Can’t we all just get along? How to share your space with snakes in the Carolinas
Most snake encounters occur between the months of April and October when snakes and humans are most active outdoors. That means right now we're smack dab in the middle of snake season.
"It's a quick sting but after that, it's excruciating pain."
North Charlotte resident Katryna Ritter explained to NBC Charlotte what it's like to get bitten by a snake. It happened to her this past spring as well as a south Charlotte teenager this past week.
"It got very swollen on my hand and then it reached up to my arm," Annie Fonville said.
Several months ago, one of Annie's neighbors was attacked as well.
"I kept screaming for my husband, 'I got bit by a snake!'" said Lisa Romanoff.
Snakes live among us, not only out in the woods or in the water but near our homes. After Annie was bitten, neighbors blamed construction on the greenway.
"They're tearing down trees and kicking up dust, so it's destroying their habitat, I guess."
Most snake encounters occur between the months of April and October when snakes and humans are most active outdoors. That means right now we're smack dab in the middle of snake season. So what's the best way to get along with the serpents?
Do your homework
Which snakes are poisonous? Generally speaking, venomous snakes will have a triangular-shaped head with long, movable fangs. Non-venomous snakes typically have a round head, no fangs and no heat-sensory pits on their faces.
There are six species that call the Carolinas home.
- The copperhead is the most common venomous snake found in the Carolinas. They’re easily recognized with their brown markings with an hour-glass shaped pattern. According to the Carolinas Poison Center, officials receive 10 times the number of calls about copperhead bites than all other snakes combined.
- The cottonmouth is normally found in the eastern part of North Carolina and South Carolina. These snakes prefer to live in swamps and wetlands with freshwater, but occasionally they’ll be on land. Unlike most other snakes, cottonmouths aren’t afraid to stand their ground when threatened.
- Eastern diamondbacks are normally found in longleaf pine woods and grasslands in the low country of South Carolina. Bites from any rattlesnake are usually more severe than copperheads or cottonmouths and are considered a medical emergency.
- Pigmy rattlesnakes are small in size but they can pack quite the punch with their bite. These rattlers can be found all over the Carolinas and feed on small rodents and frogs. They’re usually not too far from a source of freshwater where unsuspecting prey stop to get a drink.
- The timber rattlesnake is the most commonly found rattler in the Carolinas. Their habitat ranges from the coast to the mountains. These snakes like to hide inside tree stumps and wait for their prey to approach.
- Coral snakes are native to the South Carolina low country. They belong to the elapids family of snakes, which includes some of the deadliest snakes in the world, such as cobras and mambas. A coral snake is the only venomous snake in the Carolinas that isn’t a pit viper.
Leave them alone
Scott Pfaff, curator of Herpetology at Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, S.C. has some advice for people who find themselves too close for comfort with a snake.
"The thing to do if you encounter a snake is just it leave it alone," he said. "Bites usually occur when people get close enough to kill the snake or pick it up."
Pfaff explained it's possible for a snake to be active -- even if it's dead.
"If they're dead, their body can still be active for a period of time after that," he said. "There is residual electrical energy, for a lack of a better word, so it may move. So, if you decapitate a snake and then pick up the head, it's fully capable of biting."
So how long before you're in the clear?
"It truly depends. It can be minutes or hours," said Pfaff.
The vast majority of snake sightings are black rat and king snakes; neither of which are venomous.
Experts said if you really need to move a snake, and you have a garden hose nearby, spray water near it. If it's inside your home, use a long broom to gently guide it outside.
"If at all possible, just play somewhere else or work somewhere else for the time being," Stephenie Berggrun of the Gaston County Schiele Museum advised.
Once bitten, now what?
In Annie Fonville's case, she was searching for turtles and beavers along Little Sugar Creek Greenway and simply didn't see the snake that jumped out and bit her.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are a few things you should definitely not do if that happens.
- Never assume the bite is not poisonous. Call 911 and report it. Don't be a hero.
- Do not wash the bite. The venom can help identify the snake and tell doctors exactly what kind of anti-venom is needed.
- Never apply a tourniquet or ice. The venom can become trapped in an extremity if too much pressure is applied, which could cause tissue damage.
Here are the steps you should take if bitten by a snake, according to WebMD.
- Have the person lie down with wound below the heart
- Keep the person calm and at rest, remain still as possible to keep venom from spreading
- Cover the wound with loose, sterile bandage
- Remove any jewelry from the area that was bitten
- Remove shoes if the leg or foot was bitten
The majority of snakebites occur on the hands, feet, and ankles.
Protect your pets
Your pet is much more likely to be bitten by a snake. This past spring, a Charlotte dog learned that lesson the hard way. Luto came in from the backyard with a swollen left eye, but his owner didn't know it was a snake bite at first.
"When we saw two distinct puncture wounds, that's when we knew it was a snake," Rebecca Osmond said.
The veterinarian told Osmond since Luto's wound was far away from his heart and major arteries, he'd be okay.
Here is what to do if your pet is bitten by a snake.
- Take a photo of the snake to identify if it's venomous
- Give your pet Benadryl, which will help with swelling
- Rush your animal to the vet to be treated
Dr. Natalie Hauser of the Commonwealth Animal Hospital in Charlotte said it's a good idea to know which emergency veterinary clinics carry anti-venom because it's not common practice for vets to possess the healing potion.
Keep calm and carry on
To help avoid interactions with snakes altogether, remember the following tips:
- When hiking, stick to well-used trails
- Avoid tall grass, weeds, and heavy underbrush where snakes may hide during the day
- Look at your feet to watch where you step and do not put your foot in or near a crevice where you cannot see
- Do not step or put your hands where you cannot see, and avoid wandering around in the dark
- If a fallen tree or large rock is in your path, step up to it instead of over it, as there might be a snake on the other side
- Avoid approaching any snake you cannot positively identify as a safe species
- If you hear a warning rattle, move away from the area and do not make any sudden or threatening movements in the direction of the snake