If a poisonous snake is discovered close by, the best protection is to remain as still as possible until the snake has moved away. It should be remembered that a snake is quick to strike at a moving object, so to quickly step away at such a moment may be disastrous. If a rattlesnake is heard nearby but cannot be located, do not begin a wild dash for safety. Location of the snake may be misjudged and by taking a step you are likely to walk into, rather than away from, it. Again, remain still until the snake is sighted and, when it is certain the snake is at least five or six feet away and no others are nearby, slowly back away. If you must move away, do so as slowly as possible.
Because our native poisonous snakes are mostly nocturnal in their activities, remaining hidden during the day and emerging at night in search of food, a flashlight should be used by persons who find it necessary to travel through snake country after dark. During the cool days of spring and autumn, however, nocturnal habits are often reversed. During the day snakes search for warm spots in which to sun themselves; by nightfall they are again under cover.
None of our poisonous Texas snakes ordinarily can strike more than three-quarters of its body length, unless it has a firm backing or is striking downward from an incline. Certainly none has the ability to jump at an enemy, a feat often attributed to the rattlesnake. A snake on the defensive is coiled with the forward part of its body in a loose S position. When striking, this coil is straightened out and the head is thrust forward. It is not necessary for a snake to strike from a coil in order to bite. If picked up near the head, it may simply turn, open its mouth and bite the hand.
It is dangerous to believe, as many do, that a water moccasin cannot bite under water, and woe to the person who dares to seize a submerged cottonmouth.
RECOGNIZING THE POISONOUS KINDS
Suppose, in spite of attention to the precautions and protective measures just outlined, someone is bitten by an unidentified snake. Certainly the victim would not wish to delay treatment if the snake were poisonous, because every minute wasted would make recovery more difficult. On the other hand, he would not care to undergo either the pain associated with snake bite treatment or the anxiety following a bite if a harmless snake were the cause of the accident. Yet time and again people have been bitten by harmless snakes and have been needlessly given first aid and hospital treatment because the offending snake was incorrectly classified as poisonous. Still others have been bitten by harmless snakes and died from nothing more than fright.
When recognition of the snake is doubtful, it should, if possible, be killed and taken to a hospital or doctor’s office for correct identification. Always keep in mind, however, that a recently killed poisonous snake may still be potentially dangerous. Even after its head is cut from the body, a reptile is capable of marked reflex activity; merely touching the head may cause it to bite. To be on the safe side, use a stick to lift or carry a dead snake.
It is evident that the ability to distinguish between harmless and poisonous snakes goes hand in hand with a knowledge of proper first aid treatment. Ability to recognize a poisonous snake on sight can best be achieved by a study of live poisonous kinds and a comparison of them with harmless species. At many zoos, where both kinds are on display in glass-fronted cages, they may be examined safely. If a zoo is not conveniently near, an examination of photographs showing the different kinds is probably the next best way to become familiar with them.
It is generally considered by the layman that four kinds of poisonous snakes are found in the United States—the rattlesnake, cottonmouth, copperhead and coral snake. This grouping, although somewhat arbitrary and certainly not zoologically correct, is firmly established in the minds of most people and may very well be here to stay. Nevertheless, a more accurate and scientific approach is possible if we consider each species and subspecies as a different kind.
Illustrations in this booklet show the 16 kinds (species and subspecies) of poisonous snakes known in Texas. These photographs, together with descriptions in the text, should aid in identification. The accompanying distribution map for each form has been compiled from county records based on museum specimens, but in a few cases reliable “sight” records have been used as proof of a snake’s occurrence within a county.