First Snake of the year

Gafn · Apr 23, 2015

Not really tractor safety.....

But safety non the less.... first snake of the year... about 7 inches long, but the dang thing was right up against the house.... hate these things...

I think this is a young copperhead, but I cant really tell.
What do you guys think?

DuckSlayer1017 · Apr 23, 2015

I'm not sure on the type of snake but I'm glad I live up north where there aren't' many of snakes to deal with.

tractchores · Apr 23, 2015

Need to see the head to tell, there are a bunch of harmless snakes with the same body colors.

Gafn · Apr 23, 2015

I killed this little thing on a gravel pathway... head disappeared into the gravel, and this snake's body was still twitching an hour after being killed - not interested in looking for a still biting severed head...

CalG · Apr 23, 2015

I saw a "first snake of the year " just the other day.

It was dangling in the clutches of a small hawk ;-)

Supper I suppose.

Vermont doesn't really have poison snakes, so I don't worry. Even if a local hill is called "rattle snake mountain". I suppose one was seen once, and it stuck! ;-)

Gafn · Apr 23, 2015

Well this was first snake killed - have seen two other black snakes - they eat these little guys if they can find them, so I never kill a black snake.
This looks like a little copper head that has not had its shapes formed on it's back yet...

I am just guessing...

4570Man · Apr 23, 2015

My dad saw a big black snake about a month ago. It was probably 4 feet long.

Walkin Horse · Apr 23, 2015

I just saw a post on fb that young copper heads have a yellow tip on its tail. I'm not sure at what size they loose that. It also said that the baby's are the most poisonous,because they can't regulate the venom. At my place 3 kinds make it. The black snake the racer and the king snake. I have a 3 yo GS full time here and I don't won't him picking up a giant fishing worm.

phiferpharm · Apr 23, 2015

We are seeing them daily here - most are just rat snakes that are mostly left alone (except when grandma catches them in with the Chickens and Ducks). Unfortunately my son's dog, who lives on the next property brought a Coral Snake offering into the house last week. The dog ended up at the UF Veterinary hospital for shots and an overnight stay. That was not cheap.

tractchores · Apr 23, 2015

Young copper beads do have yellow or green tail tips and usually a lighter color, but it can vary. It's easy to tell if it's venemous or not by the head. A triangle head is venemous, an oval one is not. These also have pits in the head. Some non venemous will try to look venemous by flailing their necks. My guess is not a copperhead but you need the head to be sure, it has a spot on the top that differentiates it from the look alikes.

If the head is in the gravel be careful, if someone steps on it and it's venemous its still dangerous. I am careful to not bother non venemous snakes, many eat other snakes, bugs or rodents. There are a few that are fantastic at eating other snakes (king snakes) that are great to have around.