SOMD – Last year medics and EMT’s responded to many reports of copperhead bites in Southern Maryland with many of them being children. It’s that time of year again for the copperheads.
Here are some helpful tips:
1) If an adult bites you, it’s possible you’d only get a dry bite. But go to the hospital as soon as possible anyway.
2) If you smell cucumber for no reason, you are within striking distance of a copperhead and you have already disturbed him.
3) Juveniles often have a yellow tip on the tail and they ALWAYS DUMP ALL THEIR VENOM.
4) Possums eat all snakes they find including copperheads, so leave the possums alone.
5) Other snakes such as rat snakes compete with copperheads for food and have been seen eating juvenile snakes just like King snakes eat copperheads, so dont kill other snakes. they are harmless, leave them be. learn to identify all snakes in your area.