Nature

Hunter’s Video Reminds Us to Watch Out for Snakes

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Tony Maples Photography

 

I am a father of seven children, and I live in the middle of nowhere at the base of the Texas Hill Country. Every year as we transition into Spring my parent “Spidey Senses” are going nuts because of viral videos like this one by hunter Aaron Anderson, shared by Texas Trophy Hunters.

Just a reminder folks, snakes are making their way out as the warm weather comes in. They are hungry and trying to warm up from our “brutal” Texas winters. Generally, our slithery counterparts rejoin society around March and April, but due to warmer weather in Texas, it can be earlier. They are most active during this period and in the fall just before hibernation.

The good news, according to Texas A&M’s website, there are only four venomous snakes in Texas, and those four are “almost never aggressive unless provoked,” according to Jill Heatley, associate professor of Veterinary Medicine. However, snake bites can be very expensive with medical expenses reaching up to $50,000 and possibly several weeks of treatment. Texas venomous snakes are rattlesnakes, copperheads, coral snakes and cottonmouths (water moccasin).

Your pets could also be at risk. As snakes become more active, your pets may find themselves looking face to face with one of our stealthy neighbors. While people will generally walk away, a pet may be more curious and could have a negative encounter with a snake as a result.

Keep your eyes peeled and listen for the warnings. Most snakes prefer to be left alone, but finding them on accident is often more dangerous than finding them on purpose.