Posted on 09/29/2011 11:44:19 AM PDT by matginzac
So I just killed a Copperhead Snake in my front yard. I'm still shaking and it's still writhing. Thing is there were two, one in line behind the other. When I came back with the shovel, the "first" one in line had "disappeared". Where do you think it went and what do I do about it? (Please keep it relatively clean) I HATE snakes!
Have you seen any signs of mice in the house, garage etc lately? Keep in mind, if a mouse can get in, a snake can get in.
You must provide a more detailed description of the lay out of your yard in order for us to help you.
Can you takes some pictures or videos and upload them to here?
Snakes usually avoid people. They are most aggressive when disturbed and particularly while shedding their skin. Don't go into the brush or under the house without thoroughly checking things out. Chill, they are not hunting you but likely looking for mice, etc.
We had a copperhead problem when we bought our property.
First, don’t panic, copperheads are pretty laid back for a poisonous snake and would much rather run than bite.
Second, clear a wide area around the house. We had tons of trash, scrap and lumber on the property when we bought it. Rodents like cover, snakes like rodents. We cleaned up all of the trash and mow about 5 acres around the property. Mice hate mown grass and when they left, we never had another snake around the house. Snakes don’t like mown grass much easier as it leaves them open to predation too. Weeds and bushes provide cover for both rodents and snakes, the less the better.
Third, make sure you house is tight, even a 1/4 gap is enough to let mice in and out. If mice are sheltering in the house, it will bring snakes. Caulk, board or cement all gaps in the foundation and siding.
LOL! I have copperheads...the adults are sort of sluggish, its the young ones that are real feisty and live wires. Tried to get rid of a young one in my hen house. What really scares me is the cotton mouth moccasin. I have shot several of these. They are aggressive and will come after you.
Rattlers are supposed to live out here too, but have never seen one.
There is a type of snake repellent sold, its called Snake Away.I have seen it at Lowes here in Pa, also at some farm supply places. I know its about 12 bucks for a container of it, but i have no idea if or how well it works.
How did you hold it? Did it try to bite you?
I killed a rattlesnake 2 weeks ago in my front yard. A neighbor spotted it warming itself on the asphalt in the early evening. I went back the next day to poke around in the agapanthus near where it was last seen and nailed it with one shot from a 357 revolver loaded with snakeshot cartridges. That’s the second rattler I’ve terminated on my property. I have two boys and as far as I’m concerned, any rattlesnake I find will be killed.
My response as a Scoutmaster is that I understand the fear of snakes, but just be careful and leave it alone. Eating rodents is a good thing. Copperheads are venomous but dying as the result of a copperhead bite is virtually unheard of. Taking off my Scoutmaster's campaign hat and being the husband of a woman who doesn't want a live snake within twenty miles, many people just don't want snakes around, especially venomous ones.
If you have a storage shed, basement, crawl space, or something similar, I'd try to kill rodents. The copperhead won't stay around if there's not a source of food (although it's downright hard to eliminate all rodents, no matter where you are).
You should know that copperheads generally do not flee when a human approaches as many other snakes do. They freeze and rely on camouflage. Bites occur when somebody doesn't see a copperhead in the leaves and steps on one. If you step near it, it generally will not stike. I'm not trying to be funny nor trying to scare you; I'm just stating a fact. So be careful outside.
Copperheads give birth in late summer, so I wouldn't worry about an upcoming litter.
We kill copperheads at our Scout camps, I'm sad to say. Scouts are always finding the new, shortest path between two points and are likely to step on one in the leaves.
We'd catch them, but there are already enough copperheads in terraria in the Nature Lodge.
I did not try to hold it.
I flipped it in a small trash can with the first thing I reached, a paint roller (dry, no paint).
It tried to bite everything it could reach. It was really upset when I approached it.
Read Riki Tiki Tavi - you just killed Nag. Nagina went and hid.
Buy a mongoose - quick.
The problem with snake repellents is that if you put the repellent around your house, the snakes in your house won’t leave.
You owe me a keyboard.
“I’ll take copperheads over coral snakes any day!”
Not me, coral snakes are small, have small mouths and very short teeth, alhough they are neurotoxic. The other three poisonous US types are much larger (except for the pygmy rattler)the and have correspondingly larger mouths, longer fangs and a heavy load of hemotoxic venim. Rattlesnakes are the most widespread, numerous, dangerous and have several different sizes/colors and varieties. The Eastern Diamondback is the most dangerous and can easily exceed six feet long with very large fangs and a prodigious volume of venim.
JC
I’m not suprised it was really upset. I’ve seen several TV shows about snake removals from homes. The critters are usually very scared and very angry and bier at everything they can hit.
I’ve cornered several snakes before, killing the poison ones when I knew what they were.
This copperhead was young and little. It was the meanest snake I have seen, trying to repeatedly bite anything that got close.
I remember reading an article a while back about the Bushmaser, the largest poisonous snake in North and South America, but don’t remeber the publication. Anyway, this guy was doing various nature studies in Costa Rica, found himself a “nice Boa Constrictor,” picked it up without any trouble and took it back to camp, where it was promptly identified as a Bushmaster!!! DUH!!! Sometimes poisonous snakes aren’t all tha hostile.
I actually thought mine was a lost pet, someone’s boa constrictor as well. That is why I offered it to the neighbor.
All these comments, and this started out as nothing but a vanity. Good job.
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