First copperhead spotted on my property (Asheville, Gaston: garden, snakes, island)

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by bandibadji

My wife is from Minnesota so naturally she wasn't much exposed to poisonous snakes. She has since live in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and not North Carolina. She has come across so many cottonmouths, rattlesnakes, coral snakes, and strangely, not copperheads, that she doesn't even worry about them. She has stepped inches from cottonmouths during walks through the woods near ponds and watched them run away so many times that she isn't scared any more. It isn't that she would ever pick up one, but she just knows that they are not agressive and one doesn't have to worry about them unless the snake is in a defensive position. I do ask that you do not kill snakes. I have a weird fondness for them. They have their role in nature and do far more good than bad. Know that if you ever see a huge blacksnake or other harmless snake in your basement or other such place they are there there eating rats, mice, roaches and/or other unpleasant creatures.

Man, I really hate to disagree with you, but cooperheads are just downright mean and the only good cooperhead is a dead cooperhead. Unlike other snakes who are shy and want to avoid people, cooperheads often hide and wait for an opportunity to strike. They are not as easily scared off by noise as other types of snakes either - they are just naturally more agressive. HATE THEM, HATE THEM.

[newcharlottan]

When I lived in FL, we lived near a huge canal. One day sitting smack dab in the of my front door on my welcome mat was a huge cottonmouth. It wouldn't move and it was tightly coiled looking at me.

I finally got my recycle bin and covered it. Called wildlife critters and they came and got it.

So now I have to watch out for copperhead? I did see a big male deer and a female deer by my mailbox day before yesterday! I was amazed as I didn't know they come right to the house!

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by newcharlottan

When I lived in FL, we lived near a huge canal. One day sitting smack dab in the of my front door on my welcome mat was a huge cottonmouth. It wouldn't move and it was tightly coiled looking at me.

I finally got my recycle bin and covered it. Called wildlife critters and they came and got it.

So now I have to watch out for copperhead? I did see a big male deer and a female deer by my mailbox day before yesterday! I was amazed as I didn't know they come right to the house!

If you have woods near your house . . . then I would be more concerned w/ copperheads. If you are basically in a suburban neighborhood w/o woods . . . I seriously doubt you will have a problem.

As for deer - YES!!! They come up and eat my plants regularly!! And one totaled a car when it ran out into the street near my house. They have galloped through my side yard and totally freaked me b/c someone would have gotten hurt had they been in the deer's path. But they are typically out in the very early mornings. The neighbors told us they saw six behind our house this past Saturday morning. Strangely, we were up b/f 6 am but had not even looked out to the back! Some mornings, when we are up early, we will see them, all year round.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Ewwww, read the site you mentioned about copperheads. Nasty creatures! I used to worry about cottonmouths in Louisiana waters, now I'll have to worry about copperheads near the backyard? Sheesh!

[newcharlottan]

Are there copperheads in the trails in the park? We often do that!

And ummm do woods near a golf course count? LOL Or the trails in the "woods" behind the houses?

[newcharlottan]

Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah

Ewwww, read the site you mentioned about copperheads. Nasty creatures! I used to worry about cottonmouths in Louisiana waters, now I'll have to worry about copperheads near the backyard? Sheesh!

LOL Did you see my post about cottonmouth on my doorstep in FL? And now worrying about copperheads!

[anifani821]

Now I feel awful about worrying everyone! Just to put things in perspective, we will have been in this house for six years this Oct, and this is the first copperhead we have seen on our property. The neighbors down the street saw one . . . and we have seen one in the street. So it is not like a regular occurrence. I guess the thing is . . . if you have old trees that have fallen in the woods, lots of brush and leaves . . . drain pipes that are overgrown around them, etc - those are more likely habitats for copperheads. If you are on a golf course - then that is nicely manicured - I would doubt they would hang around there.

Miss Scarlett will only do her business in the woods, so I am tramping out in the woods every day, at least twice a day. And I have never come across a snake yet, even our king snake who sometimes comes around (he is very helpful to fend off other snakes and rodents). So the thing is . . . just be aware . . . and do not go barefoot like I was doing today. That was really really dumb on my part and I know better. I wear leather shoes and socks to take Miss Scarlett out, year round.

[TheEmissary]

Originally Posted by anifani821

Now I feel awful about worrying everyone! Just to put things in perspective, we will have been in this house for six years this Oct, and this is the first copperhead we have seen on our property. The neighbors down the street saw one . . . and we have seen one in the street. So it is not like a regular occurrence. I guess the thing is . . . if you have old trees that have fallen in the woods, lots of brush and leaves . . . drain pipes that are overgrown around them, etc - those are more likely habitats for copperheads. If you are on a golf course - then that is nicely manicured - I would doubt they would hang around there.

Miss Scarlett will only do her business in the woods, so I am tramping out in the woods every day, at least twice a day. And I have never come across a snake yet, even our king snake who sometimes comes around (he is very helpful to fend off other snakes and rodents). So the thing is . . . just be aware . . . and do not go barefoot like I was doing today. That was really really dumb on my part and I know better. I wear leather shoes and socks to take Miss Scarlett out, year round.

ani- I'm so glad my first "snake experience" was with a black racer instead of a copperhead. I think if it had been a copperhead, my backyard would see me twice a year (to cut the grass). I'd be wearing army boots too! I guess we should be glad NC only has a few poisonous species. I won't be moving to South Africa anytime soon after seeing how a Black Mamba can outrun a person and rear up to "face height". Egyptian Cobras are not on my "warm and fuzzy" list either. I guess watching all that Discovery Channel stuff has lessened my snake phobias somewhat. But I'd know a copperhead a mile away if I ever saw one! Thank goodness, their bites are not as toxic as their water-loving cousins, the cottonmouth. Like Emily D. said:

And never meet this fellow,
attended or alone
without a tighter breathing,
and zero at the bone.

[berryjuice4life]

ewww ok why did I open this thread? lol

E you know I am deathly afraid of snakes and I think that is putting it mildly, however I started watching that discovery channel stuff as MY KIDS love it and so do DH....however If I encounter ONE I think I will Crap in my pants...We did see one of those BLACK snakes on Waxhaw marvin rd last week my hubby said honey back up the truck did u see that snake on the side of the road? I said OMG what snake so here I am wanting to forget about it and well I wound up backing up the truck and holy crap this thing was big...and we finally drove away...
Are there cottonmouths in NC that I need to be aware of?

[Hoagie58]

Originally Posted by berryjuice4life

ewww ok why did I open this thread? lol

E you know I am deathly afraid of snakes and I think that is putting it mildly, however I started watching that discovery channel stuff as MY KIDS love it and so do DH....however If I encounter ONE I think I will Crap in my pants...We did see one of those BLACK snakes on Waxhaw marvin rd last week my hubby said honey back up the truck did u see that snake on the side of the road? I said OMG what snake so here I am wanting to forget about it and well I wound up backing up the truck and holy crap this thing was big...and we finally drove away...
Are there cottonmouths in NC that I need to be aware of?

The only place you'll find cottonmouths in NC is in the eastern coastal plains. You'll also see alligators along the plains. Supposed to be rattlers in the hill country here, as well.