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This is a large Cottonmouth, also known as the Water Moccasin. |
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DESCRIPTION: A thick-bodied aquatic snake. Juveniles have a brown
camouflage-type pattern, but adults darken, and older adult Cottonmouth snakes are almost all black, with a white belly. They have a
broad head, and usually a stripe behind the eye, and no rattle. This one has blue eyes, because it is about to shed.
If you need snake removal in your town, click for the National Directory of
Snake Removal Companies that I've carefully compiled in every USA city.
What to Do if You are Bitten By a Cottonmouth/Water Moccasin…
Imagine that you are swimming in a pond in your neighborhood. You are having a great time, but then you see a long figure in the water. You are not sure what it is, until it gets closer. It is then you realize that you are in the company of a water moccasin or a cottonmouth snake.
The cottonmouth snake is one of the most venomous snakes in the United States. It is native mostly to the southeastern and Midwestern portions of the country, and is found in small ponds and other backwater locations. Its bite is extremely painful and emits powerful hemotoxic venom that attacks and kills the red blood cells of the victim, causing extensive tissue damage. It is a common misconception that it is an aggressive animal, this is not true, but it also doesn’t make its bite less dangerous.
You are swimming in the pond with a cottonmouth snake, how should you react? First of all, do not panic. Cottonmouth snakes will not strike unless provoked. If you panic, the snake may feel threatened and more apt to bite you. It is very important that you dog paddle slowly in the direction of the shore. Some sources suggest if there is a stick nearby and the snake is within reach, you can slowly place the stick under the snake’s body and fling it in the opposite direction, giving you ample space and time to get away.
If you are bitten by a cottonmouth, again, do not panic. Former snake bite treatment methods suggest cutting the wound and sucking out the venom, or placing a tourniquet on the wound to prevent the venom from coursing through the bloodstream. These are no longer recommended practices. It is better to wash the wound with soap and water, and seek medical attention immediately.
Running a wildlife removal business in the state of Florida gives me the chance to see all kinds of interesting snakes! Florida has about 45 species of snake, and I've seen 29 of them so far. I've always got my eye out for new species, and
I love spotting rare snakes in Florida. I also have a thing for venomous snakes - they're not too common in FL, so I always enjoy the chance to see a poisonous serpent. I really like snakes, and I've never hurt or killed one. They're an
important part of the ecosystem, and often persecuted. Still, if you don't want snakes in your house or on your property, and judging from the number of phone calls I receive regarding snake problems, you don't, then give me or a local snake
expert in your area a call, and we can remove the snakes from your property for you. I use many snake control methods - from snake traps, to snake repellents, to habitat modification, but most of all, good old-fashioned capture and removal.
If you want to learn more, please read my How To Get Rid of Snakes page.
AAAnimal Control is a privately owned wildlife removal and pest control business, located in Orlando Florida. I deal strictly with wild animals including snakes inside houses. I am not an extermination company, but a critter removal
and control specialist. The above photos are some of the many that I've taken in the field over my years of work. Please email me if
you have any questions about the above photographs, or any questions about
wildlife problems or Florida snake removal issues.
You can safely catch snakes with a special trap, which you can order by clicking this banner:
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