[va-bird] Re: Copperheads ( A true story)

Barbara,
As a resident of rural New Kent County, I have seen my share of Copperheads. 
Every time the land is cleared and a new house goes up, the snakes are driven 
out of their habitat. A few years ago, while on crutches for a newly broken 
ankle, a Copperhead managed to get into my living room and was coiled up in 
front of the bookcases. My husband was out of town at the time, so I shut the 
french doors, kept an eye on the snake and called the Sheriff's Dept. When Andy 
and Barney arrived, they got a broom from the pantry and shoved it out the 
front door, where it remained for about 2 days and then vanished. Apparently it 
had come up a tree on the side of the house, gotten into the attic and the 
ductwork, where it dropped down from the ceiling duct onto the sofa where I was 
just sleeping. Had I not made my way out to the kitchen to fix a cup of tea, it 
would have dropped on my head.. I'm sure it really didn't want to be there, but 
probably smelled the mice in my attic. Normally when we see them, we just put 
our dogs in the house and ignore the snake. They go away.
We did have one very large Copperhead get into the Guinea Fowl pen, swallow an 
egg and get stuck in the wire, where it died before we noticed it. 
I find it interesting that we have never caught a Copperhead in our netting, 
even though they are around our property. Only black snakes. If we did catch 
one, though..I can't guarantee that we would cut it out of the netting. I think 
it would be too scary, and I don't have a rehabber nearby that will take 
snakes. If we haven't caught one in 16 years, I doubt that we will.
Live and let live is my motto
Thanks for the info..very interesting
Lynda Blair
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Barbara Farron 
  To: suzanne_richman@xxxxxxxxxxx ; tomlyn@xxxxxxxxxxx ; va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Monday, June 26, 2006 10:50 AM
  Subject: Re: [va-bird] Re: Nest boxes- a cautionary tale


  As an amateur herpetologist, I'm compelled to jump in here.  Rattlesnakes 
were intentionally wiped out in Fairfax County, Virginia, years ago.  The 
copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) is the only venomous snake in Northern 
Virginia, and their population has also declined, partially through loss of 
habitat, and partially because people do kill them.  Copperhead venom is 
relatively weak and is seldom, if ever, fatal to a human being.  Typical of all 
snakes, copperheads would rather flee and avoid people, although they will 
strike if they feel cornered or trapped.

  Unfortunately, many people kill every snake they see.  Too many seem to 
believe that all snakes are venomous, and all grow large enough to eat human 
beings.  The truth is that most snakes are small, harmless, and are an asset 
because they primarily eat rodents.  (Some of our native snakes are so small 
that their diet consists of earthworms, tiny slugs, and insects.) 

  Yes, some snakes do eat nestlings, but as has been mentioned here, there are 
ways of keeping them out of nestboxes.

  Barbara Farron
  Springfield, VA

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