Copperheads overrunning my property! Long

VegRN · #1 06/28/10, 12:15 AM

About a month ago DH and I killed our first copperhead in our pasture, about 10 feet from our goat barn. Our LGD alerted us to it barking his head off. Once we killed it, we realized it had bit one of the horses on the nose. Off to the emergency vet we went (thank God there is one only 6 miles up the road). Thankfully he was fine, but the vet said very lucky.

About a week later I am picking eggplants and just like Daddy taught me, I am looking where I am about to put my hand. Well about an inch from my finger, wrapped around the stalk is a baby copperhead. Mom and I killed that one (DH had surgery and was in the hospital at the time). I have that image of my own finger with that distinctive pattern right beside it burned into my brain, every time I think about it I get nauseous.

So, DH comes home from the hospital. Mom hears Dalton barking like crazy again. Another copperhead by the same tree where DH and I killed the first one. Mom and I kill that one. We were walking down to the dumpster when Dalton starts going at it again. Sure enough, another of the little suckers was at the base of that same tree. So we killed that one too. I start shining my flashlight around and see a THIRD one but it is behind a fence where the grass is a little higher and I cannot get to it. I threw a cinder block at it and I think injured it, but it slithered away.

Fast forward to tonight, about 3 weeks after the last sighting. I am going outside to pick up some stuff I left out because it may rain in the am, and another baby is curled up on my fence, just maybe 30 feet from the house. This is the first one that has been in my yard near the house. I could not get a good angle on him with the shovel because of the way he was on the fence, and he ended up getting away

I am 100% sure these were all copperheads, my Dad taught me snake identification when I was 12. We lived in S. Louisiana and they were all around, so I know that pattern like the back of my hand. I just never thought they would be so many or so close! I cannot have my animals getting bit again, or myself or DH obviously!

We have already had a tree service co. out to clean up some brush piles and dead trees. I got 2 kittens and am looking into guineas and peacocks. I will be digging up the monkey grass where the little bugger hid from me ASAP. The grass is cut down to nothing and everything is weedeated. I have never seen a mouse or rat nor any of their droppings. What else can I do??? I am so wound up I can't sleep, and I'm dreading letting the dogs out to potty in the am (thank God they did not come out with me to put the stuff up). Sorry so long, I think I just needed to rant, but any suggestions are welcome.

motdaugrnds · #2 06/28/10, 03:08 AM

Oh that is quite a situation you have. I do hope you rectify it before anything gets hurt again.

I have had only 3 experiences with copperheads I will share. One may be a remedy for your situation.

1. When I lived in the sands of west Texas, my aunt lived in the country. She spotted copperheads often and her guineas killed them. The people in that area did "yearly" copper/rattler roundups by many brave hearts getting together and "driving" the snakes to a designated area where they were killed.

2. Here where I live now we have many "black" snakes. These are "territorial"; so, they keep other snakes away. However, one evening while the weather was too cold for any snake, I opened the chicken house door (early am to let them free range) and there were two copperheads (looked about 2 yrs old and looked like a "pair") cuddled together for warmth under the door. Since the weather was cold, they did not move and I had time to get my son to come out and kill them. (We are certain someone put them out on us.)

3. Was a few years back when we were renting (still looking for acreage). I was tending a garden in the back and heard a rattle. (This was obviously a rattle snake; not a copperhead.) I stopped and the rattle stopped. I took a step forward and it rattled again. I stopped and the rattle stopped. I took another step forward and then I saw it crawl away "over" a log nearby. It was obviously an old snake and was quite fat, though short. THAT WAS ONE OF THE STUPIDIST STUNTS I EVER DID!

I am going to watch this thread so, if another poisonous snake appears here, I will have a better understanding of what to do.

Wish I could make suggestions now; but only thing that comes to mind is the "round-up" mentioned above.

Ravenlost · #3 06/28/10, 04:49 AM

Sounds like you had a nest of copperheads hatch near that tree. YIKES! Fortunately, a copperhead bite is usually not deadly. Growing up we had dogs get bit from time to time, but none ever died. My kids had a dog, Toby, that actually hunted and killed snakes, copperheads in particular. He got bit quite often and the poison did something to his brain. Toby got meaner and meaner and we finally had to get rid of him. He became very unpredictable and I am convinced it had something to do with the copperhead venom in his system.

Around here we've been lucky so far and haven't seen any copperheads. However, we have lots of cottonmouth snakes and have had two dogs get bitten. Almost lost one dog. He swelled up so much it was compressing his heart. Our vet actually took him home with him so he could monitor the dog 24/7. We kill every cottonmouth we come across. Nonvenomous snakes are left alone, but the venomous ones are goners.

I don't have any suggestions for you other than to keep your eyes open. Copperheads like stacks of wood, etc. so you have to stay alert. Good luck!

coup · #4 06/28/10, 05:42 AM

praise the dog,be careful,,i pour some old motor oil around the bases of my old buildings...

motdaugrnds · #5 06/28/10, 06:39 AM

I read somewhere copperheads live in stone; that they do not dig & do not climb; that they will take over any hole they find no matter where it is. Anyone know for sure this is what occurs?

You said you saw one curled up "on" your fence .. Seems to me it would have to climb to get there, which blows what I heard. (Wondering if spraying ammonia thoroughly around that tree would help.)

A few years back I tried to find some sulfur bombs; but was told no one made them anymore. At that time I did buy some sulfur "powder", which did absolutely nothing. (We were trying to rid an old trailer of bugs/spiders.)

Wondering if you could call the Animal Control; that maybe they might have an idea.

willbuck1 · #6 06/28/10, 07:07 AM

If the area is fenced turn a pig loose there. He'll have some free protein and you will have less snakes.

Rickstir · #7 06/28/10, 07:43 AM

I saw on Billy the Exterminator that garlic juice would repel snakes.

ginnie5 · #8 06/28/10, 07:54 AM

copperheads are evil! they will bite just to bite. When we rented dh's parents house years ago they were all over the place. We'd cross the bridge and there would be huge ones sunning themselves on it. I tried to hit as many as I could! Our dog back then would hunt and kill them. I know he got bit a few times but it didn't hurt him. I was thankful he did it. All I had to do was say "----...snake!" and he was off after it. We've seen one or two here and killed them right away. I'd be more inclined to leave a nonpoisonous one alone but a poisonous one is a goner. It does sound like you've had a nest hatch out somewhere close by though.

Navotifarm · #9 06/28/10, 08:12 AM

I have copperheads. I don't think they lurk only under stones! One (I never saw it) was under my deck and bit my german shepherd by her nose. She swelled up hugely. It was on a Saturday after the vet office closed. The swelling very slowly went down and she is fine now. Other times I have (shriek) found them under a bee hive cover that I had laid on the ground and a big cardboard. These were big nasty snakes! Also a man helping me moved a plyboard and showed me a whole herd of tiny baby copperheads. I would never have noticed them myself so there may be lots around that escape notice. (Scream. I HATE snakes!)

bee · #10 06/28/10, 08:25 AM

yes, they can climb. And never believe they will leave you alone if you leave them alone. I had the "wonderful" expierence of having one climb down a huge rock wall(train bridge support) hunting me, I say hunting because I kept hearing this rustle sound and turning around to see what it was. That snake froze every time and was almost to the bottom on the shingle before I saw him. I pitched rocks and poked with a looong branch in cracks but it got away. No copperhead once confirmed to be so is safe if I can get to it. period.

Rita · #11 06/28/10, 08:38 AM

I do say that they are not aggressive. When we first moved here and before we got all the brush piles burned we saw quite a few. In one instance while burning a brush pile I must have walked within inches of one several times before I saw it. Picking beans I heard something keep rustling moving away and finally saw it. The 3rd time I was picking cukes from my Earth Box and looked just below the box and one was coiled and I was right next to it! Am I just lucky?

Txrider · #12 06/28/10, 08:46 AM

If they are copperheads you likely had a pair breed close by and produce a passel of young ones.

Most people I've learned can't tell one snake from another, and see any snake as a poisonous one. I have learned every snake in texas from young age.

Personally I kill the poisonous ones, but I leave the others be. If you leave a lot king snakes, rat snakes, racers, etc. living on your place they will eat the rats and mice and keep their populations down and you won't have copperheads moving in. Snakes move in because there is food, usually mice and rats.

Especially king snakes, they will kill and eat copperheads and rattlesnakes. But most folks scream and kill the king snakes on sight. A few large king snakes around the place is always a good thing.

I also knock off large rat snakes as the bigger ones once they start going on 6ft long or better will go after chickens as well.

ronbre · #13 06/28/10, 09:17 AM

i'm so glad we have NO poisonous or dangerous snakes here..they are all simple garden snakes in N Michigan, there are massasugas in s Michig but not up here

Cyngbaeld · #14 06/28/10, 09:18 AM

I shot one in my bedroom a couple years ago. My neighbor found one in his bathroom sink. He said his son was shooting into the tree and he went to see why, there were several copperheads in it.

Aintlifegrand · #15 06/28/10, 09:23 AM

Do you have any cats? My cats kill all snakes, rats and mice ( food for snakes). We had copperheads and rattlers here when we first started building.. haven't seen any in years...rats either.

fellini123 · #16 06/28/10, 09:50 AM

We dont have many copperheads but one is enough. Unlike many of you, we had one of our afghan bit by one on the elbow. (Dogs elbow not snakes)
It swelled up terribly and all the hair for about 4 inches sluffed off. He was in a lot of pain but we were able to nurse him through it. For about 4 weeks, seemed he was healing and then he died.
Vet said it was due to snake bite.

Alice in Virginia

VegRN · #17 06/28/10, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motdaugrnds

You said you saw one curled up "on" your fence .. Seems to me it would have to climb to get there, which blows what I heard. (Wondering if spraying ammonia thoroughly around that tree would help.)

It was the picket fence around my yard, he was curled up on the bottom cross rung (not sure how to describe that, but the one that is only about a foot off the ground). However, when I was a kid, I was grabbing my horse's bridle off the rack and noticed movement above me. It was a copperhead laying on the 2x4 that my bridle rack was nailed too. Dad took care of that one. I also once watched as a copperhead drug a rat that was big as a kitten up onto the rafters in the top of the barn. Trust me, they can climb. Maybe not normal for them, but they adapt to their situation and if the foot goes high, they will too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by willbuck1

If the area is fenced turn a pig loose there. He'll have some free protein and you will have less snakes.

I so wish I could do this, the only livestock I am not allowed to have in my rural area is a pig

Quote:

Originally Posted by Txrider

Most people I've learned can't tell one snake from another, and see any snake as a poisonous one. I have learned every snake in texas from young age.

Personally I kill the poisonous ones, but I leave the others be. If you leave a lot king snakes, rat snakes, racers, etc. living on your place they will eat the rats and mice and keep their populations down and you won't have copperheads moving in. Snakes move in because there is food, usually mice and rats.

Especially king snakes, they will kill and eat copperheads and rattlesnakes. But most folks scream and kill the king snakes on sight. A few large king snakes around the place is always a good thing.

I also knock off large rat snakes as the bigger ones once they start going on 6ft long or better will go after chickens as well.

As a kid in rural Mississippi, my Dad used to catch cottonmouths and copperheads and milk them to sell the venom. He knew his snakes, and when he bought me my first horse part of the deal was I must learn about them as well, since they frequent the barns where the horses are. They were all copperheads. I can even tell you which sub species if you are interested

I wish I could find a king snake or black snake to release near the house or barn. Might solve some of my problems! I also do not bother the non-venomous ones. In fact, the guy who built my barn killed a rat snake in the barn and I jumped all over him for it! I don't have chickens yet so I don't mind having them around for rodent control (although I have yet to see a rodent or even any droppings).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aintlifegrand

Do you have any cats? My cats kill all snakes, rats and mice ( food for snakes). We had copperheads and rattlers here when we first started building.. haven't seen any in years...rats either.

I just got 2 outside kittens, since all mine are inside only. They are too little to tangle with the big ones, but they might have helped with the little one last night. I need to start letting them out of the garage at night now that they are a little bigger, I had been keeping them up at night because of the owls.

Great suggestions and lots for me to think about, everyone, keep em coming!

shiandpete.1 · #18 06/28/10, 10:05 AM

I am so thankful that we have simple little Gardner snakes and the occasional bull snake here! Now just east of us have huge rattle snakes, I saw one one day in the middle of the road and he was about 5 feet long with 8 or 9 rattles..he was an old fellow. I looked at him and watched him slither into the prairie. But if they were around my house I would kill them. I wish you luck and watch where you step or out your hands!

buffalocreek · #19 06/28/10, 10:07 AM

Note to self: Don't ever move to the south!

Old Swampgirl · #20 06/28/10, 10:24 AM

A few yrs. back I had a box of little biddies (chicks) just pipping away in my back room & found a big copperhead trying to get thru a crack where my screen door met the sill. Of course, my shovel was in the pump house about 40 feet away, so I took a broom to him & shooed him away. Went 'n got the shovel & he was still trying to get in. When I went to kill him he got real agressive & the top half of him sort of stood up & moved along the outside wall of the house. I had never seen one do this before. But I finally killed him.
Last spring I found a baby copper head in the garden & all I had was a hand trowel which was not sharp and when I pinned him down, he burrowed directly into the ground & was gone.
Now I have 6 outside cats & have only seen one big rat snake this year in my chicken house. I have a friend that has several Jack Russell terriers that kill the snakes by his place, but one lost an eye to a snake bite.
Be real vigilant as they blend in around leaves & such.