[jimbo2012]

Southwest Florida is a prime spot for snakes and if you're not careful, you or your child could be bitten.

Nearly 7,000 people are bitten in the U.S. by venomous snakes each year and we found out how to protect yourself.

In our area there are four venomous snakes you need to be cautious of and they could be hiding anywhere, which is why experts have some sound advice to help you avoid a potentially deadly strike.

"We've got the eastern diamondback, cottonmouth, moccasin coral snake and then finally we have pygme rattlesnake. Usually that's about 18 to 24 inches," explained David Tetzlaff, with the Naples Zoo.

Experts say the best way to avoid an unwanted close encounter with one of the deadly four is not to stick your hands or feet in dark places snakes like to hide - a tip that applies especially to children.

"If a ball or tool rolls somewhere, you're reaching for something you don't know where your hands are going, don't stick your hand in there. Use a stick," Tetzlaff said.


And if you are bitten, you're racing against the clock.

Although experts say nearly half of all snake bites are venom-free or "dry bites," your first thought should be getting to a hospital.

"Forget any remedy anything you were told to do if you get bit by a snake the best thing you can do is go straight to the hospital," Tetzlaff said.

And although snakes are just afraid of us as we are of them, they are not apprehensive about protecting themselves.

"Most snake bites happen for two reasons - somebody trying to catch one or kill one. And that puts you in what we call the ‘stupid zone,'" Tetzlaff said.

Experts say there's no easy way to tell just by looking at a snake if it's venomous or not. The best advice is to not touch it at all.

And if you are bitten, don't waste time trying to catch it or get a picture - get help immediately.

[rubicon]

Its better to deal with snakes in TV then snakes on a plane

[graciegirl]

Been here four years. No personal snake sitings. Sweetie and Helene haven't seen one either.

[dok4933]

Only been in TV for two years so I guess I'm lucky to have this visitor.

[buggyone]

Originally Posted by Posh 08

So, is a Coral snake venomous?

Yes, a coral snake is venomous. They really do not have fangs but the venom flows into the body when they bite, chew, and hold on. Their venom is different than a water moccasin, copperhead, or rattlesnake. The coral snake venom is a neurotoxin (attacking the nervous system) and the pit vipers are a hemotoxin (attacking the blood system),

[graciegirl]

Everyone chime in and say if they personally have or have not seen a snake.

I know they are here but the poor folks reading this are thinking it is like that movie Crocodile Dundee.

Some people like to show that they can print things big on here. Please respond only if you live here.

Many thanks.

Please don't be scared dear frightened new friends. It ISN'T like that movie, Honest Injun.

[John_W]

I play at Cane Garden Country Club quite often since it's only ten minutes away. On the Hibiscus nine layout you'll be instructed that the 'out-of-bounds' that are marked with red stakes, not white, means you don't look for your ball beyond the red stake. Hibiscus is a very lush and tropical layout, but it's also very rugged and the red stakes can come right up to the edge of some fairways and if you stay out of those areas you should be alright.

I haven't seen any snakes in our ten months here, but at Cane Garden I've seen up to five gators at one time on the Alamanda nine in the area of the two lakes near the 6th green I believe. I never understood why people pay extra to live on the water here.

[MSNPA]

Lived here almost five years and the only snakes I have seen are dead baby snakes on the street, most likely run over by a vehicle. We have a lot of geckos around our house. I always heard if you see a lot of geckos you probably do not have any snakes since the snakes would be eating the geckos!

[billethkid]

we had a baby garter snake get in our pool while it was under construction 6 years ago.

We had one in the pool filter basket last week. The gal who cleans our pool was surprised by it. I helped in the disposal(let it go in the back yard).

It was a southern ring neck...grey/black with a bright orange ring around it's neck and an equally bright orange stripe the full length of it body on the belly. About 8" long.

A version of garter snake.

They like water!!

Just check the multi modal path from the starter shack on Plamer's Riley Grove and to the entrance to Bridgeport at Lake Sumter...this area is along the lake there....many examples or dead snakes run over by golf carts.

Most snakes here are non poisonous. And as far as the poisonous ones go, unless you actually step on one or corner one or surprise it some how...they will usually avoid you as much as you want to avoid them.

Best advice unless you are an expert...treat all, each and every one as if it was poisonous.

And in closing, don't kill them. They are a protected species (very few are not) and they do more good than harm.

btk

[cappyjon431]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Everyone chime in and say if they personally have or have not seen a snake.

I know they are here but the poor folks reading this are thinking it is like that movie Crocodile Dundee.

Some people like to show that they can print things big on here. Please respond only if you live here.

Many thanks.

Please don't be scared dear frightened new friends. It ISN'T like that movie, Honest Injun.

I've only seen two in my yard, both were ringneck snakes (non-venemous), very small (about a foot or less), totally harmless, and much more afraid of me than I am of them. I caught one, brought it in the house to show my wife, but she was not that excited about the idea, so I let it go back in our yard.

[Sail41]

Florida Indigo snake and it's a protected snake. This is what most of the black snakes are. Very beneficial and harmless.

[Cynbod]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Everyone chime in and say if they personally have or have not seen a snake.

I know they are here but the poor folks reading this are thinking it is like that movie Crocodile Dundee.

Some people like to show that they can print things big on here. Please respond only if you live here.

Many thanks.

Please don't be scared dear frightened new friends. It ISN'T like that movie, Honest Injun.

My husband, daughter and I were dining outside at Cane Garden last year. The mulch had just been renewed and looked quite nice. Suddenly I saw the biggest snake I have ever seen come out unto the dining area. I jumped and it jumped. I saw it (or another one) again and managed to persuade my family to leave.

I have been there many time since and have never seen another snake. I have decided to just be careful when new mulch is laid.

BTW, I have never seen one near my home.

[zcaveman]

Over the past 10 years I have seen four or five black snakes in my yard, two while playing golf at Tierra Del Sol, one reddish snake at El Santiago, one at Amberwood, three black snake skins and one rattlesnake skin from where they moulted. This is not counting the dead ones in the road.

The next door neighbor had one on her lanai.

This is why I tend to keep my garage door closed.

[chuckinca]

We have a 3 ft long black snake that we see around our house every few weeks or so. We don't bother it and it doesn't bother us.


.

[Ashton]

Thank You everyone for all your photos and stories!