Larry Gude
Strung Out
...yes.
They have small, needle like teeth that angle back into their mouths so that when they bite something, it is hard for 'it' to get away. Mice, frogs, small birds. Left ring finger of, say, some idiot.
When bitten by the rat snake, reflexes dictate you will try to rip away from the bite. Don't do this. It will only make matters worse and play into the hands of the 'nake.
After you try to rip your finger out of the black rat snakes mouth, you will notice that, also reflexively, your non dominant hand has attained a decent grip of the 'nake right behind his head, just behind his jaws, the place you were trying to put your dominant hand until it was otherwise...interrupted...from going.
Gently, but, firmly, squeeze the 'nakes jaws together and he will gently, but firmly, open up and let go of, say, your ring finger on your left and, in my case, dominant hand.
This will also calm the snake because he really has no interest in eating you anyway. This is good because one of you needs to be calm while the other one is shrieking like a stuck pig in a bonfire.
Maintain a positive grip with your non dominant hand on the 'nake while your assistant/rescuer/significant other douses your now bloody bitten part with alcohol.
This is a good place to stop for a second and discuss bleeding. While she is running to get the alcohol, it is fine and, in fact, a good idea to let your, say, ring finger of your left, and in my case, dominant, hand just...bleed. This helps any debris, mouse guts, frog legs or anything else that may have been on those needle sharp, rear facing teeth, before he bit your dumb, or, in my case, my dumb ass. Finger, actually.
Now, I love snakes. Been picking them up as long as I can remember. Never killed one that wasn't an accident. 9 times out of 10 or, in my case, 999,999 times out of a million, if you pay even a little attention, you ain't gonna get bit. My technique to get a hold of them varies depending on what the snake is doing. In this case, yesterday, we were sitting there, just watering the garden, drinking a beer and he just showed up. I told her not to freak but, that there was a 4 foot long black rat snake about 5 feet from her left foot. She didn't panic but, did go for the shovel.
Instead of 'shoveling' him, I went to his rescue and, as he was pretty chilled out, I just got his tail, briefly considering getting my gloves which were 10 feet away in the truck.
Nahhhhhhhh......I've done this 999,999 times. Don't need no stinking gloves. Hold m'ah beer and...
So, I have him by the tail with my non dominant snake holding hand, which frees up my dominant, and, in my case, well, you know that part by now, left hand to grab him back of the head, so, then, usually, I just put a foot on him, gently, leaving not too much neck nor too little. Too much means you might get bit. Too little means nothing to grip.
So, my first step, not enough neck. So, I readjust and...plenty of neck...
He drew back under my boot as I went for his head and, because I actually am very gentle with them, I really didn't have much pressure on him, he had...wiggle room. The first attempt he did take a swipe at me which is not uncommon. The second one, well, he took another swipe at me and hit pay dirt.
I was part outraged, a big part shocked and a little bit of pain, really not much but, someone was screaming like a stuck pig. And it wasn't him.
In any event, I need to get in the greenhouse now as the crew is rolling in but, I wanted to share my outdoor adventure story.
It's a jungle out there.
They have small, needle like teeth that angle back into their mouths so that when they bite something, it is hard for 'it' to get away. Mice, frogs, small birds. Left ring finger of, say, some idiot.
When bitten by the rat snake, reflexes dictate you will try to rip away from the bite. Don't do this. It will only make matters worse and play into the hands of the 'nake.
After you try to rip your finger out of the black rat snakes mouth, you will notice that, also reflexively, your non dominant hand has attained a decent grip of the 'nake right behind his head, just behind his jaws, the place you were trying to put your dominant hand until it was otherwise...interrupted...from going.
Gently, but, firmly, squeeze the 'nakes jaws together and he will gently, but firmly, open up and let go of, say, your ring finger on your left and, in my case, dominant hand.
This will also calm the snake because he really has no interest in eating you anyway. This is good because one of you needs to be calm while the other one is shrieking like a stuck pig in a bonfire.
Maintain a positive grip with your non dominant hand on the 'nake while your assistant/rescuer/significant other douses your now bloody bitten part with alcohol.
This is a good place to stop for a second and discuss bleeding. While she is running to get the alcohol, it is fine and, in fact, a good idea to let your, say, ring finger of your left, and in my case, dominant, hand just...bleed. This helps any debris, mouse guts, frog legs or anything else that may have been on those needle sharp, rear facing teeth, before he bit your dumb, or, in my case, my dumb ass. Finger, actually.
Now, I love snakes. Been picking them up as long as I can remember. Never killed one that wasn't an accident. 9 times out of 10 or, in my case, 999,999 times out of a million, if you pay even a little attention, you ain't gonna get bit. My technique to get a hold of them varies depending on what the snake is doing. In this case, yesterday, we were sitting there, just watering the garden, drinking a beer and he just showed up. I told her not to freak but, that there was a 4 foot long black rat snake about 5 feet from her left foot. She didn't panic but, did go for the shovel.
Instead of 'shoveling' him, I went to his rescue and, as he was pretty chilled out, I just got his tail, briefly considering getting my gloves which were 10 feet away in the truck.
Nahhhhhhhh......I've done this 999,999 times. Don't need no stinking gloves. Hold m'ah beer and...
So, I have him by the tail with my non dominant snake holding hand, which frees up my dominant, and, in my case, well, you know that part by now, left hand to grab him back of the head, so, then, usually, I just put a foot on him, gently, leaving not too much neck nor too little. Too much means you might get bit. Too little means nothing to grip.
So, my first step, not enough neck. So, I readjust and...plenty of neck...
He drew back under my boot as I went for his head and, because I actually am very gentle with them, I really didn't have much pressure on him, he had...wiggle room. The first attempt he did take a swipe at me which is not uncommon. The second one, well, he took another swipe at me and hit pay dirt.
I was part outraged, a big part shocked and a little bit of pain, really not much but, someone was screaming like a stuck pig. And it wasn't him.
In any event, I need to get in the greenhouse now as the crew is rolling in but, I wanted to share my outdoor adventure story.
It's a jungle out there.
. Seeing as I have had one baby copperhead in the garage, and do go on road trips, and stuff ALWAYS happens when I'm gone, figured it was good that at least one person in the family know more than "BURN IT WITH HELLFIRE!!!!!!" as a snake management method. 
