Snakes 101: Four species of venomous snakes native to Southwest Georgia

ALBANY — No speakers were harmed in Flint RiverQuarium presentation this past weekend on venomous snakebites and how to avoid and treat them. The presentation was part of the community outreach program at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital.

Speaking at the RiverQuarium’s Imagination Theater, Phoebe Drs. James Sirleaf and James E. Black and Wildlife Biologist Jen Howze of the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center at Ichauway graphically described the four species of venomous snakes native to Southwest Georgia.

According to the presenters, venomous species include rattlesnakes (canebrake, Pygmy and eastern diamondback), copperheads, cottonmouth moccasins and eastern coral snakes.

All except the coral snake are “pit vipers,” Howze said, and can be identified by their large triangular heads with “pits” on either side. Pit viper venom travels through the bloodstream, Howze said, and can destroy muscle tissue and cause swelling and internal bleeding.

Bites from the colorful and shy coral snake can inject a powerful neurotoxic venom, which can kill by inhibiting respiratory function, Howze said. While other species, like the harmless King Snake, can resemble the coral snake, they are easily identified by the pattern of their alternating black, red and yellow bands.

“’Black next to yellow, kill a fellow’ is good way to see the difference,” Howze said. “Or ‘red touch black, friend to Jack.’”

During his time at the lectern, Black said Howze’s method is probably accurate, but that he never would get close enough to examine the bands — or the shape of a head or whether there were “pits.”

“I hate snakes,” Black said.

According to Black, on the second day he worked at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital he treated two snakebite cases — a rare occurrence. In a later case when someone brought the snake for identification, they were sent to Black because “he likes snakes.”

“I don’t,” Black said. “I hate snakes.”

Still, Howze said even venomous snakes are valuable to the environment and should not be killed unnecessarily. Among other attributes, snakes serve as predators, keeping down rats and mice, and are food sources for other species. In addition, snake venom research provides a number of medicines used in treatment of heart disease, Parkinson’s disease and other ailments.

In the U.S., odds of being struck by lighting are seven times greater than dying from snakebite, Howze said. Still, bites do occur so it makes good sense to minimize the risks, especially in the fall when snakes are more active.

Homeowners should deny snakes their natural habitat. That means keeping the grass cut, trimming hedges so they don’t reach the ground, eliminating brush piles and stacking firewood off the ground.

Those who spend time in the woods or in other “snakey” territory should wear heavy gloves and thick leather boots with leggings, Howze said. If a bite occurs, there isn’t much to do except keep the bite wound level with the heart, try to stay calm and get to a treatment center as quickly as possible. Experts stress that old movie Westerns and ancient Boy Scout manuals notwithstanding, bites should never be self-treated. That includes, “sucking out the venom,” tourniquets or application of ice to the bite.

Program speakers agreed that the best “snakebite kit” available is an auto ignition key.

Black said that once a snakebite victim reaches an emergency center, a decision would be made whether to administer antivenin to counteract the destructive venom from the bite, and the patient should expect to remain under observation and treatment for at least six hours. During that time, the patient would undergo a “battery of blood work.”

“Don’t go off chasing the snake to bring him in,” Black said. “You could wind up being bitten twice. If bringing in the snake is easy, then go ahead. But don’t bring it to me. I hate snakes.”