AndyS wrote:

Andy writes;

I just had a neighbor that got bitten on the finger by a
copperhead while he was weeding his garden by hand.
This is North Texas and we have a LOT of copperheads
and mocassins around, and they are a constant hazard.
Last month, I killed two coppers and one mocassin, and
the mocassin was a very close call.

Anyway, I just thought I'd post this as a caution to remind
folks that critters lurk under them thar rows of stuff.

Anybody else here had a close call, or a bite, while
gardening......?????

Andy in Eureka, Texas


The pit vipers (rattlers, copperheads,etc.) are bite-release predators
and their venom is critical to their survival. Only in about (numbers
are sketchy due to the relative rarity of bites) 1 in 5 or 10 human bite
reports has the person been envenomed. Much depends on why you are being
bitten, whether the snake has fed recently, etc. If you are reaching
into an area where a snake has a spot 'staked out' for prey, it cannot
distinguish your hand/foot for a rodent or rabbit. You will be
envenomed. If a snake is trying to scare you away, it may strike and
bite - even more than once - and not waste its venom. Likely the myth
about dogs being immune has more to do with the type of encounters they
have with snakes. They are being scared away instead of confused with a
prey animal. Also, receiving the antivenin serum is not without risk. It
is made from horse blood products and if you have been exposed to horse,
burro, donkey meat you could have an anaphylactic reaction. Still, if
your physician is prepared for that possibility with an epi dose, it's
usually better than no AV. And even survivng a bte with AV doesn't mean
you might not have permanent damage to muscles/nerves.
If you are bitten, try to rememeber what the snake looked like or have
somone kill/capture it and bring it with you the ER. Coral snake bites
are extremely rare and they must chew on a skin fold to envenom you. 2
big fang puncture wounds will be a pit viper. DO NOT suck, cut and suck,
use electricity. Ice use is a mixed bag, it may slow the venom from
spreading, but damage will be greater in the area where it is
concentrated. Probably better without it. Just try to calmly and safely
get to a doctor. A good doctor will not administer AV until you show
symptoms of envenomation. Even if you have not been envenomed, blood
loss and/or infection is still possible and must be treated so don't
hang around at home waiting for something to swell, turn black or go numb.
Do not reach into or around logs and rocks where you cannot see.

You can find good info by googling images and other stuff related to
outdoor safety. Bees are probably the number one killer of people in the
outdoors.

Carl


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