On Tue, 22 May 2007 13:12:08 CST, Derek Broughton
wrote:

Do people (one might even suggest "nuts") intentionally get close enough to
Cottonmouths to note the shape of their pupils?

It really isn't difficult to see the shape of the pupils from a good
distance away, but I doubt I'd treat it any differently even if it was
a cottonmouth. I give it a wide berth, but I'm aware that it's
around. Living out here in the boonies, there are always a bunch of
critters around. I have a black widow spider living under the same
fake rock that the pump for my aerator lives under. Whenever I lift
the rock to fuss with the pump I expect to find some upset venomous
snake there. I was almost relieved to find the spider. There is
stuff that becomes habit here. You don't look under boards or rocks
or things outside except very carefully expecting something to spring
out at you. You don't poke your hands into things. You just have to
be a little aware whenever you go outside. I've got these 17 in
"snake proof" boots that I wear when I go "walking" in the weeds, but
that is mainly because I can't walk very well, and running is out of
the question. But I have not yet seen the snake that can't be
avoided. Most of them will flee if given the chance. If you can't
watch where you are going, well, maybe you deserve it. Anyway, the
shape of the pupils is more distinctive than might be thought, snakes
have no eyelids, their eyes are always wide open.
--
Galen Hekhuis
I may have mispoken