Florida Venomous Snake Safety

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• Florida VenomousSnake Safety
• Training Seminar

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What is a Reptile?

• Ectothermic (Cold Blooded) Thermoregulation
• Hibernation
• Scales
• No Eyelids No External Ear Openings
• Snakes are vertebrates

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Sensing their Surroundings

• Excellent eyesight
• Sense vibrations
• Smell with their tongue
• Why the forked tongue?
• Heat sensing pits

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Poisonous or VenomousWhats the difference?

• All venoms are poisons but not all poisons are
  venoms.
• Venom requires a delivery mechanism.
• Can a poisonous reptile bite and harm you?

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Ignorance Fear(Misconceptions)

• Snakes evil reputation in western culture and
  world religious traditions.
• Snakes will chase and purposefully try to bite
  people.
• Legends Tall Tales.

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Venomous vs.Non-VenomousIdentification
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Snake IdentificationNon-Venomous

• Small Head (similar size to body)
• Note Applies to North America only.
• Eastern coral snake is an exception.
• Long Slender Body
• Round Pupils
• No Rattle

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Snake IdentificationVenomous

• Large Ace of Spades shaped head
• Neck smaller than the head.
• Short, fat, body which tapers to a thin tail
• Tip of the tail of juveniles is lighter colored
• (yellowish to cream colored)
• Vertical slit (cats-eye) shaped pupil
  (except coral snake)
• Rattle present on rattlesnakes

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VenomousHead Profile

• Non-Venomous
• Head Profile

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SnakeIdentificationBasics
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Snake IdentificationNever say never or always -
except there is always an exception to every
rule.

• Body Coloration Many color variations exist even
  within the same species.
• Patterns While colors vary, most species will
  exhibit a general color pattern that does not
  dramatically differ from one individual to
  another.

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Snake Identification

• Bright and Contrasting Body coloration.
• The Eastern Coral Snake displays a brightly
  contrasting color pattern consisting of red,
  yellow, and black bands down the entire length of
  the body.
• Know Your Area In the Florida Keys, some
  Eastern Coral Snakes do not have the typical red,
  yellow, and black bands!

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Uniform Coloration
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Speckles
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Stripes
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Spots
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Cross Bands
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Blotches
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Rings
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Diamonds
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WarningBehaviors
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• Warning Behaviors
• Defensive body postures
• Striking
• Loud hissing (Florida Pine Snake)
• Vibrating tail (rattle simulation in dry leaves)
• True rattle

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Herping Snake Location and Interpretation
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• The right place, right time, right weather.
• Protect yourself
• First Aid Snakebite Kit.
• Leather Gloves. Chaps or high boots in thick
  vegetation.
• Preparing your fellow herpers.
• Wheres your snake hook?
• Binoculars for looking from a safe distance.
• Field Guide Measuring Tape

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• Props are GREAT!
• Snake shed skin
• Snake skull
• Rattlesnake rattle
• Shed rattlesnake fangs
• Preserved snake hide

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Endangered Species

• Never pick up or harass in any way an endangered
  snake.
• Educate your tour groups.
• Many species are insular.
• Talk about habitat.

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Floridas ManyNon-Venomous Snakes
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Non-venomous Snakes

• Over 40 species of native snakes and only 6
  venomous species.
• Snakes are everywhere, but run-ins are rare.
• Many non-venomous snakes can fool people into
  thinking that they are venomous.

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Red rat snake
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Florida water snake
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Scarlet king snake
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Black racer
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Garter snake
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Yellow rat snake
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Glass snake
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Brooks king snake
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Ring-neck snake
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Venomous SafetyAfter the Break
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Time to Grab a Snack
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VenomousSafety
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• The following information has been gathered from
  books, medical journals, pamphlets, and websites.
  You will this presentation find a bibliography,
  links, and more at www.naplezoo.com/snakes. The
  resources offered serve only as a sample of
  available information and commonly suggested
  methods.
• Those responsible for this presentation take no
  liability for their effectiveness or application.
  
• These are offered for you to create a safety
  protocol that is tailored specifically to your
  needs.

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Stay out of the STUPID ZONE!
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Stay out of the STUPID ZONE!
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• Know Floridas 6 native venomous species.
• Exotic species may be encountered.
• Through a process of elimination snakes can be
  identified to be exotic and/or venomous. Once
  identified, the doctor will know if further
  expert resources and medications are needed to
  treat the bite. Contact local herpetologists for
  help.

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Create A Safety Protocol

• The most important necessity for insuring the
  highest standard of safety in case of venomous
  reptile bite is to have a safety protocol in
  place so people are informed about what to do,
  and to get to the hospital as quick as possible.
• The first-aid done before reaching the hospital
  may save a life.

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• Safety Protocol Basics
• Identify special needs depending if it is for an
  individual, family, or business.
• Identify specific roles responsibilities for
  all persons that might be involved with emergency
  procedures.
• Venomous reptile bites are rare, therefore, many
  physicians may not be experienced in handling
  cases of snake bite. The more YOU know the better!

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What do YOU know?

• Be informed regarding up-to-date basic emergency
  medical treatment procedures. Be informed of who
  the physicians are in your county or state that
  are the most informed as to how to properly treat
  venomous reptile-bite (have contact information).
  What you, as the patient, family member, or
  co-worker may know could possibly save a life.

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What to DoIf a Bite Occurs
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• All occurrences of snakebite should be taken
  seriously until the incident is deemed to be
  otherwise.
• If the snake cannot be identified then it should
  be assumed that it may be venomous.
• NOTHING should interfere with getting the victim
  to the hospital as fast as possible.
• First aid for snake bite should be administered
  at the scene of the incident.
• REMOVE ALL JEWELRY!

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The following information is provided as a public
service by Steve Grenard. Grenards Medical
Herpetology was the first comprehensive survey of
the importance of amphibians and reptiles to
medicine and is also a compendium of information
on treating envenomation by snakes and lizards.
Any questions may be directed to
grenard_at_con2.com.
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• Allow bite to bleed freely 30 seconds.
• Use Sawyer Extractor for 15 seconds to 1 minute
  over both fang tracks.
• Clean and disinfect bite area thoroughly if
  possible.

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• Apply hard direct pressure over bite using a 4x4
  gauze pad folded in half x 2.
• Soak gauze pad in BetadineTM solution if
  available and if victim is not allergic to
  iodine.
• Strap gauze pad tightly in place with adhesive
  tape.

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Sutherland Wrap(Compression Bandage)

• Over-wrap dressing above
• and below bite area with ACE
• (elastic) bandage.
• Wrap bandage as tight as one would for a sprain.
• Not too tight.
• Check for pulses above and below elastic wrap if
  absent it is too tight.

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• Immobilize bitten extremity,
• use splinting if available.
• If possible, keep bitten extremity below heart
  level or in a gravity dependent position.
• Go to nearest hospital or medical facility
  immediately.
• Try to identify the snake involved in the bite
  incident.

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Snake BiteKits
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• One roll of 3" and two rolls of 6" ACE elastic
  bandages with clips for compression.
• Sterile 4 x 4 surgical gauze pads a small bottle
  of betadine solution if not allergic to iodine.
• One roll each of 1/2" and 1" surgical adhesive
  tape.

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• Two Sawyer Extractors, if you choose.
• Rubber gloves antiseptic wipes.
• Eye wash bottle.
• Copy of your Snake-bite Safety Protocol.
• Snake bite symptoms checklist.
• Splinting materials (arm or leg).

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Sawyer Extractor
www.sawyerproducts.com
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• Two Sawyer Extractors, if you choose.
• Rubber gloves antiseptic wipes.
• Eye wash bottle.
• Copy of your Snake-bite Safety Protocol.
• Snake bite symptoms checklist.
• Splinting materials (arm or leg).

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• Be Prepared
• Whether you are out in the field, keep snakes as
  a hobby, or work with them in your job, these
  essential kit items, the ability to apply them
  rapidly without panic or confusion, can buy you
  precious time and help save your life if the
  unthinkable occurs. Practice regularly.

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RattlesnakeBites
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Six VenomousSnakes
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Floridas 6 Venomous Snakes

• Viperids (Pit Vipers)
• Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
• Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake
• Florida Cottonmouth Water Moccasin
• Canebrake Rattlesnake
• Southern Copperhead
• Elapids (Cobras, mambas, coral snakes )
• Eastern Coral Snake

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Snake Dentition

• Non-venomous No specialized teeth (fangs)
• Aglyphic dentition
• Venomous
• Solenoglyphic (Front hinged movable)
• Proteroglyphic (Front Fixed non-movable)
• Opisthoglyphic (Rear fanged)
• Coral snake exception

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Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

• Can strike up to 2/3 the length of its body.
• Record length 8 feet.
• Favors living in dry scrub type habitats.
• Habitat is being heavily encroached upon.
• Insular Species Overwinters with other
• species in gopher tortoise burrows.

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Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

• Does not have to rattle before it strikes.
• Rattle can be broken off.
• Those snakes that dont immediately rattle are
  more likely to survive.

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Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake

• Because of its small stature, it is often
  mistaken for garter snakes, juvenile black racers
  and other non-venomous species.
• Floridas two species of hognose snakes
  occasionally are also confused with the Pygmy
  Rattlesnake.

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Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake

• The rattle of most pygmy rattlesnakes is
  underdeveloped and so small that it makes no
  sound.
• Common in lowland pine flatwoods and around
  bodies of freshwater.
• Found throughout Florida up to North Carolina and
  west to eastern Texas.

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Southern Copperhead

• Record length 4 ½ feet
• Often confused with juvenile cottonmouth water
  moccasins.
• The tip of the tail of a juvenile copperhead is
  sulpher yellow in color.

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Juvenile Cottonmouth
Adult Copperhead
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Southern Copperhead

• Has the largest range of all the southeastern
  species of venomous. (north to Mass., West to
  Texas and to SE Nebraska).
• Found in Florida only along the Apalachicola
  river and its tributaries.
• Bite is painful but not usually deadly.

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Cottonmouth Water Moccasin

• Juvenile form has a very distinct crossbanding
  pattern (fades as they get older). This pattern
  is similar to the southern copperhead, therefore,
  these two are often mistaken for one another.
• Gives warning by opening its mouth and
  displaying the cotton-white lining inside.

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Cottonmouth Water Moccasin

• More frequently found in wetter areas when
  younger. Adults often found far inland away from
  any water.
• Found throughout Florida, north to Virginia, and
  west to Illinois, Oklahoma, and Texas.

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Canebrake Rattlesnake

• Can strike up to 2/3 the length of its body.
• Chevron (zig-zag) shaped crossbands.
• Reddish brown stripe down the back with tan or
  pinkish body.
• Record length 6 feet 4 inches.

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Canebrake Rattlesnake

• Frequents low bottomlands and areas that tend to
  be fairly damp unlike the Eastern Diamondback
  which prefers dry areas.
• Ranges from north Florida to southern Maine and
  west to central Texas.

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Eastern Coral Snake

• Red, yellow, and black bands totally encircling
  the body across the belly. Red bands border next
  to the yellow bands.
• Forget the poem and think of a traffic light.

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Forget the Poem!
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Eastern Coral Snake

• Elapid snake being more closely related to
  cobras, mambas, and sea snakes.
• Can strike, bite, and forcibly inject its venom.
• Ranges from throughout Florida north to
  southeastern North Carolina and west to Texas and
  into northeastern Mexico.

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Eastern Coral Snake

• Found in a variety of habitats from dry scrub
  forest and flatwoods to wet hammocks and edges of
  swamps.
• Behaviorally very shy and secretive. Usually
  hiding in cool damp areas like dead logs or old
  woodpiles.

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AvoidingVenomousSnakes
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Avoiding Venomous Snakes

• Perspective Lots of snakes are out there and we
  never see them or have issues.
• Stay aware of your surroundings.
• Watch where you put your feet and hands.

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Avoiding Venomous Snakes

• Weather its affects on reptile behavior.
• Floridas average temp. is around 72 F.
• Reptiles are least active when outside temps are
  below 60 F and above 90 F.
• Reptiles are most active in morning and evening
  when it is cooler.
• When where do reptiles bask?

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Avoiding Venomous Snakes

• At home
• Watch where youre going!
• Where reptiles might be encountered.
• Reptiles favorite basking areas.
• Yard work gardening
• Wear proper clothes.

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Avoiding Venomous Snakes

• In the Field Many professions daily bring people
  into close contact with native snakes.
• Habitat disruption displacement of wildlife.
• Working in wooded areas or in/near dense brush.
• Never step over something that blocks your view
  of where you are going.
• Wear proper clothing.

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Questions?
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Thank You