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RE: Cottonmouth bites
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by Snakeman1982 on July 25, 2003
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Yah I have heard sooo many stories about cottonmouths and how deadly they are from redneck locals. I had this guy I worked with down in the everglades swear that there were a pack of cottonmouths chasing his small motorboat and he had to shoot them with his rifle from the back of the boat to get away. This guy was one of our boat drivers/alligator wrestlers and they all had rediculous stories about snakes and gators. Of course non of them had ever been outside the everglades or got 2.0 grade point averages in high school but they knew more than any herpetologist in the book. I had more people in the everglades talking about having copperheads there years ago, but know they are hard to find. I also had a lady down there that swears a racer chased her and her daughter all around a local park and then when they climbed up on a picnic table, it waited for them for over an hour until it final left. It cracks me up that people can tell this to your face and actually believe what they are saying.
Like I always say. "I wish snakes came after people more. That would keep me from having to look for them as much."
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RE: Cottonmouth bites
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by Quartermouse on September 9, 2005
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I've read with some interest about cottonmouth bites on this forum and would like to add some comments from 40 years of experience. I've found cottonmouths to be extremely aggressive. I've had them lay motionless as I approach and strike out at me as I walked by. If prodded, they've always attacked. There may be some validity to cottonmouths approaching boats or swimmers in water. They, like many water snakes are not floaters. Meaning they will tend to sink if not moving or supporting their heads out of water. They seek objects to prop themselves on. I've found they are usually difficult to see on the ground due to their color and tendency to remain absolutely motionless. As far as biting dogs, I've had 7 dogs in the last 20 years bit by cottonmouths and all have died. We live 30 minutes from a major emergency vet specialist and cancer treatment facility. A week ago we had two dogs bit by a 46" cottonmouth. One was a 130 pound Akita and the other a 125 pound Newfoundland mix. They were both immediately rushed to the emergency center and neither one survived. One died from heart failure and the other one from massive hemmorage and kidney failure. I have stood in the path of 5-6 foot diamondbacks and they've stopped and gone a different direction. I won't do this with a cottonmouth. I've been around snakes, breeding and raising for may years. Of all snakes in the USA, I fear the cottonmouth.
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