Snakes are out - FYI

[dougiemac]

Kill the poisonous ones close to home. But give the non-poisonous ones a pass man!!!!!! They are good for the eco-system.

DITTO that... non-venomous ones are great for the eco-system and GA law prohibits killing non-venomous snakes. Of the 41 native snake species known in Georgia, only six are venomous: the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, Timber Rattlesnake (a.k.a. the Canebrake), Pigmy Rattlesnake; Eastern Coral Snake; Cottonmouth (a.k.a. the Water Moccasin) and Southern Copperhead. Best thing to do when you see one is walk the other way.

 

[bwsmith]

As I understand it GA law makes the killing of non-poisonous snakes a crime. However, my JUDGE is loaded w/ #4's and always by my side.

If the snake far enough away for you not to shoot your own foot with #4, then it is out of strike range or close to it. Particularly copperheads that tend not to strike as far as canebrakes. Just food for thought.

 

[Rommel]

Nice to see so many real outdoorsmen that realize snakes are best left alone rather than killed. And also nice that it was mentioned that killing harmless species is illegal. A few good tips:
- step on logs not over them
- there are no cotton mouths/ water moccasins in Atlanta or north (basically). None at Lanier, Allatoona, etc. the northernmost population is south Fayette County. There are coastal populations and some population near Alabama line.
- copperheads and cottonmouths are the most misidentified species. In my experience 90% of the inquiries I get that are thought to be one of those two are harmless snakes. Usually water snakes and brown snakes.
- copperheads and cottonmouths have suffer yellow or bright green tails as babies
- if you are ever unsure of an ID, there are a number of naturalists and herpetologists such as myself you can email or text a photo to.
- eastern diamondbacks are disappearing in ga. Please spare them. Even most of the roundup snakes are being brought in from Alabama.
- the majority of envenomations occur when people are trying to capture or kill the snake.
- snakes wont chase you. It may appear that way if you are between it and where it wants to go. For instance between a cottonmouth and water it seem like it is charging you.
- coral snakes do NOT have to bite a finger or toe. They can bite an arm or even torso. But are generally very docile.
- hog nose snakes will hood like a cobra. But are harmless.
- harmless water snakes will flatten their head which makes them look more like a cotton.
- we do have legless and glass lizards in ga that look like snakes.
- all of pur pit vipers give live birth. No such thing as rattlesnake eggs.
- cottonmouths don't "nest"

That is all off the top of my head. It is good to be aware of snakes, but it is best to let them be.

Good info to know.

 

[gilley]

i see no reason to kill an snake no matter where he/she is..

 

[darrenmd]

I haven't seen any....but I will watch out...Thanks for the heads up......

 

[sparked1]

Wife: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!"
Me: "Are you ok, what is it?"
Wife: "omg omg omg a snake kill it, kill it, it's poisonous!!"
Me: "Hold on let me go google it, by the way honey, the term is venomous, not poisonous".
Wife: "WTF are you talking about?? kill it! Before it gets away! Kill it!"
Me: "But honey, they contribute to the ecosystem."
Wife: "What? I don't give a flip if they adopt homeless children, just kill it, now!"
Me: "Well, it's a crime to kill a non-venemous snake. Maybe I should call a snake expert before I kill it. "
Wife: "Are you serious, do you think I'm going to call the cops on you?? OMG WTF is wrong with you?"
Me:"But honey, look at it's head and it's stripes, it looks like a............."

SQUISHHHHHH

Wife:"here's your pants back".
Me: "don't tell the guys on ODT ok?".

 

[ak47311]

Im a pool man and I have come across two very large copperheads in two weeks around pool equipment(at the same house), both a foot and half to two feet long. I always watch my step this time of year, I hate how camouflaged those damn things are.

 

[Sagan]

Wife: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!"
Me: "Are you ok, what is it?"
Wife: "omg omg omg a snake kill it, kill it, it's poisonous!!"
Me: "Hold on let me go google it, by the way honey, the term is venomous, not poisonous".
Wife: "WTF are you talking about?? kill it! Before it gets away! Kill it!"
Me: "But honey, they contribute to the ecosystem."
Wife: "What? I don't give a flip if they adopt homeless children, just kill it, now!"
Me: "Well, it's a crime to kill a non-venemous snake. Maybe I should call a snake expert before I kill it. "
Wife: "Are you serious, do you think I'm going to call the cops on you?? OMG WTF is wrong with you?"
Me:"But honey, look at it's head and it's stripes, it looks like a............."

SQUISHHHHHH

Wife:"here's your pants back".
Me: "don't tell the guys on ODT ok?".

Ha. Dang, scotch burns coming out your nose.

 

[bodytek03]

Wife: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!"
Me: "Are you ok, what is it?"
Wife: "omg omg omg a snake kill it, kill it, it's poisonous!!"
Me: "Hold on let me go google it, by the way honey, the term is venomous, not poisonous".
Wife: "WTF are you talking about?? kill it! Before it gets away! Kill it!"
Me: "But honey, they contribute to the ecosystem."
Wife: "What? I don't give a flip if they adopt homeless children, just kill it, now!"
Me: "Well, it's a crime to kill a non-venemous snake. Maybe I should call a snake expert before I kill it. "
Wife: "Are you serious, do you think I'm going to call the cops on you?? OMG WTF is wrong with you?"
Me:"But honey, look at it's head and it's stripes, it looks like a............."

SQUISHHHHHH

Wife:"here's your pants back".
Me: "don't tell the guys on ODT ok?".

still laughing over this one

 

[Glocktavius]

Wife: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!"
Me: "Are you ok, what is it?"
Wife: "omg omg omg a snake kill it, kill it, it's poisonous!!"
Me: "Hold on let me go google it, by the way honey, the term is venomous, not poisonous".
Wife: "WTF are you talking about?? kill it! Before it gets away! Kill it!"
Me: "But honey, they contribute to the ecosystem."
Wife: "What? I don't give a flip if they adopt homeless children, just kill it, now!"
Me: "Well, it's a crime to kill a non-venemous snake. Maybe I should call a snake expert before I kill it. "
Wife: "Are you serious, do you think I'm going to call the cops on you?? OMG WTF is wrong with you?"
Me:"But honey, look at it's head and it's stripes, it looks like a............."

SQUISHHHHHH

Wife:"here's your pants back".
Me: "don't tell the guys on ODT ok?".

One of the funniest and true things Ive read in awhile...!!