My 997.2 C4S saved my life!
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10-03-2014, 08:39 PM
#8
Three Wheelin'
Are you sure that's a Copperhead? The picture isn't that great. The head looks like it could be triangular but on the body, dorsally, I don't see anything resembling saddles (nor the characteristic reddish brown on the head, and the head scale pattern just looks off - I don't have my field guides handy but I didn't think that Agkistrodon contortrix had a two post ocular scales - only a large singular). If you cared, check the scales. A. contortrix will have weakly keeled scales and if you look at the ventral scales posterior to the cloacal/**** vent they should be singular in venomous snakes (about 80 percent of the time in your part of the world) and almost always a double row in non-venomous snakes, again in your part of the world. But I suppose it could be an intergrade, again, not having my field guides which would indicate ranges and subspecies, I wouldn't be able to guess. (Is that a light dorso-lateral diamond pattern in the picture?)
Too bad it was run over. I don't have any great affinity for snakes but they are beautiful animals and very good at what they do. If it was a Copperhead, and you had been bitten, about 30 or so percent of the time you get a dry bite (no venom, happened to me while not paying attention while radio-tracking turtles); if it wasn't a dry bite, well, I think there are only two confirmed cases in the literature of death from a copperhead bite (an old man and a child) - typically the area gets swollen and you get the symptoms of a mega case of influenza which takes about three to seven days to pass.
Oh well, hard to tell from a picture so I'll just assume it is as you say.
Too bad it was run over. I don't have any great affinity for snakes but they are beautiful animals and very good at what they do. If it was a Copperhead, and you had been bitten, about 30 or so percent of the time you get a dry bite (no venom, happened to me while not paying attention while radio-tracking turtles); if it wasn't a dry bite, well, I think there are only two confirmed cases in the literature of death from a copperhead bite (an old man and a child) - typically the area gets swollen and you get the symptoms of a mega case of influenza which takes about three to seven days to pass.
Oh well, hard to tell from a picture so I'll just assume it is as you say.
10-03-2014, 08:54 PM
#9
Drifting
Are you sure that's a Copperhead? The picture isn't that great. The head looks like it could be triangular but on the body, dorsally, I don't see anything resembling saddles (nor the characteristic reddish brown on the head, and the head scale pattern just looks off - I don't have my field guides handy but I didn't think that Agkistrodon contortrix had a two post ocular scales - only a large singular). If you cared, check the scales. A. contortrix will have weakly keeled scales and if you look at the ventral scales posterior to the cloacal/**** vent they should be singular in venomous snakes (about 80 percent of the time in your part of the world) and almost always a double row in non-venomous snakes, again in your part of the world. But I suppose it could be an intergrade, again, not having my field guides which would indicate ranges and subspecies, I wouldn't be able to guess. (Is that a light dorso-lateral diamond pattern in the picture?)
Too bad it was run over. I don't have any great affinity for snakes but they are beautiful animals and very good at what they do. If it was a Copperhead, and you had been bitten, about 30 or so percent of the time you get a dry bite (no venom, happened to me while not paying attention while radio-tracking turtles); if it wasn't a dry bite, well, I think there are only two confirmed cases in the literature of death from a copperhead bite (an old man and a child) - typically the area gets swollen and you get the symptoms of a mega case of influenza which takes about three to seven days to pass.
Oh well, hard to tell from a picture so I'll just assume it is as you say.
Too bad it was run over. I don't have any great affinity for snakes but they are beautiful animals and very good at what they do. If it was a Copperhead, and you had been bitten, about 30 or so percent of the time you get a dry bite (no venom, happened to me while not paying attention while radio-tracking turtles); if it wasn't a dry bite, well, I think there are only two confirmed cases in the literature of death from a copperhead bite (an old man and a child) - typically the area gets swollen and you get the symptoms of a mega case of influenza which takes about three to seven days to pass.
Oh well, hard to tell from a picture so I'll just assume it is as you say.
I like snakes too but I think most people just aim for them when they see them...
10-04-2014, 12:54 AM
#10
Three Wheelin'
10-04-2014, 01:30 AM
#11
Drifting
Thread Starter
Sorry, the snake was disposed of shortly after snapping the picture. I get quite a few snakes here. Mostly I don't mind them as I've seen the results of field mice in a cars ventilation or intake system. My neighbors German Shepard was bitten by a copperhead a couple of years ago. He thought this snake was a copperhead. I know they are usually not fatal bites but they are extremely painful and cause some awful tissue damage. I am certainly no expert so I would default to others. This snake was young, about 11 or 12 inches, has vertical slit eyes, and a lighter colored tail. I believe most local snakes with round eyes are not dangerous but eyes like this snake had are a different matter. 
10-04-2014, 03:28 AM
#13
Nordschleife Master
Had something similar in my yard almost 10 years ago (hence the lousy picture). An eastern diamondback that was just massive. Called the alligator hotline which picks up reptiles of all stripes at no charge. The first guy who showed up said he "wasn't equipped" to deal with this thing". A more senior member of the team came 10 minutes later and was clearly excited. Rare to see a fully grown diamondback he said and estimated the length at between 6' and 7' and about 6" in diameter at the waist. He then added that "this is not the kind of snake you want in your yard". It was captured alive and transported to a local zoo.
10-04-2014, 06:53 PM
#14
Intermediate
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Washington DC
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10-04-2014, 11:49 PM
#15
Drifting
