Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello all,

The only venomous snake here in Ohio that I can think of that is frequent and easier found are copperheads. I am not interested in owning one by any means as I donot have near the experience necessary to work with venomous at this point in time.

I do alot of hiking,camping, fishing and such however, and I have come across a few in the past. Just wanting to know what the possibility of a death from a copperhead bite would be?

thnx for your help.

Stan

Im not gonna tell you that a copperhead bite is a pleasant experience, but I'll say that death from a copperhead bite is most likely to happen in small children, elderly folks, or someone who has an allergic reaction to the venom protiens. Otherwise, a healthy individual is looking at a miserable few days in the hospital and possible local damage to the bite area, depending on where you're bitten and how quickly you get treatment.
Treat all venomous snakes like they can END YOUR LIFE IMMEDIATELY and you'll be fine. Just keep clear, it's not worth the risk.
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Tom
TCJ Herps
"The more people I meet, the more I like my snakes"

Hi:

Tom is correct. I just want to add this: I would go to the hospital to be monitored and given supportive care but unless the bite was classified as "severe" I would not allow antivenom to be used. This is my personal opinnon on how I would respond to a copperhead bite and in no way suggesting that anyone else should adopt this approach.

My .02 cents

Al
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Save a Rattlesnake...Skin a Sweetwater Resident!

Stan,

While copperheads can do some damage, most of the time it is just painful. It is always a good idea to seek medical attention, but death is not a huge worry.

Where are you in OH? I have been deep in copperhead (and timber) country the last few years, Athens, but am now relocated to Cincinnati for school.

Ohio's "Big Three"

Jason

Hi,

I am located in Columbus, Ohio. However, I make frequent trips to caesar creek, deer creek, alum creek, and hocking hills. I work primarily with crocodilians and large constrictors. However, I dont have enough experience to deal with venomous snakes at the current moment and me being someone to go out and explore, I stand a possibility of getting bit. So I was just rather wondering. I dont have any intentions on owning any Hot species right now. That may change in 5-6 years maybe, but for right now I am perfectly content with what I have.

Thanks for all of the info everyone. I appreciate your time.

I currently am just in it for the field herping, photography and helping out with some research. I would not worry too much about getting bitten. As long as you are snake savy and keep your eyes open you should be alright. It sounds like you have a healthy respect for the animals which can go along way. I am in hocking hills now and then, mainly looking for salamanders, if you ever want to get out and about.

You haven't seen a copperhead at ceasar creek have you?

Jason

Not at caesar creek I haven't. I have at hocking hills though. I am pretty good at identifying snakes so I will know which ones to keep my distance from. I have just started getting into photography a bit as well, in which I do hope to get a few decent shots of a copperhead or a rattler somewhere. Do you know of any good spots to get good shots of those around here?

Do not really know any good spots in the Hocking Hills for copperheads, but they should not be too hard to turn up.

A frind of mine got tagged by a Trans-Pecos Copperhead in west texas, was bitten in the first joint of his index finger, the hand swelled considerbly, the tip of his finger turned black and blood and fluid ouzed from the bite for about 2 weeks , intense pain, in the end he lost his fingernail and cannot straiten his finger over half way, he didnot use antivenom. although their venom is mild compared to say crotalus they are nothing to be laxed around.

I got tagged by a neonate southern copperhead about 5 weeks ago. Stupid trick. Force feeding and did not have a good hold. I took one fang in the thumb. Swelling & pain within minutes. Swelling continued for three days until my hand, forearm & bicep were about to split. Started to turn black & blue. Stayed swollen for at least a week. Almost normal now but thumb still swollen & tender. I did go the the hospital just to be safe. They all were amazed to see one little snake do that much swelling. I never felt that I was in trouble, but the pain killers helped.
Got lucky. No more Hots for me. I've had them for 20 years and was careful.

geez, that looks like fun!!

So, "no more hots for me" does that mean you're getting rid of them all now? I'm not asking for first dibs on anything, I just want to know if this incident has caused you to get out of the hobby, maybe realising there's an aire of complacency you cant afford to risk again. I'd find it respectable if you made either decision, to keep them or get out of the hobby.
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Tom
TCJ Herps
"The more people I meet, the more I like my snakes"

Hey Tom

I have been into reptiles since I was a kid (soon to be 51). I've always had the "normal" stuff .. tri coloreds, kings & milks with an occasional "other". But I've always had a hot or two. Eyelash vipers, white lipped, copperheads, canebrakes. I really like the looks. I always said that if you're gonna have this stuff, you have to have rules. And #1 is do not touch anything that might kill you. I've lived by that for 20 years until three months ago. I bought a baby sidewinder and a baby southern copperhead. The sidewinder had to be forcefed from the first day. I was in a hurry with the copperhead and just did not show enough respect. Got nailed. Broke my #1 rule!!
I consider myself lucky that it wasn't anything too bad. It was kind of a sign for me.
I still have all of my "normals", and always will. But if a copperhead can get me, then something else might too. I promised my wife the day I got tagged (pretty much to keep her happy) and then I had to follow thru.
Steve
PS, I get to keep my Gilas!! So I guess I'm not completelty out of hots!!

I said once to a friend and it didnt sink in until it came out of my mouth, but I feel that Consistency is the basis for Integrity.
So, you're getting out of venomous snakes, and I really respect that you stuck with your word. I'm gonna do the same thing if Im ever in your shoes. I've only been into hots for a little over 2 years now, but the day I drop the ball........Im just gonna have to find some really nice colubrids to take up the empty tanks where my coppers and pigmys used to live.
The Gilas I see as a horse of a different color than hot snakes, (although still demand the same respect) because handling and wrangling is a little less fumbly. My humble unprovoked opinion says keep 'em, and you're not a hypocrit.
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Tom
TCJ Herps
"The more people I meet, the more I like my snakes"