New Orleans overrun by snakes?

[BlueWeasel]

I'll never forget the time I nearly got bit by a Cottonmouth.

We were doing a topographical survey on a subdivision during the summer a few years ago. The easiest way to get into the back of the land was thru a low area and we had to cross over a small creek. I had just jumped up on top of a dead log and had already extended my lead foot to step down right on the other side.

I happened to take a look down, and looking right back at me was a Cottonmouth. He had just stuck his head up, and my foot was about 12" away from him. Thank god he never got aggressive.

My gung-ho partner killed the snake. We saw another large Cottonmouth in the exact same area the next day and he killed it. We saw another snake the third day in the same place. I had to cross that creek several more times for the rest of the week, and man, did I walk slow.

 

[BlueWeasel]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
I pulled a copper head out from behind my grandmas dryer. She was freaking out and animal control was taking their sweet time. Behind the dryer is a hole in the wall that leads to the garage, I had to get him before he got in there because then I would have to burn the house down because there is so much crap in the garage for him to hide in.
I stuck a flash light over the back of the dryer and ducked down to grab him and got him by the head. He was PISSSSSSSSED. I tossed him in a pillow case and waited for animal control to show up.

You're a brave man.

 

[slag]

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel

Originally posted by: Zysoclaplem
Are Water Moccasins and Cottonmouths the same thing? Because that looks to me like a Water Moccasin.

Apparently So - good call

Cottonmouth must be a southern thing. Although around here (Mississippi), I've heard them called both, but just always though they were two different kinds of snakes.

Wikipedia is partially correct. We also have them in Kansas.

 

[spidey07]

snakes of louisiana...

lots of water snakes but only a few venomous species...

http://www.geocities.com/onias_2000/SnakesofLouisiana.html

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
I'll never forget the time I nearly got bit by a Cottonmouth.

We were doing a topographical survey on a subdivision during the summer a few years ago. The easiest way to get into the back of the land was thru a low area and we had to cross over a small creek. I had just jumped up on top of a dead log and had already extended my lead foot to step down right on the other side.

I happened to take a look down, and looking right back at me was a Cottonmouth. He had just stuck his head up, and my foot was about 12" away from him. Thank god he never got aggressive.

My gung-ho partner killed the snake. We saw another large Cottonmouth in the exact same area the next day and he killed it. We saw another snake the third day in the same place. I had to cross that creek several more times for the rest of the week, and man, did I walk slow.

Then you were killing black snakes that you only thought were cottonmouths. The real thing are completely territorial and will fight other snakes to the death over their piece of land. If there's one cottonmouth is an area there will not be others. If you killed a snake one day and there was another there the next day they were not water mocassins.

 

[BlueWeasel]

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
I'll never forget the time I nearly got bit by a Cottonmouth.

We were doing a topographical survey on a subdivision during the summer a few years ago. The easiest way to get into the back of the land was thru a low area and we had to cross over a small creek. I had just jumped up on top of a dead log and had already extended my lead foot to step down right on the other side.

I happened to take a look down, and looking right back at me was a Cottonmouth. He had just stuck his head up, and my foot was about 12" away from him. Thank god he never got aggressive.

My gung-ho partner killed the snake. We saw another large Cottonmouth in the exact same area the next day and he killed it. We saw another snake the third day in the same place. I had to cross that creek several more times for the rest of the week, and man, did I walk slow.

Then you were killing black snakes that you only thought were cottonmouths. The real thing are completely territorial and will fight other snakes to the death over their piece of land. If there's one cottonmouth is an area there will not be others. If you killed a snake one day and there was another there the next day they were not water mocassins.

So, it's not possible to have a nest of Cottonmouths? I'm definately not a snake expert, but the "white-colored" mouth was pretty defined on the first snake we killed. They were generally black in nature with yellow-colored bellies.