Copperhead Country

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Over the past two days, Don and I have each had a very close encounter with venomous snakes. On Tuesday, Don was reinstalling some PVC pipe in one of the trenches of the nearly completed septic system and saw some movement in a crevice in the dirt underneath the pipe. Luckily he had not reached under the pipe because there was a snake hiding under it. Don thought it was a Copperhead, and when we carefully coaxed him out with a watering can, we were able to identify that he was indeed a Southern Copperhead.

We have been using Peterson Field Guides: Venoumous Animals & Poisonous Plants to identify snakes, insects, spiders, and plants that we encounter out here. If I had my scanner out of storage, I would scan their picture of a Southern Copperhead for you to compare with mine. There is no mistaking the identity of this snake! Here is what Peterson Field Guides: Venoumous Animals & Poisonous Plants has to say about Southern Copperheads:

"Copperheads are probably responsible for more venomous snakebites than any other snake in the United States. Yet although they will strike when aroused or stepped on, they are usually rather lethargic. Copperhead venom causes hemorrhage, pain, swelling, breathing difficulty, vomiting, gangrene, headache, and unconsciousness. Venom is considered sublethal, though very rare human deaths have been reported. The Southern is the palest of the Copperheads, often with pinkish to light gray background and dark hourglass markings that may break into separate halves on the back. No rattle, but vibrates tail rapidly if disturbed. Often found in association with rattlesnakes. Its habitat is variable. Prefers lowland areas near swamps and streams, but may ascend into rocky hills and outcroppings."

Well, I was delighted to finally get to see one of these snakes. Ever since we moved out here, all we've heard from the locals is "watch out for the Copperheads. This is Copperhead country out here." I heeded their warnings and bought myself some cowboy boots. But I grew more doubtful with each passing day that there was really a high population of Copperheads in this area. Don had seen one crossing the road a couple of months ago, but I still had my doubts. But now I see what everyone was warning us about. One will just curl up in some small bit of ground cover and you would never know it is there.

Don was a bit more freaked out than I was about this particular snake because he had had his hand about two inches from where it was hiding, well within striking distance. I, on the other hand, was so impressed by its markings, and its movement. It was definitely what I would describe as non-aggressive. Lethargic, as our book describes. It was not aroused or disturbed by us, and it made it's way down the trench at a rather slow pace, with me taking pictures all the way, until it found it's way out of the trench and into the woods. Cool!

Well, I thought it was cool until the incident this morning when I found this in the bottom of our post hole...

If you have browsed thru my entire website, then you know that we are still building our septic system, which means that we are not fully equipped with indoor plumbing. Which means that we are still confined to doing our business in the woods. To keep things as sanitary and civilized as possible, we dig a post hole and cover it with a piece of plywood and a couple of boards when it is between uses. Apparently, this method of coverage does not deter whatever venomous snake was hiding in the bottom of the hole when I kicked the boards off it this morning. Talk about making a bad situation worse! I wasn't half as excited to see this snake!! I went to get Don who was in the house and when he finally got out to the hole it was gone. But where??!! After a lengthy search we were about to give up on its where'bouts and then Don spotted it curled up on one of our many mounds of dirt next to the trenches. It stayed curled up there until I was able to fetch my camera and take the picture above. Don and I argued for a long time about the identity of this snake. I thought it was a baby Copperhead, but now he has convinced me that it is some species of rattlesnake. We are still not totally sure what kind of snake it is, but we are fairly sure it is poisonous because it looks so similar to many of the different rattlesnakes in our Field Guide and also because of how many folks out here have assured us that there are plenty of rattlesnakes out here as well.

So that's about it. I'll keep wearing my cowboy boots and continue to be cautious in and around our trenches which seems to be the preferred terrain for venomous snakes in the area!