Ga. Man Killed By Rattlesnake! Any Venomous Snake Encounters Of Your Own? (Valdosta: gated community, eat)

[ulver]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

Odd story because Rattlers generally won't strike more than once unless the person literally just stands there and keeps messing with it. I have to wonder if the older man was literally trying to pick the thing up to remove it, resulting in the multiple bites in the wrist area (?)

Atlanta area has mostly Copperheads and Cotton Mouths as the poison variety. To my knowledge no one has ever died of a bite from one, though. They claim Rattlers aren't in the immediate area here anymore, but a few years back a man was bitten by one in Smyrna on the Silver Comet walking/biking trail (he survived).

As per my research, there ar NO Cotton Mouths in the metro Atlanta area. Experts at the City of Atlanta zoo, told me they are common in South Georgia on the coast. North of Atlanta, you might find them just west of Rome. Though rare. They are not in the mountains of north Georgia, period. However, that is home to some BIG rattler's!

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by ulver

As per my research, there ar NO Cotton Mouths in the metro Atlanta area.

That might be "almost" no Cottonmouths.

I know someone who lives in the Chamblee area and has a small creek running through their yard. They saw snakes and called a pro critter catcher type service out there. They were Cottonmouths. They had pics back then of the snakes opening their mouths to warn the catchers - white insides of the mouth, held open, etc. They were told by the service that there are Cottonmouths in the area, but that many times people do mistake brown water snakes for them.

[ulver]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

That might be "almost" no Cottonmouths.

I know someone who lives in the Chamblee area and has a small creek running through their yard. They saw snakes and called a pro critter catcher type service out there. They were Cottonmouths. They had pics back then of the snakes opening their mouths to warn the catchers - white insides of the mouth, held open, etc. They were told by the service that there are Cottonmouths in the area, but that many times people do mistake brown water snakes for them.

Interesting! Talking to my uncle tonight, he said that it was true for years, that there were no Cottonmouths near metro-Atlanta. However, withing the past several years, he says there have been reports in Clayton county.

What part of Chamblee, are we talking about exactly? I live there, too!A street or neighborhood, would be appreciated.

Thanks for any information!

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by ulver

Interesting! Talking to my uncle tonight, he said that it was true for years, that there were no Cottonmouths near metro-Atlanta. However, withing the past several years, he says there have been reports in Clayton county.

What part of Chamblee, are we talking about exactly? I live there, too!A street or neighborhood, would be appreciated.

Thanks for any information!

It's been years since I've been out there, but I believe it's the neighborhood where Longview Drive is. But I've heard reports of CottonMouth snakes even at Sweetwater Creek Park (West metro side of town), as well as the lake Lanier area, so I honestly think that while they're not an abundant snake in Atlanta, they are here in many areas of the metro.

[AuburnAL]

One other precaution you ncan take against snakebite is to wear loose long pants. A snake starts injecting its venom as soon as its fangs hit something when it strikes. If you have loose pants a lot of the venom will end up on the outside of your leg where its pretty harmless as long as you wipe it off fairly quickly.

[Zimbochick]

We saw our first snake of the summer today, a 3ft copper head at our neighborhood pool.

[ulver]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

It's been years since I've been out there, but I believe it's the neighborhood where Longview Drive is. But I've heard reports of CottonMouth snakes even at Sweetwater Creek Park (West metro side of town), as well as the lake Lanier area, so I honestly think that while they're not an abundant snake in Atlanta, they are here in many areas of the metro.

Thanks for the info. I know that street well. I might ask some of my Chamblee cop buds, if they have heard anything.

I live right across the street from Murphy-Candler Park. In 30 years, I have never seen any kind of snake. I have seen a fox. Sometimes I wonder though, how many times, I might have been steps away from a Copperhead.

If you know where D'Youville condos are on Chamblee-Dunwoody is, and I am sure you do; I hear they see a good bit of Copperheads sunning from time to time. The creek runs right through the complex.

[ulver]

Originally Posted by Zimbochick

We saw our first snake of the summer today, a 3ft copper head at our neighborhood pool.

Where might this be located, please tell!

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by ulver

If you know where D'Youville condos are on Chamblee-Dunwoody is, and I am sure you do; I hear they see a good bit of Copperheads sunning from time to time. The creek runs right through the complex.

I LOVE those condos and have entertained the thought of living there one day, but this just freaks me out!

[atlantagreg30127]

For every snake you see, there are probably ten at some point you don't. I seem to remember a Ranger once saying to me that when I hike the walking trail at Sweetwater Creek, I am probably within 6-10 feet of a dozen snakes during the hike, and never see them. He then said that I probably have been near them tons of times in my own yard but never saw them, too. They're in a lot of places people would never suspect, but really do go out of their way to avoid us, and unless you're very observant, you may almost never actually see them.

The nonpoisonous ones are of course beneficial because they eat rodents and baby poison snakes, and most of them are pretty docile unless you directly mess with them. Even most Copperheads don't strike just for the heck of it, waiting until they feel like you are really threatening them before they do. Cottonmouths are more aggressive, though. Baby poisonous snakes are just as dangerous as adults though, so it's important to know this and tell kids.