hi from Alabama, and I've been bitten

[grahadpsnakes]

Hello everyone, I'm a female from Huntsville, Alabama, and I just wanted to introduce myself and get some advice :)
First, let me say, I've always been fascinated with snakes! When I was little, I ruined the "S" encyclopedia from eating peanut butter sandwiches while repeatedly studying the snake pictures! hahaha So I harbor no bad feelings toward snakes despite having been bitten on Saturday!

I was weed-eating in a very grown up back part of my yard, and there were probably 4 foot tall weeds and lots of vines all around. When I got done, I scooped up huge armloads of weeds and just walked a few feet and tossed them over the fence. (Looking back, I guess that wasn't a good idea!) Apparently, I picked up a little pit viper in one pile and hugged it nice and close in the process! YIKES!!! SO anyway, I came in the house and suddenly I had this overwhelming taste of copper in my mouth and I started feeling sick. Then I noticed my chest was burning real bad and I just thought I had been stuck by a briar, but I found two bloody, dripping puncture wounds about 3/8" apart under my shirt. I'm a girl, so it was in a delicate place on my chest, or I would include a pic. Anyway, I still didn't realize I'd got a snake bite until the next day. (I've realized I must be pretty dense, so no comments on my stupidity please :)
Next day, I noticed the terrible bruising, (about 5" wide of nasty purple, blue and yellow mottled bruising around the 2 puncture wounds), and went to the doctor--exhausted, achy, sick to my stomach, excruciating headache. I could also feel the blood pumping in my left hand and arm when I was trying to sleep. The doctor confirmed it was a venomous snakebite, and she gave me antibiotics. Its been 4 days and the headache is finally going away, and the bruising isn't spreading anymore, so apparently I didn't get a huge dose of venom, which leads me to think it was a copperhead.
So, I need help trying to find the snake. I want to relocate him if I can do it safely. My dogs are out in this area sometimes, and its just too risky to have him this close to us. The place where this happened is fairly close to my swimming pool, where there is a nice food supply of frogs coming over for a swim. Also, the edge of the concrete around the pool has been a nice haven for black snakes and rat snakes in the past, and I usually just leave them alone and watch where I step :) But now if a copperhead has moved in, he has to go. Any advice on how to find him and catch him safely?
Debbie
thanks, and sorry this is kinda long

[Pareeeee]

Glad to hear you are doing better. It would be best to have a professional come in and relocate the snake - you don't want to get bitten (again!) if you are inexperienced with venomous snake handling. Glad you are okay and feeling better! I bet it was a scary experience!

[EL Ziggy]

^^What Pareeeee said. :)

[macandchz]

glad to hear you are feeling better and that you still like snakes!

[eminart]

Welcome from a fellow Huntsvegas resident. The doctor just gave you antibiotics, not antivenin? It does sound like a copperhead, but I wouldn't want to take a bite to the chest even from a copperhead, without antivenin. Do you live around Monte Sano?

[Albert Clark]

I was suspicious of why you didn't receive antivenin also? Especially with your presentation and their diagnosis. Even though the snake was not brought in for identification.

[grahadpsnakes]

Hey guys, thanks for the replies!
I don't know why I wasn't offered antivenin--I assumed the doctor thought it was probably too late to help by then, since I was bitten on Saturday evening, and I saw the doctor on Monday afternoon. I was sitting up, talking, with some swelling and bruising at the bite, but it wasn't progressing, although I was feeling pretty bad. But she had no experience with snake bite because I heard her talking when she left the examination room to one of her staff, saying something like "Its definitely a snake bite. But I don't know how to code this--there's no code for snakebite on this sheet! I've never had to code a snakebite before!" It wasn't the emergency room, but my regular doctor's office.

Now, its Thursday night--well, early Friday morning. I feel normal again except for some tenderness around the bite. The bruising is turning dark red and yellow instead of purple and blue. There are still two little scabs on the puncture wounds. Headache is gone, and I'm having no ill effects. But I have to admit that I'm having a lot of anxiety about that snake being out there in my yard. I may never see him again, but I can't take the chance of getting bit again. I am afraid to even walk thru the yard now, and afraid to take my dogs for a walk. :( I am thinking of getting snake-proof boots from Cabela's tomorrow, so I can do some more weed-eating without being too afraid. Or maybe a flame thrower. If I can kill all vegetation within 1000 feet of my house, I should be able to spot him pretty easily :)

To the guy in Huntsville, no I don't live near Monte Sano--I'm north of town between Hazel Green and Harvest.

And to the guys who said I would have to get a professional to find the snake and remove it...I guess I will search for a snake remover in Huntsville. But don't I need to find him first?? hahah I will call tomorrow and see.
thanks everyone
hey, if any of you snake-loving guys want my copperhead, you can have him!!!
:)

[eminart]

If you spot him, shoot me a message. I'm in the process of moving, but if I don't have too much going on, I could probably swing by and remove it.

But really, just don't ever put your hands or feet where you can't see, and you're almost guaranteed to never be bitten again. Get your brush and any other hiding places for snakes and their food removed and there will be a lot fewer visiting your property.