Copperheads are the most frequently encountered snake in Alabama. Their mating season runs from late spring into summer, and that means you’re more likely to see a copperhead outdoors over the next few months. Two of the five subspecies of copperheads can be found in the Yellowhammer state.
What are the 4 poisonous snakes in Alabama?
According to the Alabama Cooperative Extension, the state’s native venomous snakes include the Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, Timber Rattlesnake, Pigmy Rattlesnake, and the Eastern Coral Snake.
Where are copperheads most commonly found?
Of the five copperhead subspecies, the northern copperhead has the greatest range. It is found in northern Georgia and Alabama, north to Massachusetts and west to Illinois. Copperheads live in a range of habitats, from terrestrial to semiaquatic, including rocky, forested hillsides and wetlands.
What is the rarest snake in Alabama?
As a result of the suit, the wildlife service said 325,679 acres (131,797 hectares) of critical habitat in Mississippi and Alabama will be protected for the rare black pinesnake, which can grow up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) in length.
What time of day are Copperheads most active?
Copperheads are most active from the late afternoon into the evening, and prefer cooler areas to hide. They hibernate in the winter, and emerge in the spring for mating season.
How long do you have after a copperhead bite?
Before going home they need to know the symptoms of serum sickness which may develop later in recovery. The nurse can share that with copperhead bites the usual prognosis is 8 days of pain, 11 days of extremity edema, and 14 days of missed work and a full recovery is expected.
How do you identify a snake den?
Snake holes are a common signal that something scaly might be lurking nearby. … You can find out if a snake hole is vacant a few different ways:
- Look out for freshly shed snakeskin. …
- Observe any snake feces. …
- Check to see if there are spiderwebs or debris around the hole.
What snakes are aggressive in Alabama?
More In This Section
- Copperhead.
- Cottonmouth.
- Eastern Coral Snake.
- Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake.
- Pigmy Rattlesnake.
- Timber Rattlesnake.
What is the most deadliest snake in Alabama?
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake It has facial pits and elliptical pupils like the other pit vipers. This snake is the most dangerous of venomous snakes in Alabama.
Are copperheads aggressive?
Copperheads are not aggressive, but they are territorial, and will strike in self-defense if they feel threatened. So if you see a copperhead, give it wide berth and leave it alone.
What to do if you see a copperhead?
Call 911 (see NOTE below). While waiting for help, you may call the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 or administer the following first aid measures: Keep the person calm, reassuring them that bites can be effectively treated in an emergency room. Restrict movement.
Is a copperhead bite fatal?
The North American copperhead is a common species of venomous snake found in the eastern and central United States. Luckily, their venom is not among the most potent, and bites are rarely deadly; children, the elderly, and immunocompromised people are most at risk.
What is the largest snake in Alabama?
Eastern Indigo Snake The Eastern Indigo Snake is a large nonpoisonous, stout bodied snake averaging six to seven feet in length. The largest individual recorded was eight-and-a-half-feet.
What is a solid black snake in Alabama?
DESCRIPTION: The black racer (Coluber constrictor) is a relatively long and slender snake. They are usually between three and five feet long, but some individuals may reach lengths of more than six feet. Black racers are, as the name implies, solid deep black in color on their upper side.
Are there king snakes in Alabama?
DISTRIBUTION: Black kingsnakes inhabit areas from southern Ohio, western West Virginia, southeastern Illinois and south to northeastern Mississippi, north Alabama, and northwestern Georgia. HABITAT: They thrive in many habitats including hardwood and pine forests, bottomlands and swamps, farmlands and suburban areas.
What smell do snakes hate?
Snakes will often eat insects, amphibians, and other reptiles, so keeping them at bay is key. What scents do snakes dislike? There are many scents snakes don’t like including smoke, cinnamon, cloves, onions, garlic, and lime. You can use oils or sprays containing these fragrances or grow plants featuring these scents.
Can copperheads climb trees?
Copperhead snake in tree is rare They are basically terrestrial snakes, but it’s been known for decades (that they will climb trees). Vandeventer said one of the more common times for copperheads to climb is during summers when cicadas emerge from the ground and cling to trees and bushes while they shed their shells.
Do snakes hate mothballs?
Mothballs are commonly thought to repel snakes, but they are not intended to be used this way and have little effect on snakes.
Do you have to go to the hospital for a copperhead bite?
For your safety, treat all snakebites as if they were venomous and get to a hospital emergency room as quickly as possible. This is especially true if you aren’t sure of the exact type of snake that bit you. With the correct treatment (antivenin), you can prevent severe illness or death.
Do Copperheads chase you?
A copperhead will not hunt a human, but it will strike if it feels cornered or threatened. Most copperhead bites occur when someone tries to catch a copperhead or steps unsuspectingly onto one. A person bitten by a copperhead should seek immediate treatment at the nearest hospital emergency room.
Do you need antivenom for copperhead?
Although envenomation by a rattlesnake (Crotalus species) may require antivenom and uncommonly surgery, a bite by a copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) rarely requires any intervention other than observation. The unnecessary use of antivenom should be discouraged.
How do I get rid of copperheads in my yard?
Lay out traps and rodenticide baits to address rats and/or mice to take away the snake’s food supply. Use a snake repellent such as Snake Out around your yard and perimeter to ward off Copperhead Snakes and deter them from the area.
What do you do if you get bit by a copperhead?
What TO DO if You or Someone Else is Bitten by a Snake
- Lay or sit the person down with the bite below the level of the heart.
- Tell him/her to stay calm and still.
- Wash the wound with warm soapy water immediately.
- Cover the bite with a clean, dry dressing.
What attracts snakes to your house?
6 Things That Are Bringing Snakes Into Your Home
- Mice.
- Leaf piles.
- Landscaping rocks.
- Dense shrubbery.
- Gaps in your home’s foundation.
- Bird baths.
Where do copperheads live in Alabama?
The northern copperhead is found from the Alabama-Tennessee boundary southward to the Tennessee River. It may be found in extreme northeastern Alabama below the Tennessee River. The southern copperhead is found along the Lower Coastal Plain. There is a broad zone of intergradation between the two subspecies.
Do snakes come out at night in Alabama?
Dr. Stephen Secor, a UA biology professor and comparative physiologist whose concentration is snakes. … The end of March, April and May they’re very active, but they become nocturnal as we get into June because it’s too warm during the day.
Does Alabama have lots of snakes?
Alabama is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the United States. Although we have 66 known species and subspecies of snakes, only 6 are venomous. … Alabamians are so lucky to have the amount of snakes and biodiversity that we do.
Are there any pythons in Alabama?
Our climate, even southernmost Alabama, is much colder than the southern four counties of Florida where Burmese pythons are found. The large constrictors listed as injurious are not invasive species threats in Alabama, plain and simple, nor are they public safety threats.
Do copperheads swim?
But copperheads, like northern water snakes, swim and can be found near water across the region. So, if a snake is not easily identifiable as a non-venomous water snake, it is best to beware. Northern water snakes can grow up to three feet long, and females are larger than males.
Are there water moccasins in Alabama?
Cottonmouths are the ONLY venomous water snake in Alabama. Cottonmouths can also be found in palmetto thickets, pine forests, dune areas, and prairies.
