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Published Thursday, May 29, 2008 in Local

'Snakes usually do not bother us unless we bother them'

By Elizabeth Richardson

The Times-Herald

School is out for summer and people will be spending time outdoors. The southeast's variety of venomous and non-venomous snakes also will be spending time in nature.

In Newnan, there were two incidents on May 8 involving people bitten by venomous copperheads -- both within an hour of each other.

While many people are afraid of these slithery reptiles, Coweta County Extension Coordinator Stephanie Ray Butcher reminds that all non-venomous species of snakes are protected under the state's nongame species law and, personal feelings aside, snakes are beneficial to have around.

"They're out -- it's warming up and people are going to be running across them more than at other times of the year," said Butcher. "If not for snakes, rats and mice would be the alternative."

Jim Rogers, owner of Nearly Native Nursery in Fayetteville off Georgia Highway 85, opened his plant nursery 13 years ago and decided not long after to start rescuing snakes when he realized people were indiscriminately killing them without regard to their species or their benefits.

"Snakes are badly persecuted," said Rogers. "The only things that are more persecuted are rats and cockroaches."

Since then, Rogers has taken it upon himself to educate the general public.

"I'm trying to do my part on the south side of Atlanta," said Rogers, who has a variety of snakes on display at his business.

The good news -- "fewer people are killed by snakes than by lightning," according Butcher.

Still, people need to be careful and keep in mind that "most people get bit while trying to kill a snake," said Butcher.

"Snakes usually do not bother us unless we bother them," said Butcher. "They are just another part of wildlife we share our yards and forests with. Most bites are by accident, or we're antagonizing them."

The venomous snakes of Georgia include the copperhead, the cottonmouth (also known as the water moccasin), the Eastern coral snake, the pygmy rattler, the timber rattler and the Eastern diamondback rattler. If anyone has a question about the species of a snake, they can take a digital picture, if the snake is alive, or take the dead snake to the extension office at the Coweta County Fairgrounds on Pine Road and have the snake identified. People are warned to handle dead snakes carefully, though, as their dead reflex movement can still result in a bite.

There are currently no poisons or regulatory chemicals for snake control, according to Butcher. The best way to control the snake population around a home is to keep areas clean, especially of big brush piles.

Not only do snakes feed on mice and pesky rodents, but some also feed on venomous snakes.

A snake that is 6 to 7 feet in length eats an average of 175 rodents per year, according to Rogers. The Eastern kingsnake eats venomous snakes and is immune to the venom. The cottonmouth also eats other snakes.

To get rid of a snake, Rogers suggests -- rather than killing it -- spraying it with water from a garden hose. Rogers quickly adds a disclaimer that even that method doesn't always send a snake in the direction you want it to go.

If bitten by a snake, call 911 and seek medical attention immediately. If you know for certain the snake is non-venomous, a treatment of soap, water and antiseptic is sufficient, according to Butcher. If the snake is venomous, the person needs to be transported to a hospital that has anti-venoms.

A reference guide titled "Snakes of Georgia and South Carolina" is available for purchase at the extension office for $5. Included in the book are the dos and don'ts of dealing with snake bites.

The book recommends not eating or drinking anything -- including alcoholic beverages or medicine. The person should not engage in strenuous physical activity, cut into or incise the bite marks with a blade, apply a constrictive tourniquet, use a stun gun or other electrical shock, or freeze or apply extreme cold to the area of the bite.

The person should go to the nearest hospital or emergency medical facility immediately, try to stay calm, and try to identify the offending snake.

How can you tell if a snake is venomous or non-venomous?

According to Rogers, all southeastern pit vipers -- copperheads, rattlesnakes and the cottonmouth -- have triangular-shaped heads and vertical, elliptical pupils. The coral snake lives south of Georgia's fall line and, while they have round pupils, are distinctive by their black face. Outdoorsmen should remember the saying, "If the face is black, get back."

According to the "Snakes of Georgia and South Carolina," no single rule separates all the venomous species from all the harmless ones, except the presence of fangs.

Of all the false statements Rogers has heard regarding snakes, believing snakes will attack is a "huge misconception."

It's true -- all snakes are predators. A fisherman on the bank of a lake thinking a cottonmouth is approaching to attack doesn't realize the snake is merely "coming to your location because you're drawing him there" as you reel in bait.

Cottonmouths don't live in water, but they feed on fish, so contrary to popular belief, these snakes can bite underwater, though they mainly swim on the surface.

Rogers also wants people to know that snakes do not build nests. They are solitary creatures that only join with other snakes to breed. Some, mainly the venomous snakes, give birth to live snakes, while mostly the non-venomous lay eggs. Once the snake has recovered from labor, it becomes independent once more. If someone stumbles on a full-grown snake with baby snakes in a brush pile, it's only because the grown snake wasn't rested enough to move on.

Copies of "Snakes of Georgia and South Carolina" and "Snakes of the Southeast" are also available at Nearly Native Nursery, 776 McBride Road (770-460-6284). For more information, contact the extension office at 770-254-2620.