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Are cottonmouth bites "deadly"?
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by KINGRIUS on June 29, 2004
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I've just recently started keeping hots, or a hot anyway. I've had an Osage Copperhead for a couple of months. I'm considering obtaining a cottonmouth. I've read that they're capable of administering a "deadly" bite and that that they're highly aggresive, and I've also read the exact opposite. Which is really the case? I'm not planning on handling the snake and feel perfectly capable of keeping one. But I would like some facts under my belt that would help(or hinder, I guess) my argument for keeping one when I bring the case before my significant other.
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RE: Are cottonmouth bites "deadly"?
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by copperheadkid15 on June 29, 2004
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Well the venom chart have says that a cottonmouth bite has 100-150 mg and it says it takes 100 mg. So I guess It can kill. I am sure some one with more knowledge will have a better answer.
Randy
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RE: Are cottonmouth bites "deadly"?
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by Disciple on June 29, 2004
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i just got my first cottonmouth, hes my second hot. i also heard they are highly aggressive, but mine is very very placid. im sure it just depends on the snake.
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RE: Are cottonmouth bites "deadly"?
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by cottonmouth on June 29, 2004
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Depends on the size, when it come to the Cottonmouth. A young or smaller snake would give a nasty bite, but probably not lethal as where a large older cotton can have as much as 300 mg in thier glands. I have read where an eastern cotton was captured and milked of 500 mg of venom in 2001. That would be enough to kill you 3 times over.
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RE: Are cottonmouth bites "deadly"?
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by timberrattlesnake89 on June 29, 2004
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The bite of a cottonmouth can kill a human but most likely not. It is a lot more dangerous than a copperhead b/c there venom is a lot stronger and more venom enjected. In behavior wise, I went down to Southern Georiga two weeks ago and found three cottonmouths. The first did not do anything until I started messing with it. The second when I got out of the car his whole body lept off the ground and was running away. There was no aggression though. I have never seen a cottonmouth be aggressive ever!!! The third i found just coiled up and open his mouth. Allk three open there mouth but none of them ever tried to bite me at all. Not one single strike. All they did was try to run away. The canebreak was different. He struck at me several times. He showed more aggression after i started working with him.
Phillip
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RE: Are cottonmouth bites "deadly"?
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by KINGRIUS on June 29, 2004
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Thanks for your replies. I grew up in South FL not far from the everglades. What I grew up believing is that Moccasins were so aggressive that they'd jump into fisherman's boats and terrorize them. If encountered on land they'd chase you. what a load of crap. Just like around here copperheads are believed to be deadly and highly aggressive(every snake spotted is a copperhead, just like every watersnake down there was a moccasin). It's too bad that fear has led to so much misconception.
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RE: Are cottonmouth bites "deadly"?
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by pygmybait on June 29, 2004
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Another thing to consider with the Cottonmouth is that they are inveterate scavengers. I have transported several people this year already who were bitten by Cottonmouths and two of the three develped secondary infections that were actually worse than the initial bite.
I keep 5 connonmouhs and I have NEVER seen any agressive behavior from any of them.
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RE: Are cottonmouth bites "deadly"?
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by agkistrodude on June 29, 2004
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My expieriances with several eastern and Fla cottons is that they are much easier to work with than thier reputation would have you believe.You do need to be careful (as with all hots)as they are alot more venomous than coppers and can deliver a very nasty bite that can be lethal.I love em. Also, the 2 easterns that I have now will very aggressivly attack the F/T mice that I offer with LONG hemostats. They barely let me get it inside the cage, be careful. Marty
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RE: Are cottonmouth bites "deadly"?
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by Parcelmouth on June 30, 2004
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There is an article on this site by Whit Gibbons that conducts field studies with wild cottonmouths(as well as other N. American pit vipers).Also by Whit Gibbons"Defensive Behavior of Cottonmouths Towards Humans" (Copeia 2002 pp 195-198). His study showed that when confronted ,stepped on and even picked up with tongs dressed as human arm (sleeve glove). A mojority of the snakes tried to escape or gave defensive postures but very few actually struck. It was a interesting acticle the grabbing tongs did lack the heat signiture of a human hand and arm,but proves that cottonmouths are not as evil as there reputation.
I personally have encountered a few wild cottonmouths(I am not an expert by any means) but have had no reaction from them but slowly trying to escape from my hook and a little gaping. I have 1 yearling cottonmouth and he is very shy,he will seldom feed if I am in the room.
That being said cottonmouths can deliver a very dangerous bite. Captive cottonmouths tend to develop a very, very wicked feeding response.I have personally seen my young cotton pull a 360 out of his hide box to strike a mouse on the others side.Just my .02 Check out the articles by Whit Gibbons very cool.
Thanks
J.S.
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RE: Are cottonmouth bites "deadly"?
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by KINGRIUS on July 1, 2004
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I began my first stages of operation 'Get the Wife Comfortable With the Idea of a Cottonmouth'. Initial Negotiations seemed to go alright, using a lot of all your replies to back my argument for getting a cottonmouth. She kept asking "there are hundreds of interesting non-venomous snakes out there, why does it have to be another venomous?" i told her that I've wanted to get into venomous snakes for a long time but since I grew up in FL where a permit is required to keep them I had just assumed that was the case everywhere. I also told her that the moccasin is awesome, with a heavy body and head shaped similar to my copperhead's. And the fact that it thrives in captivity and doesn't want to kill it's keeper makes it a really attractive specimen to add to my collection. I'm not getting the snake for a little while, but I did promise the cottonmouth would be the last one.
Thanks for your help,
Darius
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