste of money. Is there anything I can do?
The tenant and her son are freaked out and I really need some advice. I did tell her to use the flash light when she takes the dog out at night and to watch where he goes. And to watch where she steps, etc.
Thanks for any useful advise!

Moth balls are good for confined spaces though I prefer moth flakes over balls. For the outside perimeter of the home or property I recommend to my customers to put lime out - a line around the perimeter similar to what you see marking baseball fields, maybe not quite as thick. I’ve heard that snakes won’t cross over the lime because of the consistency and the way it feels on their bellies. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Auntie Biache']

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[frequentflier]

No sign of the snake my tenant saw. And my husband corrected me- we have a .22 with snake shot- not a .357!

 

[Clem72]

I have a giant black snake living under my porch. I left it because I hope someday it will take care of the voles. Haven't seen any other snakes, will the black snake keep them away (like a kingsnake will keep rattlers away)?

 

[frequentflier]

I have a giant black snake living under my porch. I left it because I hope someday it will take care of the voles. Haven't seen any other snakes, will the black snake keep them away (like a kingsnake will keep rattlers away)?

Black snakes are good and a lot of locals say they eat copperheads. Eating voles would be an additional bonus for my yard.

Does anyone have a black snake they want to rehome?!!

 

[glhs837]

No sign of the snake my tenant saw. And my husband corrected me- we have a .22 with snake shot- not a .357!

Evidently CCI makes shot rounds in almost any desired caliber, but since it's small demand, they sort make some then dont make more for a while. Reports say the .22LR is a bit iffy against larger snakes unless you are closer than most folks will get to a venoumous critter. .22 Magnum a bit better. Mixed bag as far as them surviving being shot out of a semi-auto reliably, given the clear plastic nose. Revolver usage recommended by CCI.

 

[GWguy]

Black snakes are good and a lot of locals say they eat copperheads. Eating voles would be an additional bonus for my yard.

Does anyone have a black snake they want to rehome?!!

I keep accidentally running them over with the tractor. I never see them until there are bits and pieces all over the yard.

And some may remember that one year my A/C compressor took one out.

Black snake....

.... just got all chopped up in my A/C compressor at home... What a mess. It stinks too. It was about 3/4" to an inch thick.

forums.somd.com

 

[Gilligan]

Evidently CCI makes shot rounds in almost any desired caliber, but since it's small demand, they sort make some then dont make more for a while. Reports say the .22LR is a bit iffy against larger snakes unless you are closer than most folks will get to a venoumous critter. .22 Magnum a bit better. Mixed bag as far as them surviving being shot out of a semi-auto reliably, given the clear plastic nose. Revolver usage recommended by CCI.

I have some of the really old .22 shot rounds that have the "pinched nose".

 

[officeguy]

Those are vole holes

Which is what the snake eats (the voles, not the vole-holes).

Chances are slim that it was a copperhead. Most people think every striped snake is a 'copperhead' when most of them are some different species. Corn-snakes, black racers, rat-snakes all come in striped versions.

 

[frequentflier]

Which is what the snake eats (the voles, not the vole-holes).

Chances are slim that it was a copperhead. Most people think every striped snake is a 'copperhead' when most of them are some different species. Corn-snakes, black racers, rat-snakes all come in striped versions.

I have no reason to doubt it is a copperhead given that someone got bit by one in the vicinity of where this was seen, walking out of the inlaw apartment. We live on 2 acres of woods and have 250 acres of woods behind us and woods between us and our neighbors. We also use a wood stove for heat and have a wood rick, an outbuilding and several piles of wood stacked and covered around the property. I have only seen one black snake here and it's head was bitten off :-( by something. I am outdoors and walking the property most days I am off work and am careful where I walk and put my hands since I am gardening, planting and pulling Japanese stiltgrass.
Not sure what you are basing your statement that chances are "slim" it is a copperhead. My concern is having one near our dogs in the back yard and a prior tenant's ending up in the hospital from a bite.

 

[ReadingTheNews]

FF, I wouldn't doubt it's a copperhead. You're in southern Calvert, right? That's where we are too, on an acre and a half that backs up to a small stream, and we kill on average, one or two copperheads each year. We've found them under the basketball stand, the hose reel, the truck cap (a while ago, when it was taken off the truck). Some years, they just seem to be everywhere!
Unfortunately, we can't use a firearm on them (too close to neighbors, etc.), but I've become pretty good at decapitation using a shovel!
This year, there's at least one large black snake around (42", based on measuring the shed skin we found), so hopefully that's helping to keep the copperhead numbers under control. * fingerscrossed *

Now if we could just figure out what to do about the foxes......